Part I: Countertops, Backsplash, and DIY Painted Cabinets

A few years ago, while my husband was on a work trip to Brazil, ants worked their way into our kitchen through our old, cracked tile countertops. That was the catalyst I needed to start a mini kitchen renovation. By the time my husband was on his way home from his short trip, we were knee-deep in a shotgun kitchen renovation that resulted in new countertops, backsplash, and painted cabinets. (Thanks to my mom for her hard work painting the cabinets and Young House Love for the amazing step-by-step tutorial that we followed).

Part II: New Flooring, Wall Paint, Furniture

Given how quickly part I of our renovation came on, I should not have been surprised that part II went from a pipe dream to completion in two weeks. The part of the renovation that intimidated me the most was getting new flooring. We went with WPC Vinyl Flooring that cost just under $2,000 for both materials and labor (Bass Family Flooring in San Jose was a pleasure to work with).