These Kitchen Before and Afters Are So Good, You'll Do a Double Take

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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 and appliances that don't exist in any other room, and most importantly, it's where the food is stored. 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 (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, then turn away now — these before and afters might change your mind.

Before: Contemporary Touch
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Before: Contemporary Touch

The outdated appliances, poor lighting, and tile flooring make this kitchen feel enclosed and tight.

After: Contemporary Touch
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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The opening of the wall made this kitchen go from small and outdated to bright, contemporary, and open.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
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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
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After: Light and Traditional

The white cabinets and bright tones bring this kitchen to life.

Before: Bright and Chic
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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Aside from the poor lighting, the outdated wood grains, appliances, and tiling are in major need of an upgrade.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
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After: Bright and Chic

The difference in colors alone shows how much a color palette matters when designing a space.

After: Fun Tile
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Before: A Modern Upgrade

The open design looks cluttered with no clear intention.

Before: A Sophisticated Design
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Before: A Sophisticated Design

The dark colors and low lighting makes this meal-prepping space feel enclosed and confined.

After: A Sophisticated Design
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After: A Sophisticated Design

The bright, contrasting colors give this updated kitchen a sophisticated appeal.

Before: Detailed and Intentional
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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
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After: Detailed and Intentional

The bright colors help to open up the space, making it feel less cramped.

Before: Play Off Colors
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Before: Play Off Colors

Sometimes it just takes a few pieces you already own to inspire a remodel.

After: Play Off Colors
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After: Play Off Colors

The colorful seating in the old design fits in fantastically with the new bright and bold remodel.

After: Contrasting Colors
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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
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Before: Bright Tile

This small, enclosed kitchen feels cramped and dark.

After: Bright Tile
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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
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Before: Bright and Welcoming

The inefficient use of lighting and storage makes this kitchen feel cramped and distasteful.

After: Bright and Welcoming
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After: Bright and Welcoming

The new colors and recessed lighting give this kitchen an upgrade from cramped to airy.

Before: Modern Upgrades
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Before: Modern Upgrades

This small, enclosed kitchen is out of date and tightly cramped.

Before: Brightening Up
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Before: Brightening Up

To liven up the space, this dull kitchen just needs a few cosmetic changes to make it pop.

After: Brightening Up
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After: Brightening Up

The addition of white cabinets and marble backsplash reinvents this bland area to a more vibrant atmosphere.

Before: Tasteful Tones
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Before: Tasteful Tones

This small cookery barely feels walkable due to its dark color choices.

After: Tasteful Tones
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After: Tasteful Tones

The tasteful colors and added light make a huge difference in opening up the room.

Before: Cheeky Tile
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Before: Cheeky Tile

This galley kitchen is not only inefficient, but it's also bland and ill-lit.

After: Cheeky Tile
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After: Cheeky Tile

With the focus on the fun tile, it's easy to forget how small the space truly is.

After: Simplicity
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After: Simplicity

With new cabinetry and simple coloring, this eatery goes from confined to feeling much more open.

Before: A Statement Kitchen
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Before: A Statement Kitchen

Although this kitchen is open and bright, it's not making a statement of any sort.

After: A Statement Kitchen
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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
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Before: A Bright Transformation

The design of this dark kitchen has no clear intention with its bright accents.

After: A Bright Transformation
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After: A Bright Transformation

Brightening up the space with whites and light grays helps to make it more inviting.

Before: Clean and Crisp
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Before: Clean and Crisp

The poor lighting and color choices make this eatery feel tight and uncomfortable.

Before: Lighting Is Everything
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Before: Lighting Is Everything

With just one light source, this cooking space looks cramped and outdated.

After: Lighting Is Everything
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After: Lighting Is Everything

Reconfiguring the kitchen by adding more light and decluttering the window makes a huge difference.

Before: All Modern
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Before: All Modern

Although on the right track, this kitchen feels a bit cluttered.

After: All Modern
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After: All Modern

The sleek, modern design makes this kitchen's intention more straight-forward.

Before: Traditional Overhaul
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Before: Traditional Overhaul

This '70s-style eatery is ready for a major upgrade.

After: Traditional Overhaul
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After: Traditional Overhaul

Without the modern touches, this upgrade feels traditional and organic.

Before: Whiteout
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Before: Whiteout

The brown cabinets and large furnishings don't complement the size of the room.

After: Whiteout
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After: Whiteout

By redesigning and simplifying the space, the kitchen feels much brighter and less cramped.

Before: Bold Colors
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Before: Bold Colors

This dimly lit and stuffed kitchen has mixed designs.

After: Bold Colors
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After: Bold Colors

Brightening up the space by adding bold pops of color helps to make a statement.

Before: Gold Finishing
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Before: Gold Finishing

This bland kitchen has no design element that makes it unique or original.

After: Gold Finishings
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After: Gold Finishings

The bright colors and gold accent pieces make this redesign unique and different.

Before: Traditional and Bright
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Before: Traditional and Bright

The mixed colors give this space a busy and confusing feel.

After: Traditional and Bright
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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
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Before: A Simple Galley Kitchen

This galley kitchen looks busy with all of the cabinets.

After: A Simple Galley Kitchen
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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
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Before: Bright and Modern

The mixed patterns, outdated appliances, and poor lighting make this kitchen dull looking.

After: Bright and Modern
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After: Bright and Modern

The upgraded design showcases a modern kitchen with bright lights.

Before: White and Traditional
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Before: White and Traditional

With the wood cabinets and black appliances, this kitchen feels cramped and dark.

After: White and Traditional
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After: White and Traditional

The upgraded appliances, white cabinets, and bright countertops give this kitchen an airy and light feel.

After: Modern Upgrade
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After: Modern Upgrade

Without all of the patterns and wood tones, the kitchen design appears more open.

Before: Open-Concept Design
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Before: Open-Concept Design

This pocket kitchen is walled up with its dim lighting and a poor color scheme.

After: Open-Concept Design
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After: Open-Concept Design

Knocking down the wall gives this now-open kitchen a brighter feel while showcasing the upgraded appliances and colors.