Biology Mommy: Complete Kitchen makeover under $3000!!

I have been DYING to write this post, because I started this project about 8 months ago....it has taken this long to do the reveal, and I cannot wait for you to see what I have done with our kitchen!

Let me begin my introducing my "before" kitchen in all its messy glory:

Please note the rust-colored walls, the black laminate countertops (which had a very interesting texture that was IMPOSSIBLE to clean), and the PEELING Thermofoil cabinet doors. The peeling and cracking was due to the fact that the house sat empty and without climate control for so long. It caused the MDF to swell and then the Thermofoil glue failed. I am not saying that Thermofoil is a bad product- it just did not hold up well in this house- AT ALL. Gross. Anyway......

Here is my "before" kitchen in a much neater state:

And my cabinet doors after I peeled off the Thermofoil shell:
Most of the time, heat is required to remove the thermofoil, and a large amount of sanding will be required to remove the adhesive left behind (or so I am told). Not so with my cabinet doors- the shell came off (usually) in one piece, with all the glue attached. I didn't even have to sand my doors before priming them.

This is what I found when I removed the valance from the bay window wall:

Yes, that is STRIPED WALLPAPER! It was UNDER the paint all the time- we couldn't even tell it was there! Did I remove everything from the walls and start fresh? No-siree-Bob. I just kept adding layers of paint. Someday I may regret that decision, but not yet! Also, please note (in the next photo) that the valance was actually SCREWED INTO THE WALL. I am telling you that screws were put through the fabric and into the drywall. I have never before seen such a thing! There was no rod, no mounting brackets, nothing. I am speechless.

Okay, so here are the steps I took in redoing my kitchen:

#1- Stripped thermofoil off cabinets. This may require a heat gun. I had a hair dryer at the ready and didn't even need it, mine were in such bad shape. I also painted the walls at this point with Sherwin Williams "Meander Blue".

#2- Primed cabinets and boxes with oil-based primer. I used a dense foam roller. This gave a very smooth finish. Nasty, nasty smelling stuff. Next time I will just use latex primer. Oh, wait....I never want there to be a next time!
#3- Painted the base cabinets with Sherwin Williams Oil-based Semi-gloss paint in "Classic French Gray". Again used a dense foam roller. Sanded as needed and put another two coats of paint on the doors. The MDF soaked the paint up beautifully.

#4-Repeated steps 2 and 3 on the wall cabinets, with "Light French Gray".

#5- Ordered Formica 180fx in "Calacatta Marble". I chose a rounded edge and boy does it look authentic. I have never seen such a realistic-looking product. It is amazing!!!!

#6- Ordered white lantern tile from Home Depot. I chose small white tiles and white grout.

#7- Hired an installer for the countertops and backsplash.
#8- Removed the cabinet doors over the fridge to have an open display, since I never could use that cabinet anyways.

#9- Asked the husband to build a bookcase for the end of our island extension. (Our island went from 4 feet to 8 feet in length!) He did so and it turned out beautifully!!!

#10- Decorated, replaced the hardware with brushed nickel (purchased on Ebay!) added some coordinating contact paper, and breathed a sigh of satisfaction!

And now, the moment you have been waiting for......

The Big Reveal!!!