Whether you order in, dine out, or stick to the snacks, the kitchen is an important, functional spot in our homes. The meal-prep space holds valuable tools [1] and appliances that don't exist in any other room, and most importantly, it's where the food is stored [2]. But if your kitchen is — for a lack of a better term — a total dump, then time spent cooking, meal prepping, and eating can (literally) leave you with a bad taste.
If you have been craving a remodel, want to make some small upgrades, or simply enjoy a good before and after, then our friends at Sweeten [3] (a free service that connects renovators and contractors) have hooked us up with some sweet kitchen rebuild photos to inspire you. Fair warning: if you're not planning to redesign your kitchen [4], then turn away now — these before and afters might change your mind.
Before: Contemporary Touch
The outdated appliances, poor lighting, and tile flooring make this kitchen feel enclosed and tight.
After: Contemporary Touch
The opening of the wall made this kitchen go from small and outdated to bright, contemporary, and open.
Before: Light and Traditional
With all of the clutter and dark wood tones, it's hard to tell that this is even a kitchen at first glance.
After: Light and Traditional
The white cabinets and bright tones bring this kitchen to life.
Before: Bright and Chic
Aside from the poor lighting, the outdated wood grains, appliances, and tiling are in major need of an upgrade.
After: Bright and Chic
The difference in colors alone shows how much a color palette matters when designing a space.
Before: Fun Tile
A small and confined area, this kitchen needs a few simple upgrades to make it more welcoming.
After: Fun Tile
The fun tiling, white cabinets, and additional shelf space make this room an inviting place to cook or entertain.
Before: Goodbye to the Pocket Kitchen
Sometimes pocket kitchens make sense, but in this case, it is small, confined, and can easily be expanded.
After: Goodbye to the Pocket Kitchen
Before, the kitchen was closed off and could only fit one or two people at a time. Now, by abandoning the pocket kitchen concept and adding an island, the space is much brighter and more open.
Before: Sleek and Sophisticated
Although this kitchen may look small, with an efficient use of colors, it can appear more open!
After: Sleek and Sophisticated
Taking advantage of all the walls adds more cabinet space, while the contrasting black and white colors help to make the modern design stand out.
Before: A Modern Upgrade
The open design looks cluttered with no clear intention.
After: A Modern Upgrade
The upgraded wood tones and sleek appliances bring this kitchen from dull to modern.
Before: A Sophisticated Design
The dark colors and low lighting makes this meal-prepping space feel enclosed and confined.
After: A Sophisticated Design
The bright, contrasting colors give this updated kitchen a sophisticated appeal.
Before: Detailed and Intentional
Although a kitchen does not exist here, it's an area that can easily be transformed with some finishing touches and added appliances.
After: Detailed and Intentional
The bright colors help to open up the space, making it feel less cramped.
Before: Play Off Colors
Sometimes it just takes a few pieces you already own to inspire a remodel.
After: Play Off Colors
The colorful seating in the old design fits in fantastically with the new bright and bold remodel.
Before: Contrasting Colors
The dark tones and poor lighting give this space an unwelcoming feel.
After: Contrasting Colors
By opening up the wall, the kitchen already feels more inviting. In addition, the contrasting colors and fun tile make the room pop.
Before: Bright Tile
This small, enclosed kitchen feels cramped and dark.
After: Bright Tile
With just a few simple fixes — backsplash, lighting, and new flooring — this eatery has gone from drab to fab!
Before: Bright and Welcoming
The inefficient use of lighting and storage makes this kitchen feel cramped and distasteful.
After: Bright and Welcoming
The new colors and recessed lighting give this kitchen an upgrade from cramped to airy.
Before: Modern Upgrades
This small, enclosed kitchen is out of date and tightly cramped.
After: Modern Upgrades
By abandoning the closet design, this room now has a lifted, modern twist.
Before: Brightening Up
To liven up the space, this dull kitchen just needs a few cosmetic changes to make it pop.
After: Brightening Up
The addition of white cabinets and marble backsplash reinvents this bland area to a more vibrant atmosphere.
Before: Tasteful Tones
This small cookery barely feels walkable due to its dark color choices.
After: Tasteful Tones
The tasteful colors and added light make a huge difference in opening up the room.
Before: Cheeky Tile
This galley kitchen is not only inefficient, but it's also bland and ill-lit.
After: Cheeky Tile
With the focus on the fun tile, it's easy to forget how small the space truly is.
Before: Simplicity
This cramped kitchen has no sign of life with its muted tones.
After: Simplicity
With new cabinetry and simple coloring, this eatery goes from confined to feeling much more open.
Before: A Statement Kitchen
Although this kitchen is open and bright, it's not making a statement of any sort.
After: A Statement Kitchen
With the contrasting gold and black centerpiece, as well as the additional seating, this kitchen has become a perfect place to entertain.
Before: A Bright Transformation
The design of this dark kitchen has no clear intention with its bright accents.
After: A Bright Transformation
Brightening up the space with whites and light grays helps to make it more inviting.
Before: Clean and Crisp
The poor lighting and color choices make this eatery feel tight and uncomfortable.
After: Clean and Crisp
With the addition of bright whites and grays, this space now feels bright and airy.
Before: Lighting Is Everything
With just one light source, this cooking space looks cramped and outdated.
After: Lighting Is Everything
Reconfiguring the kitchen by adding more light and decluttering the window makes a huge difference.
Before: All Modern
Although on the right track, this kitchen feels a bit cluttered.
After: All Modern
The sleek, modern design makes this kitchen's intention more straight-forward.
Before: Traditional Overhaul
This '70s-style eatery is ready for a major upgrade.
After: Traditional Overhaul
Without the modern touches, this upgrade feels traditional and organic.
Before: Whiteout
The brown cabinets and large furnishings don't complement the size of the room.
After: Whiteout
By redesigning and simplifying the space, the kitchen feels much brighter and less cramped.
Before: Bold Colors
This dimly lit and stuffed kitchen has mixed designs.
After: Bold Colors
Brightening up the space by adding bold pops of color helps to make a statement.
Before: Gold Finishing
This bland kitchen has no design element that makes it unique or original.
After: Gold Finishings
The bright colors and gold accent pieces make this redesign unique and different.
Before: Traditional and Bright
The mixed colors give this space a busy and confusing feel.
After: Traditional and Bright
Simplifying the color scheme and adding eye-catching fixtures makes all the difference in this redesign.
Before: A Simple Galley Kitchen
This galley kitchen looks busy with all of the cabinets.
After: A Simple Galley Kitchen
Rearranging the cabinetry and appliances to make the stove the focus gives this galley kitchen a less busy feel.
Before: Bright and Modern
The mixed patterns, outdated appliances, and poor lighting make this kitchen dull looking.
After: Bright and Modern
The upgraded design showcases a modern kitchen with bright lights.
Before: White and Traditional
With the wood cabinets and black appliances, this kitchen feels cramped and dark.
After: White and Traditional
The upgraded appliances, white cabinets, and bright countertops give this kitchen an airy and light feel.
Before: Modern Upgrade
Darker tones can work in large spaces, but in this small space, it looks cramped and busy.
After: Modern Upgrade
Without all of the patterns and wood tones, the kitchen design appears more open.
Before: Open-Concept Design
This pocket kitchen is walled up with its dim lighting and a poor color scheme.
After: Open-Concept Design
Knocking down the wall gives this now-open kitchen a brighter feel while showcasing the upgraded appliances and colors.