![Completed kitchen renovation with new LG sterling silver appliances. Completed kitchen renovation with new LG sterling silver appliances.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-10.jpg)
![Mike Poorman contributorImage](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/mike-poorman-headshot.jpg)
A Note From The Home Depot
The 90âs was a fun time that produced a lot of great and groovy architecture. 2022 however, calls for something new, sleek, and of the future. See inspiration from Mike Poorman of Woodshop Mikes for a mid-90âs kitchen fixer upper!
The Before
Several years ago we moved to the country and bought a mid-â90s fixer-upper. This house needed a lot of work and one project at a time, weâve been chipping away at our list of renovations. Weâve been dying to renovate our kitchen because the finish on the cabinets was failing, the overhead light was finicky to turn on, and the appliances were on their last leg. So we tackled lighting, painting, hardware upgrades, and installed a new set of LG appliances. We did all of this with the help of our friends at The Home Depot, where we easily found all of the items needed to upgrade our kitchen! Â
![Picture of a kitchen before renovation. Picture of a kitchen before renovation.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-1.jpg)
Bye Bye Old Light!
The original fluorescent light was not cutting it, to say the least. Â Weâve all been there before, flipping the switch on and off again, hoping that this time the light will actually come on. Â And when our light did finally flip on, it didnât light the space evenly.
![A kitchen before renovation. A kitchen before renovation.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-2.jpg)
Weâve wanted to scrap that old light for years, so we switched it out for a handful of new LED wafer lights and wired them to a dimmer switch for easy adjusting during the daytime or evening. Whatâs great about these wafer lights is that they can be installed even where thereâs not enough space for a traditional can light. The ones we used also have a color temperature adjustment switch so you can choose your desired look easily.
![Man placing light fixture on to ceiling. Man placing light fixture on to ceiling.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-3.jpg)
These lights are easy to install, but if youâre not sure what all is involved you can check out the thousands of tutorials on HomeDepot.com and The Home Depot mobile app. Of course, if youâre not comfortable doing this job, call a qualified electrician to do the work.
Painting the Cabinets
Our golden oak cabinets not only scream â90s, but the finish on them was also failing badly in some areas from previous ownersâ lack of care.
![An old wooden cabinet that needs to be updated. An old wooden cabinet that needs to be updated.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-4.jpg)
Structurally these cabinets are in great shape, they just needed a little help in the cosmetic department. One of the things we did in addition to painting them was to update the molding from traditional crown molding to the same modern cove molding that we used in our laundry room renovation last winter.
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I took down all of the doors and removed the drawers and appliances so that I could prep the cabinet boxes for painting. Â Around the stove, there was a film of grease that needed to be cleaned off of the surface. Â I used a 50/50 solution of denatured alcohol and a Scotch Brite pad to scrub the surfaces and then filled the grain with Dapâs wood putty. Once everything was cleaned and puttied, I sanded back the putty so I had a consistently smooth surface. Then it was time to mask off the entire kitchen in preparation to paint the cabinets. Â My primer of choice (especially when painting red oak) is General Finishes Stain Blocker. It does a great job of preventing tannins from bleeding through light-colored paints. After the primer was applied, I waited 24 hours before spraying 2 coats of General Finishes Brush-able White Enamel. I repeated this process of cleaning, grain filling, and painting on the doors and drawer faces.
Once the doors and drawer faces had dried for a few days, I reinstalled them and added new brushed brass knobs and pulls we found at our local The Home Depot store. We love the design of this hardware and given that our cabinets originally didnât have knobs or pulls, we also really like the addition from a functionality standpoint.
![Updated cabinet fixture painted white with brass knobs and pull. Updated cabinet fixture painted white with brass knobs and pull.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-5.jpg)
New LG Appliances
My wife loves to cook and having a new set of appliances is as exciting for her as new tools are for me! Â We went with LG appliances because of the great features, exceptional styling, and LG ThinQ Care. This unique feature is powered by LG ThinQ and allows you to get notifications, alerts, helpful installation info, and usage reports. It's the best way to give you peace of mind knowing that youâre taking care of your new appliances, protecting your investment, and keeping them running great.
The new LG appliances arrived sooner than we expected and the install crew that delivered them was very professional and prompt. We were also thrilled to find that all 4 of the appliances arrived in perfect condition without any dents or scratches at all! We love the stainless steel finish with black accents on these appliances and the clean design lines look great in our upgraded space.
Since our kitchen is on the smaller side and we have an island in the middle of it, having a fridge thatâs as shallow as possible is a big plus. The inset handle design on the LG fridge helps to save a few inches of space and makes moving through the kitchen easier. The digital temperature control, HUGE produce drawers, and Craft Ice Maker are just a few additional features we love about this fridge.
![Updated kitchen with sterling appliances and white cabinets. Updated kitchen with sterling appliances and white cabinets.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-6.jpg)
The electric slide-in range has a couple of features we really like. The Easy Clean setting for the oven makes cleaning up spills in the bottom of the oven quick and painless, and with an integrated bottom heating element, you wonât have to try to scrub around it. I also think the rich blue interior color is just kind of a fun touch from a design standpoint. The Ultra Heat feature on the larger burners is also super handy when you need to boil a large pot of water quickly.
![Cookies being taken out of the oven by a woman. Cookies being taken out of the oven by a woman.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-7.jpg)
The dishwasher has a really cool feature that Iâve not seen before. Thereâs a third row in the top! Â This is great for thinner items like spatulas, measuring spoons, or other small items that usually take up needed space elsewhere. Â The dishwasher is also quiet and has a handful of unique wash cycle options (like the ability to only wash the top or bottom rack) to reduce the amount of energy used.
![A new dishwasher filled with dishes. A new dishwasher filled with dishes.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-8.jpg)
The above-the-range microwaveis a great complement to the slide-in range. The exhaust fan and stove light are both great accessories to have for anyone that does a fair bit of cooking. The âmeltâ and âsoftenâ functions are also helpful when you just need to warm things up a bit as you work through a recipe.
![New LG sterling silver appliances with wooden kitchenware accessories. New LG sterling silver appliances with wooden kitchenware accessories.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-9.jpg)
The Reveal
What do you think? We love how everything turned out! The white cabinets, brass hardware, and lighting all work so well together and tie in the flooring and gray kitchen island. Pair that with the great styling and functionality of the new LG appliances and weâve transformed this space into a great-looking kitchen thatâs a joy to cook in.
![Completed kitchen renovation with new LG sterling silver appliances. Completed kitchen renovation with new LG sterling silver appliances.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-10.jpg)
![Completed kitchen renovation with new LG sterling silver appliances. Completed kitchen renovation with new LG sterling silver appliances.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-11.jpg)
![Completed kitchen renovation with new LG sterling silver appliances. Completed kitchen renovation with new LG sterling silver appliances.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/MikePoorman-WoodshopMike-2022-THDxFallSavings-12.jpg)