Kitchen Makeover: From Dreary and Dated to Big, Bright, and Beautiful

Cassie Hsu

Kitchen renovations can be daunting, but Cassie and Mike Hsu found a way to create their dream kitchen on a down-to-earth budget.

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Cassie Hsu

Name: Cassie Hsu

Location: Las Vegas, NV

"I travel a lot for work, so our home is my sanctuary. I wanted to feel comfortable and relaxed at home. So I knew we had to do the remodel -- and fast," says Cassie of her outdated kitchen (left).

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Before: '80s Vibes

Cassie Hsu

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"The kitchen looked like something out of the 1980s, even though the house is only eight years old. It had dark oak cabinets, black appliances, and orange granite square tiles as the counterop and backsplash."

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Before: Dark Cabinets

Cassie Hsu

"The cabinets were actually in good shape, so we decided to just paint them Benjamin Moore White Dove instead of replacing them."

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The Process: Painting

Cassie Hsu

"Painting [the cabinets] instead of replacing them saved us a lot of money. We also painted the ceilings in our house the same Benjamin Moore White Dove. We painted all of the walls Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter for a neutral 'greige' (gray meets beige) throughout."

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The Process: Installation

Cassie Hsu

"The process basically involved removing all of the old materials first. Then they painted the cabinets and added the hardware."

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After: Bigger and Brighter

Cassie Hsu

"We wanted to brighten the kitchen to make it appear bigger. We wanted quartz countertops and a subway-glass backsplash. The one thing my husband wanted was a farmhouse sink."

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After: Kitchen Details

Cassie Hsu

"We decided to take the small cabinet next to the sink and make it a glass front to showcase our mugs and beer glasses from our travels together. We then decided to create a frame on our pantry doors and painted inside the frame with magnetic primer and chalkboard paint."

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After: Buying Local

Cassie Hsu

"We use this magnetic chalkboard all the time. I hang coupons and reminders on there and write our grocery lists."

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After: Cohesive Kitchen

Cassie Hsu

"We partnered with Acquired Designs & Remodel to put our wish list to life. He bought all of the quartz and subway tiles from a local supplier. He also purchased the farmhouse sink at a local hardware store. [We were] able to incorporate all of these elements for just under $10,000."

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After: Finished Product

Cassie Hsu

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"We are so happy and thrilled. We love our kitchen, and it really has opened up our house. It's so inviting -- we love to entertain now! Sometimes I even catch my husband just standing there staring at our kitchen with a big smile on his face."

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Kitchen Makeover: From Dreary and Dated to Big, Bright, and Beautiful

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