Makeover MAG C

To help the home’s period kitchen better suit their lifestyle, Toni and Jim retained the original maple cabinets and employed a series of DIY projects to reflect their aesthetic. Follow the couple’s recipe for imparting country style in your own home.

< MAKE WAY FOR DISPLAY. Remove soffits to increase ceiling height and create a display area above the cabinets. Toni’s blue-and-white spongeware pieces reflect the kitchen’s color palette.

< WARM UP WITH WOODS. Install stained crown molding and wide-plank laminate flooring to help visually expand the room’s footprint.

< EMBRACE CONTRAST. Use white beadboard panels to form a backsplash that brightens the room and serves as a backdrop for darker-toned collectibles.

< COLOR IT COUNTRY. Paint the cabinetry a historical shade of Colonial blue, and replace the hardware with brushed-nickel bin pulls and knobs.

< COORDINATE COUNTERTOPS. Choose a counter surface carefully to tie the design together. Toni and Jim selected granite-look laminate in a gray-and-white pattern. They continued the same countertop onto an island that was built and painted to match the other cabinetry, and tucked in Amish-made stools. < GET A FIX ON PERIOD FIXTURES. Hang a primitive-style chandelier above the workspace to offer task and ambient lighting—and decorate it for the holidays by incorporating berries and greenery around the arms. < INTRODUCE A FOCAL POINT. Set one wall apart from the others with a touch of architectural interest. The Anthonys installed brick veneer on the upper portion of a kitchen wall and coated the lower wall with chalkboard paint for a fun decorating spot.