A leak led this Milford couple to rethink and refresh their kitchen

Lighter shades and durable materials give this kitchen a much brighter feel that can be felt throughout the home.

While some people spend years thinking about a future kitchen remodel, for others, a kitchen refresh is an exciting twist on tackling needed repairs.

That was the case for Leslie Caren and her partner Lynn Schmeling at their Milford condo.

“We had an island and had some leaking under it that went into the basement ceiling,” Leslie says. “It was minor, but had happened a couple times.”

Her plumber thought the problem was the dishwasher, which meant taking it apart and, in turn, dismantling the entire island.

“It looked like they would have to replace the island, so that was a project unto itself. If we were going to do that, we looked at updating the whole kitchen,” Leslie says.

An unexpected leak led this Milford couple to a kitchen refresh, moving away from dark tones.

The couple knew the island needed to be replaced, but that their cabinets were in good shape, so they didn’t want a full replacement as part of the kitchen update. Leslie says she set out looking for different, less expensive options.

After finding Kurtis Kitchen & Bath and reading the company’s numerous positive reviews online, she scheduled a quote. They worked with Jacob May and considered a range of options their budget allowed. Jacob was instrumental in helping them create a final product that they loved and met their needs.

“He was just fabulous, right from the start,” Leslie says. “You feel like he’s on your side. You feel like he’s really going to try to get you want you want within the price range you can afford.”

Creating a Cohesive Space

One piece of the project was building a new island, giving it a larger footprint with a more functional design. The island, painted a sage green, includes a larger undermount sink, pullout garbage drawer and an extended counter that made space for stools.

With the condo having an open floor plan, it was important to Leslie and Lynn that they create a better flow between the kitchen, dining area and living room. Since the kitchen stood out as being the only part of the space that was dark brown, they opted to refinish the cabinets with a color that was close to the color of condo’s trim. 

As part of the refinishing process, the ReNewIt by Kurtis team removed the cabinet doors and hardware to sand and paint them an off-white color. Leslie and Lynn also chose new hardware for the cabinets and a veined, gold and gray backsplash tile. The kitchen originally had black granite countertops, but they switched to quartz for durability.

An added bonus for Leslie was the installation of wood boards along the top of her cabinets that allow her to use the space for decorative purposes. 

A Kitchen Refresh With Care

Leslie says the ReNewIt team was careful and respectful while they worked in her home.

“They draped everything in plastic and made it as dust-free as possible. It was very good. We didn’t have to move out,” she says.

One of the hallmarks of a project with ReNewIt by Kurtis is that refinishing and refacing your cabinets allows you to refresh the look of your kitchen or bathroom without the disruption of a full replacement.

With her project successfully completed, Leslie eagerly recommends ReNewIt by Kurtis and Kurtis Kitchen & Bath to others.

“I think it was excellent,” she says of her experience.

Don’t start your next renovation without contacting us for an affordable and lasting solution.