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Homeowners Michelle Samuels and EJ renovated their kitchen, keeping the original upper cabinets while painting them Benjamin Moore’s Palace White and adding cranberry-finish plywood lower cabinets. The project also changed the kitchen layout, added checkerboard flooring and made room for a built-in storage bench.
Homeowners Michelle Samuels and EJ renovated their kitchen by keeping its original upper cabinets and painting them cream, while adding cranberry-finish lower cabinets, a new floor and a more practical appliance layout. Apartment Therapy’s before-and-after report describes a project that combined professional construction work with the couple’s own painting and decorative details.
The kitchen’s upper cabinets dated to the home’s circa-1940s kitchen and were in what Samuels described as halfway decent condition. Most of the lower cabinets, by contrast, were older IKEA units. The renovation replaced those lower cabinets with exposed-edge plywood cabinetry in a “Cranberry” finish from Boxco. A professional painter coated the upper cabinets in Benjamin Moore’s “Palace White.”
The work changed the room’s layout as well as its appearance. The refrigerator had been positioned near a doorway, where it obstructed the route into the rest of the house. The homeowners had a heating company move a large steam radiator, allowing them to relocate the fridge. Their contractor, Dan Baker, removed the old counters and lower cabinets and installed new cabinets and appliances, with help from a plumber and electrician. The floor was replaced with checkerboard tile from Fireclay.
Samuels and EJ handled some of the painting and finishing themselves, including green designs EJ painted on tiles behind the stove. The couple also replaced fixtures and hardware and put up William Morris fruit wallpaper in the kitchen, entryway and bathroom. An upholstered bench built by EJ occupies the former refrigerator corner; its lift-up seat provides storage for pet food. Samuels told Apartment Therapy that the new cabinetry improved the kitchen’s function, citing a spice rack, LeMans shelves in a blind-corner cabinet and soft-close drawers.
A Layout Change Alongside the Color
The renovation shows that the project’s impact came from more than its red-and-cream palette. Moving the radiator made it possible to shift the refrigerator away from the doorway, while the new lower cabinets and specialty storage addressed practical shortcomings in the old kitchen. The bench uses the freed-up corner for seating and concealed storage rather than leaving it unused.
For readers planning a renovation, the example also draws a clear line between cosmetic work and building work. The homeowners painted and added decorative touches, but the radiator move, electrical and plumbing work, and cabinet installation involved hired professionals. The report does not provide a budget, so it cannot show how the project’s choices compare in cost with other renovations.
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From Early DIY to Contractor Work
Samuels and EJ were first-time homeowners who had rented previously. Before the larger renovation, they tackled smaller kitchen projects, including removing a ceiling panel light and upgrading backsplash tiles. They later worked with Boxco and met contractor Dan Baker, along with Taylor Powell of Hill Street Concrete, who supplied the new countertops.
The homeowners described the earlier kitchen as having mottled gray laminate counters that were difficult to keep looking clean, faux-wood linoleum and lower cabinets in poor condition. The upper cabinets were older but usable, making their retention a distinct choice within a broader overhaul. The report says the project included new appliances and flooring, but does not give a full specification for every material or installation.
Color choices extended beyond the cabinets. The wallpaper’s fruit pattern inspired shades of red, yellow and white used across the kitchen and adjoining rooms. EJ’s painted tile designs include the year the couple bought the house, their dog and cat, the zodiac, nearby landmarks and a rooster tile modeled on one from Samuels’ childhood home.
“The old fridge was stuck in the corner by the doorway to the rest of the house and in the way, but with no other spot to put it.”
— Michelle Samuels, speaking to Apartment Therapy
Cost and Project Timing Not Listed
Apartment Therapy’s report does not state the renovation’s cost, how long the work took or when it was completed. It also does not provide detailed product specifications for every cabinet, appliance or countertop, limiting comparisons with other projects. The article identifies the contractors and some materials, but does not describe permits or the technical details of the radiator relocation.
Samuels said the ceiling lights were no longer perfectly centered after the refrigerator’s relocation and described that as mildly annoying. The report does not say whether the couple plans to adjust the lighting. It also does not confirm when EJ’s planned floating shelves for Samuels’ cookbooks will be installed.
Floating Shelves Remain Planned
The next project Samuels identified was floating shelves for her cookbooks. The report gives no schedule for that work. For now, the renovation is described as complete, with the couple using the updated kitchen and its added storage. Any further changes, including a possible adjustment to the ceiling lights, remain unreported.
Key Questions
Did the homeowners keep the original kitchen cabinets?
They kept the original upper cabinets, which dated to the home’s circa-1940s kitchen, and had them painted Benjamin Moore’s “Palace White.” Most of the lower cabinets were replaced.
What color are the new lower cabinets?
The new exposed-edge plywood lower cabinets from Boxco have a “Cranberry” finish, according to the Apartment Therapy report.
Why was the refrigerator moved?
The fridge had been near a doorway and obstructed movement through the house. The homeowners had a heating company relocate a steam radiator, which freed a more suitable place for the refrigerator.
What work did the homeowners do themselves?
Samuels and EJ painted parts of the kitchen and adjoining rooms, replaced fixtures and hardware, and added wallpaper. EJ also painted green designs on tiles behind the stove. Contractors handled work including cabinet and appliance installation.
What is planned for the kitchen next?
EJ’s next project, according to Samuels, is to add floating shelves for Samuels’ cookbooks. No timeline was given.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
