IMANI AT HOME | Rent Or Own, Love Your Home

View Original

Rental Kitchen Reno Pt. 2 - The Plans

Close up of my favorite vintage fruit bowl Close up of my favorite vintage fruit bowl

Close up of my favorite vintage fruit bowl

My kitchen has been through it... It started off boring, but I transformed it into a sophisticated pink galley kitchen that Domino called, “Unrecognizable”. After a few months of living in my “perfect kitchen”, I’ve decided to do another round of upgrades because I have no self-control & I love newness. On this go around, I partnered with an incredible brand, Luxury Bath For Less, to make shit shake! Keep reading to see the future of my kitchen.

This is so embarrassing, but this is what the kitchen looked like a few months after moving in. This is so embarrassing, but this is what the kitchen looked like a few months after moving in.

This is so embarrassing, but this is what the kitchen looked like a few months after moving in.

Sinks & Things

Say goodbye to the basic stainless steel sink that plagues every rental in America. I’m upgrading the space with a white acrylic sink from Home Depot (btw, it’s only $180 & comes in tons of colors). Initially, I wanted to go for this cast iron sink, but after consulting my landlord and fielding concerns over the weight & required reinforcements, we compromised on the lighter option!

My New Kitchen Sink My New Kitchen Sink

My New Kitchen Sink

Additionally, I’ll be adding in an incredible kitchen faucet with a spray hose! The Easton Classic Two Hole Bridge Gooseneck Kitchen Faucet with Oak Lever Handles & Spay in Carbon was kindly gifted to me by Luxury Bath For Less, and is the star of my kitchen. It will pair nicely with my new cabinet pulls (more on that later) and will add some much-needed contrast between the peel and stick wallpaper and Benjamin Moore paint. Let me be clear, I love everything about my new faucet! The dark finish with hints of Brass peeking through is gorgeous and the Oak on the levers & spray handle is LUXURIOUS (btw, this thing costs $3400).

I’ve been employed at Waterworks (the exclusive partner to Luxury Bath For Less) for over two years, so I’m very familiar with the quality of the products and I cannot wait to get everything installed. Hopefully, this will make the process of washing dishes a little more enjoyable.

Carbon finish swatch from Luxury Bath For Less Carbon finish swatch from Luxury Bath For Less

Carbon finish swatch from Luxury Bath For Less

One word… Hardware

For the cabinetry, I will be changing up the pulls. I’m partnering with another brand, Rental Re/Do, and will be giving my drawer fronts some new life in the coming weeks. The new pulls are longer, darker, and much sexier than the Amazon favorites that I have now. To be fair, I like these pulls, but I’ve always felt that they were too simple. My new hardware is like jewelry for the cabinets and I can’t wait to get them installed.

Rental Re/Do is a new brand to me and this will be my first time checking out their products. I have high hopes for my new hardware and will do a full review once they arrive.

These pulls are in every DIYers kitchen! These pulls are in every DIYers kitchen!

These pulls are in every DIYers kitchen!

Drop It Low

I’ve had the Leyton peel and stick floor tiles installed for almost 2 years - and they are great. They hold up through normal wear & tear, were easy to install and look fab! That said, the current design doesn’t really go with the vibe of the kitchen and I want something new. I plan on using another Wall Pops design, but haven’t narrowed it down yet. TBH, my budget is tight at the moment, so I’m not in a hurry to make this change. This will be one of last upgrades, but it’s coming - I promise. In the meantime, I’ll probably find a fun rug or something.

To The Window

My current window treatments - oatmeal colored, linen-like panels that I found at TJ Maxx for $20 - are fine and they do an okay job of framing the space, letting in light & keeping out peeping Toms. But, they aren’t my favorite and I think it would be fun to do something different. I’ll likely try out this Roman Shade DIY from Lone Fox and incorporate a fun pattern or interesting texture.

DAMN, this looks good! I love these floors . DAMN, this looks good! I love these floors .

DAMN, this looks good! I love these floors .

That is all I have planned for my kitchen at the moment, but I've said that before, so who knows if it’s true this time. No matter what, I promise to keep you updated along the way. I’ll check in once we’ve made some progress, but for more immediate updates, follow me on Instagram and TikTok!

bye, I’m going to the flea market,

Imani

*This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through this link, I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase.*