I received the hardware for free from Atlas Homewares in exchange for marketing content.
Today is the day I pull it all together and finally share our kitchen and the beautiful hardware from Atlas Homewares we finished the cabinets with. Side note: let me be completely honest and say it’s not 100% finished (what true DIY ever is?) but we are close enough to release it into the world (think endless trim details and white paint)!
We chipped away day after day to get where we are now. We know the kitchen is the heart of the home (especially for people who love to cook and host) and when it’s functioning well the rest of the house could be a wild version of life under construction but we have peace in our most used space. It’s proven to be exactly true.
Let’s take a look at the early days:
Where we started:
We began this process in April of 2024 right after we closed on the house. We did not move into the house until February 2026, nearly 2 years after we began. After framing, electrical, plumbing, and sheetrock were complete, the kitchen rebuild took place from March-July of 2026. We had a few months of a temporary basement kitchen; which I believe is a right of passage on the journey to a new kitchen. We decided to go with ready to assemble cabinets (more on that later) which means other than the plumbing and countertops, this was a solid DIY space that took up the bulk of our time and tested us along the way. And, of course, projects always take 3 times longer than I think they are going to, much to Dean’s dismay.
Our plan:
When I tell you I loved the original cabinets, it’s the truth. I was sad to see them go. I knew I would try my best (ahem, wood cabinets $$$) to replace them with wood cabinetry that mirrored what was original. We had a few issues with the original cabinets. First, we knew we had to replace all of the cast iron/copper plumbing in the house and update the electrical. So working around custom-built cabinets wasn’t an option. You may have noticed the original AC handler was built into the top of the cabinets -all of this had to be replaced as well, so we knew that had to go too. The kitchen was dark and a one to two person kitchen at best. All of these things, plus a few more, confirmed that we would indeed be rebuilding this space to fit our family and make the house safe. We took out the original cabinets, saving what we could (they are now in our laundry room after a deep clean and lots of love!) and we got to work clearing the rest. Our goal was to create a really functional kitchen for the way we live and host, while honoring the architecture of the house. Inspired by Japandi style, our 1963 MCM itself, the deep of nature, and warm champagne metals for the hardware, I set to work rebuilding our dream kitchen (on a real budget. Haha)
Where we landed:
Hardware:
I knew how important hardware would be as it’s the most used surface in our kitchen. We went with mostly lower drawers so I was on the hunt for the perfect pull. I purchased Atlas Homewares hardware for our previous kitchen and the quality left a lasting impression on us. I found their products in a local show room and fell in love with the color champagne (it’s a dreamy earthy gold without being too orange or yellow). Atlas Homewares champagne finish pairs perfectly with Delta’s Champagne Bronze finish, which I used for our pot filler. It was a match made in heaven!
I collaborated with the team at Atlas Homewares for the hardware in the kitchen; they have been great to work on this project with. I promptly received samples and had time to consider the differences in each. I decided on their Sleek Collection ↗ for the pantry, kitchen, and vintage bar cabinet in our dining room to tie all the spaces together and keep things consistent. In my opinion, the star of the show are the Sleek Knobs! ↗ Living up to their name, they truly are sleek and look so clean and modern. The Sleek knobs also make opening the cabinets with one finger so easy (which you need to do a lot if you’re a messy cook like me!).
Check out Atlas Homewares ↗ and their collections if you’re in the market for new hardware or want to give an easy update to a space (I’m looking at you, bathroom vanity) you will see and feel the impact!
Thanks for being here for this journey. We still have so far to go, but walking into this kitchen is a constant reminder of how much we have already overcome.
-Beth