Who: Melinda & Mike Hamm

Where: Prospect, OH

What: Full kitchen remodel

Products: Loveland cabinets in blueberry (lowers) and sesame (uppers), and topped with Calacatta Idillio quartz countertops. White composite sink with Align single-handle pulldown faucet in stainless steel. Luxury vinyl tile flooring in travertine white, and cabinet accessories including lazy susan and trash pull-out.

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Before & After: Brightening Up a Dark Kitchen

For the Hamms, the chance to update old kitchen cabinets turned into a Full kitchen remodel with more space and light than ever before.

Knowing their kitchen’s outdated layout and finishes had long overstayed their welcome, Melinda and Mike Hamm began the search for a kitchen remodeler and found Improveit during their online search. After meeting with their designer Shelby, who Melinda says was “very informative” during the design process, their plan for a new kitchen with more space and more light was off and running.

More than an Old Cabinet Makeover

The Hamms’ original cabinets were dingy and dated, the laminate countertop was chipping, and a massive, oddly shaped center island interrupted the natural flow of the room. That island also housed the range and sat beneath an oversized vent hood, making the whole space feel heavy and closed in.

“The island was useless,” Melinda says. “The stove was in it, but there was nowhere to sit. We would just drop everything there when we came in the door. It just collected clutter.”

After discussing their project with Shelby, the couple decided on some big-impact layout changes in addition to new finishes perfect for brightening up a dark kitchen. The bulky island and vent hood were removed entirely, the range was relocated to the adjacent wall, and the dishwasher moved to a more functional spot beside the sink. They also shifted the refrigerator to extend the cabinet run on one side of the kitchen, while additional cabinets were also added beside the oven in its new location. The new layout created a cohesive, efficient workspace from wall to wall.

To update the old kitchen cabinets into something more modern, the couple chose our Loveland recessed-panel doors and drawers, pairing lower cabinets in our bold Blueberry finish with Sesame uppers for a whitewashed woodgrain look. The new palette instantly modernized the kitchen and helped balance the space with a mix of depth and lightness.

Before & After: Brightening Up a Dark Kitchen

The light and bright finishes don’t stop at the new cabinets. The entire kitchen now sits on fresh luxury vinyl tile in the airy Travertine White finish, and Calacatta Idillio Quartz countertops run the perimeter of the space for an elegant, durable finish. A white composite single-basin sink and dramatic Align stainless-steel pulldown faucet complete the modern feel, along with smart storage solutions like a lazy susan and a convenient trash pull-out.

With the dark floors gone, the oversized island removed, and fresh finishes throughout, the Hamms’ kitchen now welcomes natural light from the window over the sink and the large patio door window so daylight can shine in.

“The old layout was frustrating, and we lived with it for a really long time,” Melinda says. “Meeting with Shelby gave us the perspective we needed to get the project over the finish line. We’re loving it!”

The before and after is truly impressive, and the Improveit team was proud to be part of it!