When Andrew and AnnMarie Fereday went looking for a larger family home in 2019, they found a nearly perfect fit just a block away in Armbrust Acres, a traditional two-story with plenty of bedrooms, a big basement for their two young boys, and a giant wedge-shaped backyard framed by mature trees and retaining walls offering privacy and room for soccer. And the cherry on top? An adorable playhouse out back.
But the 1992-built home needed some updates. The Feredays spent the next few years painting walls and woodwork, upgrading lighting and fixtures, and slowly making the home fit their design style, a mix of traditional and contemporary. AnnMarie consulted with Leah Scheppers of Iconic Styling+Design Studio for guidance.
The lion’s share of the work in their kitchen was done, however; the previous owners had already updated the ‘90s floor plan, installed marbled white quartz countertops and backsplash, and purchased stainless steel appliances. Still, the Feredays felt the household hub needed some tweaking.
“The cabinet doors were original and had that cute country look, and they just didn’t go with the vibe of the house,” AnnMarie said. “They’d been hand-painted a bunch of times and were chipping and streaky. And [the cabinets] were that ‘90s style that don’t go all the way to the ceiling. Lots of wasted space.”
In mid-2023, the couple set out to complete a modest kitchen renovation that would pack a big punch on a smallish budget and fit a short timeline; one that wouldn’t be too disruptive for their family (which now includes a baby girl) or cost them $50,000, as one contractor’s bid quoted.
“We were able to cut our costs significantly by GC-ing it (acting as general contractor) ourselves,” AnnMarie said. “My husband found all the contractors, and I handled all the design decisions. You can save a lot if you take the initiative, and it really wasn’t that hard. It probably saved us half.”
The couple hired Grove Park Cos. to build new upper cabinet boxes, which now stretch to the ceiling for additional storage, and N-Hance of Southeast Nebraska to install new shaker-style upper doors and drawers and reface the lower cabinets. Doing the latter helped avoid having to tear out the counters and backsplash, saving considerable time and expense. Cabinetry was spray-painted in Sherwin Williams Fundamental White—which has a sheen, so it’s wipeable for kids’ messes—and finished with crown molding. Additionally, slide-out drawers were installed in the pantry, and a catch-all cubby for mail, phone chargers, and the like, was closed off to preserve clean lines.
“N-Hance was great. They came in and gave me options for five different door styles, different colors, different drawers,” AnnMarie said. “I didn’t need to go to a showroom. They came right into my home and measured everything.”
A third contractor was brought in to build a modern custom stove hood. Contemporary pendant lighting was added above the kitchen island to brighten up the sometimes dark room, and gold satin-finish cabinet pulls from Lowe’s were installed to lend a bit of glam.
Initially, AnnMarie wanted to continue the kitchen’s all-white, on-trend look into the eat-in dining area, but Scheppers gave her some advice.
“My designer told me, ‘Lean into your home’s design with defined spaces. Each space can feel a bit different,’” AnnMarie explained. So instead, she chose a dark, moody wallpaper from Etsy for the adjoining room. The dramatic bird pattern with deep green and brown hues now frames the large bay window that overlooks the backyard.
AnnMarie added a midcentury modern light fixture—a Restoration Hardware knockoff she found on Amazon—and a washable area rug from Ruggables to the eat-in dining area. “Everything I buy has to be practical and affordable. I have two really rowdy boys and a baby, so I don’t want to spend too much.”
The Feredays couldn’t be happier with their modest kitchen reno, which took four months to coordinate and just a couple weeks for construction. “You don’t necessarily need brand-new everything. It’s a more affordable way,” AnnMarie said.
The finished reno also affords her more time outside with her kids this summer. Their littlest is just the right age to begin exploring that backyard cottage.
For more information, visit iconicstyling.com and nhance.com/southeastnebraska/cabinet-refinishing-lincoln-omaha.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of Omaha Home Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
