Small Updates that Make a Big Impact in the Kitchen

Is a whole renovation not in the budget right now? Today I’m sharing small updates that make a big impact in the kitchen.

A kitchen renovation isn’t in our budget especially after putting in a pool last summer….

Our kitchen isn’t perfect but it isn’t a total gut job either. Since moving in we’ve made small changes here and there. Things like – stick on subway tile, painting the cabinets, and painting the walls gray. You can actually see a bunch of ideas for refreshing your kitchen without renovating here.

I dream of marble or quartz counters and a big island but for now I’m going to share a small update that can make a big change.

Swapping out the hardware instantly gives a fresh look. I always say hardware is like a pair of fun earrings to an outfit or like a blow out if you have naturally curly hair, like me. It’s the finishing touch. We added some beautiful new hardware and our kitchen is beaming ear to ear. My friend Derrick over at D. Lawless sent me some lovely hardware for our kitchen. I’m in LOVE with these knobs, pulls, and hinges.

Are you guys familiar with D. Lawless? I’ve talked about them a lot on the blog, especially, when I’m talking about furniture makeovers. I’ve also recommended them to design clients. D. Lawless has such lovely hardware but is a fraction of the cost of other stores. We’re talking WAAAAAAYYYYY cheaper.

I never loved the hardware in our kitchen. The pulls always reminded me of the logo for Caneel Bay. Every time I looked at them that’s what I saw. The hinges were getting very rusty and I just thought I was stuck with that aged look because I didn’t realize I could buy the same hinges in a different color.

Here’s a look at my rusty hinges (I can’t believe I’m showing you a photo of this). Sigh.

Here’s the hardware before:

Now, here’s the after:

For quite awhile I’ve wanted to incorporate brass hardware into our kitchen, for added warmth. D. Lawless has champagne bronze hardware, which is a soft, muted brass and it looks lovely when it catches the sunlight.

I opted for the 3/8″ inset hinges in the champagne bronze and coordinated the Fulton Knob and the Fransisco Pull. I love knobs for upper cabinets but love pulls for drawers and lowers. The Fransisco pull is lovely, it has a beautiful minimal quality but also makes me think of bamboo.

Don’t the Fransisco pulls have a lovely coastal look?

You won’t believe the prices either!!! The knobs are just under $2 a piece and the pulls are $2.19. If you’ve shopped for hardware then you know some places charge $14 for one pull. We have lots of drawers and cabinets so it’s nice to know that D. Lawless stocks affordable options.

I love the fresh look the champagne bronze hardware gives to our kitchen. I also love that it coordinates nicely with the pendant light from Ikea. What do you think of the new and improved look?

If you want to update your kitchen or other spaces, I highly recommend checking out D. Lawless Hardware. A huge thank you to Derrick and the D. Lawless family for helping me update our kitchen.

I often get questions about sources and paint colors. So I’ve included a full source list below. I would love to hear your comments and questions about our kitchen or home.

Source List

• Hinges – D. Lawless
• Kitchen Hardware – D. Lawless here and here
• Wall Color – Owl Gray by Benjamin Moore in Matte
• Trim and Cabinet Color – White Dove by Benjamin Moore in Satin, Advantage
• Inside China Cabinet – Soapstone by Fusion Mineral Paint
• Rugs by Pappelina – The Welch Company
• Stick on Subway Tiles – Smart Tiles, similar here
• Ceiling Light – Vintage from ReStore
• Pendant Light – Ikea
• Bread Bin – Amazon
• Le Creuset Kettle – Amazon
• Le Creuset Dutch Oven – Amazon
• Kitchen Aid Mixer – Amazon
• Aloe – Home Depot
• Dishes – Ikea, Vintage
• Preserved Butterflies – Vintage
• Pitcher – Target
• Candle -Target
• Buoy Board – 163 Design Company
• Blue and White Plates – Wayfair
• Green Stool – Ikea and painted it, DIY here
• DIY Shibori Placemats – DIY here
• Wood Cake Stands – Target
• Bar Stools – Ballard Design
• Sunflower Art – My son, post here
• SMEG Toaster – Amazon