David’s DIY Kitchen Upgrade – The Final Reveal

The kitchen is the center of the home. It’s arguably the most important room in the house, and, for many of us, it’s the room that gets the most use. Unfortunately, my kitchen was kind of a bummer. Like the weird roommate you got stuck with your freshman year of college – you know, the one who never left the room and sort of started to blend into the beige cinderblock walls after awhile – that was my kitchen. 

So, after years of living with the basic and boring, I decided I’d had enough. So, I set out to upgrade the room with new Frigidaire Professional appliances and a bunch of DIY projects and repairs to transform it into something dramatically different.

After several busy weeks of work, I’m thrilled to share the final reveal with you today. Here we go! (To catch up on everything we did, check out the first two posts: the planning, and the process)

The great thing about the appliance upgrade was that it only involved delivery and a simple switch-out. The new appliances took up the same footprint as the old ones, so once that Lowe’s truck showed up, it was a fast transformation to the new, shiny Frigidaire Professional collection. 

This project was interesting, because once we started upgrading, it materialized quickly. Painting the cabinetry consumed the bulk of our time, but the other DIY projects happened quickly and made a substantial impact on the look and feel of the room.

The skylight was an easy and impressive improvement, and brought tons of natural light into the space.

A simple faucet switch-out made the whole sink look new.

 With the painted cabinets installed, we were so excited to see the new stainless steel show up. Lowe’s delivered everything to the front door, and within a few hours it was set up and we were cooking our first meal.

The difference professional-quality appliances make on both ease of cooking and the tasty results is hard to describe; cooking with them was, seriously and honestly, a completely different experience. Not only was it simpler to get great results, but the ease of use and cleanup made dinnertime fun again in our house (and all the appliances have a Smudge-Proof Stainless Steel feature that resists fingerprints and makes them really easy to clean).

The most impressive upgrades were the stove and refrigerator. The stove replaced a glass-top electric range and the switch to gas was a major change. Pans heat up fast and evenly, and the control is exceptional. The Frigidaire Professional range has great burners, cleanly laid out controls,  heavy-duty control knobs, and it just feels like high quality tool. 

The refrigerator has so much storage, adjustable shelves, and makes a substantial amount of ice quickly, which is perfect for when guests come over. The two large ice makers filled up over the course of a day, and kept up with demand easily.

The new microwave hood added a feature we didn’t know we needed until it came along: a convection oven mode. This allows the microwave to become a small electric convection oven that works well for small jobs that don’t justify heating up the large gas oven. We cooked sweet potatoes and chocolate chip cookies in it the first night and both turned out perfectly in about the same amount of time as the larger oven. This is a great feature to use as a warming area while prepping a meal for guests to keep everything an even temperature.

The soft LED lights on all the appliances are a huge upgrade from the old yellow bulbs, and even though it may seem like a small change, the crisp white glow makes everything easier to see. Another great feature we didn’t expect were the audio alerts on the appliances. No more obnoxious timer noises, now there are soft beeps that do the trick just fine, and without the rancorous 80s electric blams.

The dishwasher upgrades we most enjoy are the clean front with hidden top touch buttons, adjustable racks, and 30 minute quick cycle.

Full Product List:

• Refrigerator –  Frigidaire Professional® French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator with Smudge-Proof Stainless Steel 
• Range: Frigidaire Professional® Freestanding Back Control Range with convection and temperature probe
• Microwave: Frigidaire Professional® Over-The-Range Microwave 
• Dishwasher: Frigidaire Professional® Dishwasher
• Cabinet Hardware: allen + roth pewter cabinet pulls
• Paint: HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams paint and primer (Snowbound SW 7004 & Web Gray SW 7075)
  
• Backsplash Tile: American Olean Starting Line White Subway Tile
• Faucet: Giagni Fresco Stainless 1-Handle Pull-Down Faucet
• Skylight: VELUX Sun Tunnel

This project was a big undertaking, but we totally love it. It’s brighter, more functional, and when we’re in there, it just feels like a great kitchen should feel. It’s such a great space where family gathers, friends are fed, and life is lived. And, that’s what a kitchen is all about. 

This post was sponsored by Frigidaire, but all opinions are mine alone. Thanks for supporting the brands that support ManMade!