Easy Kitchen Refresh

The next level

If you’re ready to take your kitchen to the next level, you could opt for a high-impact look in popular stainless steel. The Vault™ apron-front sink can even work with your existing cabinetry and countertop. You simply remove the false drawer front, make a few simple cuts to the cabinet face, and slide the sink into place. This sink’s innovative self-trimming design eliminates the need for precision trim cuts and the chance for unsightly gaps. A project of this type, including a new sink and faucet, would start at around $1,000.

Easy update, dramatic difference

If you want to make significant changes to your kitchen and you’re able to spend a bit more, say around $5,000, you can improve your kitchen’s looks and functionality by leaps and bounds while still avoiding the headaches of a major remodel. Here’s how two sets of homeowners did it:

When Erin and James Keck learned they were expecting twins, they decided it was time to refresh a kitchen that wasn’t working as well as they needed it to. “James and I love to cook and we’re typically in the kitchen together, stepping on each other’s toes,” said Erin. Along with adding a dishwasher and more counter space, they opted for a single-basin sink for easier prep and cleanup--as well as bathing the babies--and a more functional faucet.

A smart revision

Janine Armstrong was happy with her kitchen, but she felt it needed an update. “I like my cupboards and have replaced appliances over time, so my focus was on refreshing and upgrading my working space,” says Armstrong. The working mother of a three-year-old daughter, she wasn’t up for a big renovation that would take her busy kitchen out of commission.

When it came to a new sink, Armstrong knew what she wanted. "I fell in love with the Whitehaven™ apron-front sink. It was not only the look I liked, but also the single bowl idea." When Armstrong learned she could have the farmhouse look installed in her existing cabinets, she was sold.

Armstrong still marvels at the quick turnaround for the project. "It was only a matter of a day for the plumber to remove the old faucet and ready the plumbing for the new sink and faucet, and for the countertop installers to remove the existing pieces and install the gorgeous Cambria quartz countertop in Windermere," she says. Armstrong chose the Simplice® faucet for its clean lines and great functionality, and added the finishing touch herself: a new coat of warm grey paint for the wall behind the backsplash. She chose Benjamin Moore's Revere Pewter.