After years of dreaming, planning, and saving, we finally took the plunge on our kitchen renovation. I expected excitement, decisions, and plenty of dust—but I didn’t expect to cry when the cabinets arrived.
Yep, right there in the middle of our not-yet-finished kitchen, happy tears streamed down my face. I’m not usually an emotional person, but seeing those cabinets go up? It was like watching a dream I’d nurtured for ten long years finally come to life.
If you’re planning your own kitchen remodel, I’m sharing everything we learned along the way—including a few things we’d do differently.
Cabinet Installation: The Moment It Felt Real
The first big milestone was cabinet installation. And let me tell you, seeing a cabinet for our refrigerator was mind-blowing. I’ve never had a built-in space for my fridge before, and it made the whole kitchen feel more polished.
Then came the cabinets for the sink wall. One by one, the space transformed as each piece was set in place.
And then… the kitchen island.
Wow. This thing was massive. We designed it to house our 48-inch gas range, and seeing it take shape made everything feel real.
Lesson Learned: Timing Matters
We thought we were ahead of the game by having our custom kitchen cabinets built six months before installation. Turns out, that was a mistake.
Wood moves, expands, and shifts over time. So, when it was time to install them, things weren’t aligning perfectly. Fortunately, we found an expert cabinet builder who spent two full days adjusting everything to fit.
What We’d Do Differently:
- Time the cabinet build closer to the install date.
- Schedule painting right after installation to prevent wood from shifting before it’s sealed.
This would have saved us some stress and extra work!
Shiplap Ceilings & A Custom Vent Hood
With the cabinets in, we moved on to other big projects:
✔ Painting and sealing our shiplap ceiling, which was installed between our cypress leg beams.
✔ Custom-milling cypress wood for the vent hood, which was my husband’s vision from the start.
The combination of the shiplap ceiling and cypress vent hood gave our kitchen a perfect mix of modern and rustic.
The Kitchen Countertops: Worth the Wait
It had been fourteen months since we picked out our kitchen countertops, and I was both excited and nervous to see them installed.
For the sink side, we chose a clean, simple granite paired with a Blanco Silgranit sink in a warm café color—durable, classic, and low-maintenance.
But the real showstopper? Our kitchen island countertop.
I still remember weaving through aisle after aisle of granite and quartz countertops, searching for the one. And when we finally found it? It was perfect.
Seeing that beautiful slab installed on our island made everything feel complete. I even asked my husband to leave it uncovered for the weekend so I could admire it before the rest of the construction continued.
Final Thoughts: A Kitchen Worth the Wait
Ten years. That’s how long I waited for this kitchen.
In past home projects, I’d get impatient about three-quarters of the way through. But this time, I made a conscious decision to enjoy the process.
Yes, it got tough—especially during those hot summer months before the A/C was installed. But hitting milestones like insulation, cabinets, and countertops kept the excitement going.
And now? Now I get to cook, bake, and gather in a space that’s truly ours.
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.
Would I time the cabinet build better? Absolutely.
If you’re planning a kitchen remodel, take it one step at a time—and enjoy every stage. Because one day, you’ll stand in your dream kitchen, and it’ll all be worth it.
It’s so beautiful! I do love the ceiling and vent a hood!