We recently completed a major kitchen redo and wanted to walk you through the real-life process, from demo to cabinets. Last week we explained the new layout on paper, and now you can see how it all unfolded in our house — including taking down a wall to open the sightlines into the living room.
This ended up being our biggest renovation so far and landed in the middle of the DIY spectrum. Some jobs we hired out to save time, while others we tackled ourselves to save money or because we actually enjoy them. After two previous kitchen renovations, we have a clearer sense of which tasks are worth delegating so we don’t stay kitchen-less any longer than necessary.
Here are a few “way before” photos from when we first moved in. These two vantage points appear a lot throughout this story and really show how much changed. The first view is from the garage door toward the living room:
And this is the view from the living room looking back at the kitchen. A built-in bookcase and an old wet bar occupied the wall that we later removed. We were a bit sad to lose the bookcase, but the wet bar was definitely gone for good.
Our final floor plan included opening that wall to improve flow and create better sightlines between the kitchen and living room. A contractor confirmed the wall wasn’t load-bearing, so we demoed it ourselves. It’s one of the more satisfying parts of a remodel when a space suddenly feels larger and brighter.
By the end of the first afternoon the wall and the kitchen desk area were mostly gone. We left the main cooking zone intact until the plumber and electrician could terminate and reroute pipes and wiring so we didn’t lose the sink any longer than necessary.
Seeing the living room from the kitchen sink for the first time was ridiculously satisfying. That photo also helped confirm our decision to keep the triple bay of windows instead of turning them into French doors — the living room already has a door to the deck, and leaving the bay windows gave us more room for counters and a sink centered under a large window.
The day after demo we had a contractor frame and widen the doorway to the dining room. That wall was load-bearing, so we relied on professionals for the temporary supports and header installation. Widening the opening by about a foot made the whole area feel more connected and balanced with the adjacent foyer doorway.
While the pros handled framing, the plumbing and electrical work progressed: old pipes and gas lines were terminated or relocated, and new wiring and recessed lighting were added. We framed the new opening to the living room, aiming for a large, cased opening rather than a completely open gap so the cabinets would have a terminal wall and the living room could house built-ins again.
For drywall, we split the work between ourselves and a pro: we hung most of the drywall and handled mudding and sanding in areas that would be covered by cabinets or tile, while a professional finished the visible seams and the tricky ceiling strip. That compromise saved time and money while still ensuring a smooth finish where it mattered most.
Everything from the kitchen moved into the dining room while work was underway, which made the dining room our temporary kitchen, pantry, and storage area. When it came time for the floors, we had to move most of the first floor out of the house so the flooring crew could blend new hardwoods into the existing boards and refinish adjacent rooms for a seamless look.
We hired pros to patch and blend the hardwoods because the job required careful chiseling and multi-day attention to detail. The result was a first floor with a single, level plane of matching hardwood — no raised transitions and a much more cohesive flow.
Before cabinet installation we raised the triple window so the cabinets could extend along the back wall without crowding the window sills. Once the new windows were installed and trimmed on the inside, our cabinet delivery arrived. We chose white cabinets again because we’ve loved them in past houses and worked with a local cabinet maker we trust. Their install team completed a job that would have taken us much longer, allowing us to move forward with countertop templating and finishing the floors.
Finally, here are a few shots that show the transformation when viewed from the foyer. The awkward, boxy wall that once jutted into the space is gone, replaced by a wide, welcoming opening that ties the living room and kitchen together. We’re thrilled with how much brighter and more open the whole first floor feels.
We’ll share many more before-and-after photos and details about material and finish choices soon. We’re especially excited to reveal the island — we tried something a little different and love how it turned out. Thanks for following along on this big renovation journey.