The kitchen in my post and beam house isn’t huge but it is extremely functional, so when I couldn’t live with the old cupboard doors and grungy tile counter-top any longer, I opted for a face-lift rather than a complete overhaul. New wood cupboard doors in a shaker style replace the old cottage pine doors, modern cupboard and drawer pulls and stainless steel appliances help bring the room up to date. This kitchen is pretty dark, so I painted the walls and doors white and added extra lighting both in the ceiling and under the overhead cabinets.

Reeded glass inserts in one section of the cabinet doors match the glass in the kitchen window. Jade green composite stone counter-tops and a mirrored backsplash polish the look.

Below are some before and after shots of this rejuvenated room, which is now a hard-working area that is the heart of the house.