TL;DR
Get tools and workshop supplies delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Interior designer Emily Winters and architect Meg Baniukiewicz redesigned a Wisconsin family’s outdated, closed-off kitchen, replacing its natural maple cabinetry with custom walnut and merlot-painted cabinets. Apartment Therapy reports the renovation took four months and cost about $275,000; the project also opened a wall to connect the kitchen with a bar area.
A Wisconsin kitchen renovation replaced a dated, closed-off room dominated by natural maple cabinetry with a redesigned space featuring custom walnut and merlot-painted cabinets, floral wallpaper and a more open connection to an adjoining bar area. Apartment Therapy reported that interior designer Emily Winters worked with architect Meg Baniukiewicz on the project, which took four months and cost about $275,000.
The original kitchen dated to the late 1990s or early 2000s, according to Apartment Therapy. Winters described its natural maple cabinets, sponge-painted walls and Corian countertops as a “sea of natural maple cabinetry.” A perpendicular island made the layout feel chopped up, while the maple and red oak floor gave the room what Winters called a golden orange glow.
The clients, a young family who had bought the home but had not yet moved in, wanted different things from the renovation: the husband favored wood cabinetry, while the wife wanted more color and personality. Winters said floral wallpaper suggested a palette that could combine natural walnut with a berry tone. The upper cabinets were painted Sherwin-Williams’ “Merlot”, while custom cabinetry, new countertops and backsplash, and updated plumbing, lighting and appliances completed the work.
Winters worked with architect Meg Baniukiewicz of HB Designs on the new layout. The project team opened a wall between the kitchen and bar area and retained the bar space’s original plaster crown molding. Winters also highlighted storage and an appliance garage intended to keep everyday items off the countertops. Apartment Therapy reported that demolition began after permits were accepted and that the completed renovation cost around $275,000.
Color and Storage Reshape the Kitchen
The project illustrates how a kitchen renovation can address layout and daily function alongside appearance. Opening the wall to the bar area changed the relationship between the two spaces, while the appliance garage and planned storage were intended to reduce countertop clutter. The account does not provide measurements or before-and-after assessments of how the layout performs, so those benefits are described as design aims rather than independently measured outcomes.
Its color scheme also reflects a practical compromise between the homeowners’ preferences. Instead of choosing either all-wood cabinetry or an entirely bold palette, Winters combined natural walnut and berry-colored cabinets, with wallpaper supplying a pattern and color reference. For readers planning a remodel, the reported cost and four-month schedule offer a project-specific example, not a standard estimate: the source does not break down expenses or state whether the total would be typical for other homes.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Maple Cabinets to Merlot
Apartment Therapy presents the project as a before-and-after renovation of a kitchen whose finishes and arrangement felt dated to its designer. The starting point included maple cabinetry, red oak flooring, sponge-painted walls and Corian countertops. Winters’ description of the room’s orange cast and closed-off island layout explains why the redesign involved more than repainting or replacing cabinet doors.
The family had purchased the home but had not moved in, giving the team an opportunity to carry out demolition and construction before the kitchen was occupied. After the clients selected a contractor and permits were accepted, work began. The source says the renovation took four months from demolition to completion, but does not give calendar dates. The account focuses on the finished design and the participants’ descriptions, rather than offering a separate evaluation of construction quality or long-term performance.
“It was a sea of natural maple cabinetry with sponge-painted walls and Corian countertops.”
— Emily Winters, interior designer, as quoted by Apartment Therapy
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Costs and Performance Details Missing
Apartment Therapy reports a total cost of about $275,000, but the article does not provide an itemized budget, clarify what the figure includes or identify how much went to cabinetry, labor, appliances or other work. It also does not give the home’s location beyond Wisconsin, the kitchen’s dimensions, or calendar dates for the renovation.
The source describes the layout as more open and the storage as well-appointed, but offers no independent assessment, measurements or follow-up on how the kitchen has performed since completion. It is also not clear whether the homeowners had used the space long enough to evaluate the changes. The reported cost and schedule apply to this project and should not be treated as a quote or timetable for other renovations.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
No Further Project Update Reported
The available Apartment Therapy report describes the renovation as complete; it does not announce another construction phase or a future milestone. The next useful update would be a homeowner follow-up addressing how the new layout and storage work in everyday use, along with any maintenance experience with the wallpaper and painted cabinets. No such follow-up is included in the source material.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What changed in the kitchen?
The remodel replaced the dated maple-heavy finishes with custom walnut and merlot-painted cabinetry, floral wallpaper, new countertops and backsplash, and updated plumbing, lighting and appliances. The team also opened a wall between the kitchen and bar area.
Who designed the renovation?
Interior designer Emily Winters of Peabody’s Interiors worked with architect Meg Baniukiewicz of HB Designs on the layout and redesign, according to Apartment Therapy.
How long did the project take, and what did it cost?
Apartment Therapy reports that the work took four months from demolition to completion and cost around $275,000. The report does not provide an itemized budget or calendar dates.
Why did the renovation use both walnut and berry-colored cabinets?
The homeowners had different preferences: the husband liked wood cabinetry, while the wife wanted more color and personality. Winters said floral wallpaper helped her develop a design combining natural walnut with a berry tone; the upper cabinets were painted Sherwin-Williams’ “Merlot.”
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
