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#HeaveninHighPark Faucet Facelift

Moving into an older home always poses a couple challenges, and when I found #HeaveninHighPark I had a feeling a lot of work was needed in key areas like the kitchen and bathrooms. Initially I wanted to rip everything out in all 3 rooms but that quickly became a project that went way beyond what I could handle budget-wise and time-wise. Renovations are a huge undertaking, and in my limited experience they always end up way more complicated than you plan for. The last thing I wanted to do was get in too deep right off the bat, so I compromised – rip out the kitchen to start from scratch, and do what I could with the two bathrooms without any demolition.

Turns out there is a lot you can do to update an older space without ripping things apart. I was worried the wood-handled melamine cabinets were a lost cause, and though I lucked out on mostly white tiling in all three rooms, the sink situation definitely left something to be desired.

KITCHEN //

When it came to the kitchen, I really went for it. With the help of my landlord and a trusty handyman, I swapped the backsplash for white subway tiles, the countertop for a faux marble slab (quartz based) and the old melamine cabinets for clean white wood with gold hardware. The real show stopper? This epic Delta Smart Kitchen Faucet! Everything really came together the moment this champagne beauty was installed, and showing guests my “faucet magic tricks” when they come over never gets old. You can turn the sink on and off by touching anywhere on the faucet’s body!

Check out the before and after here! Who doesn’t love a good makeover story?

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BATHROOMS //

In both bathrooms I chose to work with the existing cabinets and sinks. We painted the cabinetry pink (see full details below if you’re wondering how!) and drilled holes to add fun knobs to the doors. Details like bright towels and a patterned shower curtain added some life to each space, but the biggest transformation really came down to the hardware. I replaced the faucets with champagne bronze single handle bathroom models to match the kitchen, and then swapped out the towel racks and towel hooks to match.

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IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS //

If you want to spruce up your old melamine cabinets it’s not as difficult as you think. First, give them a rough sand to create a bit of traction. Next, do a base coat of Zinsser Bulls eye 1-2-3 primer, and when you’re selecting paint make sure it’s alkyd enamel based (they can mix it any colour!) I was super happy with how ours turned out, especially with the addition of some fancy knobs at the end.

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4 comments

  • love this makeover! The kitchen is so fresh and clean. Can I ask what brand you used for the quartz countertops? xo, Natalie

  • WOW – How did you negotiate all these fantastic renos with your landlord? I would be so scared to drop money into renovating an apartment that wasn’t mine — did they pay and you do the labour or something like that? What happens if you need to move out at some point? Who keeps all the amazing faucets!

    • Haha good questions! I got all the product and he covered labour. In the case I move I guess I’d take the faucets with me yes! But with a baby on the way I’m hoping to stay here a long, long time 🙂

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