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Homeowners Michelle Samuels and EJ renovated their 1990s-era kitchen while retaining its original upper cabinets, which a professional painter finished in Benjamin Moore’s Palace White. New cranberry-colored plywood lower cabinets, checkerboard flooring, a relocated refrigerator and personalized tile details reshaped the room.
The Apartment Therapy report describes a mix of contractor-led work and homeowner projects. The project cost was listed as unavailable, and the homeowners did not provide a renovation timeline.
Michelle Samuels and EJ have renovated their kitchen, keeping its original upper cabinets and giving them a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore’s Palace White, according to an Apartment Therapy before-and-after report. The project also replaced worn lower cabinetry, changed the room’s layout and brought in cranberry, yellow and green details, offering a practical example of how an older kitchen can be updated without replacing every cabinet.
The homeowners described the previous kitchen as a mix of aging materials and awkward placement. The refrigerator stood near a doorway and obstructed movement, while gray laminated particle-board counters and faux-wood linoleum were among the features they wanted to change. The upper cabinets dated to the home’s circa-1940s kitchen and remained in “halfway decent shape,” Michelle told Apartment Therapy; many lower cabinets were IKEA boxes that had deteriorated.
To make room for a better refrigerator position, the couple arranged for a heating company to move a large steam radiator. Contractor Dan Baker then removed the old counters and lower cabinets, took up the floor and installed new cabinetry and appliances, with plumber Harvey Rivard and electrician Harry Kuenzel also involved. The new lower cabinets are exposed-edge plywood from Boxco in a Cranberry finish. Taylor Powell of Hill Street Concrete worked on the new countertops, and the floor was replaced with checkerboard tile from Fireclay.
A professional painter, Mark Barry, painted the original upper cabinets Palace White. Michelle and EJ handled other painting, fixtures and hardware themselves, as well as decorative work that included green designs EJ painted on tiles behind the stove. Those designs include the year the couple bought the house, their dog and cat, the zodiac and local landmarks, along with a rooster tile copied from Michelle’s childhood home. The report did not give a project budget.
A More Usable Kitchen Layout
The renovation changed more than the kitchen’s appearance. Moving the radiator allowed the refrigerator to leave a cramped spot by the doorway, while new lower cabinets added storage and replaced worn units. Michelle told Apartment Therapy that the cabinetry made a “huge difference” in how functional the kitchen is.
Some of the storage choices were tailored to the homeowners’ routines: Michelle highlighted a spice rack, LeMans shelves in a blind corner cabinet and soft-close drawers. A built-in upholstered bench occupies the former refrigerator corner. Its lift-up seat stores food for the couple’s dog and cat, and beadboard and baseboard help it fit into the surrounding walls. The report says the kitchen has also become a place where the couple spend time together, not only a work area.
For readers weighing a renovation, the project shows the distinction between keeping sound elements and replacing parts that no longer serve the room. The original uppers stayed, but the lower cabinets, floor, counters and appliance arrangement changed. That approach is specific to this home; the source does not establish that preserving cabinets is suitable for every kitchen or provide cost figures for comparison.
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From Small Fixes to Renovation
Michelle and EJ were first-time homeowners, and the kitchen work followed smaller projects. Before the larger renovation, they addressed a ceiling panel light they disliked and upgraded backsplash tiles themselves. They later hired a contractor and other tradespeople for the more extensive work, including cabinet installation and changes involving plumbing and electrical work.
The couple also used William Morris fruit wallpaper as a starting point for colors across the kitchen and adjoining entryway and bathroom. Michelle said the wallpaper inspired the red, yellow and white palette. Cranberry lower cabinets and white upper cabinets bring those colors into the kitchen, while the hand-painted green tile designs add personal references. The account presents the project as a combination of professional work and homeowner-led finishing, rather than a wholly do-it-yourself renovation.
““The old fridge was stuck in the corner by the doorway to the rest of the house and in the way, but with no other spot to put it.””
— Michelle Samuels, speaking to Apartment Therapy
Budget and Timing Were Not Reported
Apartment Therapy listed the project cost as not available, and the report did not provide a start date, completion date or renovation duration. It also does not specify the exact countertop material or give a detailed breakdown of which tasks each contractor performed beyond the roles described.
The couple noted one remaining annoyance: after the refrigerator moved, the ceiling lights were no longer perfectly centered. The report does not say whether they plan to adjust the lighting. It also does not confirm when the planned floating shelves will be installed.
Floating Shelves Remain Planned
EJ’s next project, according to the report, is to add floating shelves for Michelle’s cookbooks. No schedule was given. The homeowners also said they are learning to live with the ceiling lights’ off-center position after the layout change; whether that will lead to another alteration remains unknown.
For now, the account presents the kitchen as finished enough for the couple to use and enjoy, while leaving at least one planned addition outstanding. Apartment Therapy did not announce a follow-up or provide further project updates.
Key Questions
What happened to the kitchen’s original cabinets?
The original upper cabinets, dating to the home’s circa-1940s kitchen, were kept and professionally painted Benjamin Moore Palace White. The older lower cabinets were replaced.
What color are the new lower cabinets?
The new exposed-edge plywood lower cabinets are from Boxco and have a Cranberry finish, according to Apartment Therapy.
Why was the radiator moved?
The homeowners had a heating company move the large steam radiator so they could relocate the refrigerator from a spot near a doorway to a position they considered more practical.
How much did the renovation cost?
The source lists the project cost as not available. It does not provide an estimate or itemized budget.
What is planned for the kitchen next?
EJ plans to add floating shelves for Michelle’s cookbooks. The report does not give a timeline for that project.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
