Split Level Kitchen Remodel Ideas Before & After

Split Level Kitchen Wall Removal

If you have been following our split level house remodel from the beginning (take a tour of the house before we started demo), you know that this 1970s original kitchen renovation was a huge task is it was tiny, dark and dated beyond words.

Here is the old 1970s kitchen below.

The first step of opening up the kitchen space into the living room was to remove the kitchen wall which was a load bearing wall.

We also decided to remove the old ceiling in the kitchen and living room once the wall was removed in order to create a vaulted ceiling.

A vaulted or cathedral ceiling in the kitchen living room area is by far, the biggest feature you can add to make a split level home – not look like a split level home if you know what I mean! 

Do you like the white ceiling planks by Armstrong? I love them! We used their White Country Classic Ceiling Plank and you can check them out at Armstrong Ceiling Planks!

They are very affordable added so much character and dimension to this kitchen living room layout. If you are considering remodeling a split level house or even a ranch house, opening up your ceiling is the best way to create a dramatic new look!

black ceiling fans

The white kitchen cabinets from Wolf Kitchen Cabinets are beautiful, great quality and they have varying lines to suit every budget.

To get all the details on these cabinets and design features, be sure to read the “Wolf Kitchen Cabinet Review” blog post I wrote a few weeks ago. 

In order to remove a load bearing wall, Jim needed to install an engineered beam to support the structure (roof) above.

Be sure to read our blog post on “opening up a load bearing wall between the kitchen and living room,” to see all the details of removing the kitchen wall.

Open concept split level kitchen remodel

See below for the before and after 1970s kitchen cabinets vs. the modern shaker style white cabinets with black hardware.

The before and after split level kitchen wall removal blog post is one of the most popular posts on google right now so if you are in the market for renovating your home and want to remove a kitchen load bearing wall, click through to this post, “removing a load bearing wall.”

Another Related Remodel: We renovated a 1970s split level kitchen that was a little bigger than this kitchen if you are looking for more ideas on how to modernize a split kitchen.

One of the biggest issues we had with this split-level house was how dated and small the house seemed.

This is very common for homes that were built in the 1970’s. The rooms are boxy and the ceilings are typically low. 

Yep, Jim and his crew blew out the ceilings in both rooms in an afternoon and made a serious mess! You can see that entire day by reading this blog post, “how to add shiplap to a cathedral ceiling.”

The new modern white kitchen cabinets below look amazing!

Black Pendant Light above the sink | White Apron Farmers Sink | 5″ modern cabinet pulls | Brushed Nickel Kitchen Faucet

The kitchen countertops are Calcutta Sponda and the most affordable quartz on the market to get that white and gray marble look.

Trust me, I checked out many countertop slabs and researched pricing, this is the best option for that look if you want to stay within a budget.

For more details, click through my quartz countertops post.

We get all of our countertops from Discover Marble and Granite in Millbury so if you are local to Massachusetts, check them out! Ask for Ben and be sure to let him know I sent you :). 

I love how the Calcutta Sponda Quartz countertop and white herringbone style subway tile look together. If you are looking for a more traditional brick pattern backsplash, click through this post, white subway tile with white kitchen cabinets, to see how it looks in our ranch flip house project.

We used platinum colored grout on the backsplash to tie in the gray veins of the countertop as well as 5″ black matte cabinet door pulls. 

Modernizing split-level homes by removing the ceiling and walls in the kitchen and living room is by far one of the biggest changes you can make!

I personally think that any 70s kitchen remodel that wants a dramatic before and after, should consider vaulting the ceiling if the budget allows. 

Many have emailed asking if there is any other way to update a split kitchen without removing the ceiling and another (cheaper) alternative would be to remove the half wall that faces the living room and dining room creating an island or peninsula.

Removing half the wall that faces the living room will allow more light to enter the space and give the illusion of a larger kitchen.

It’s also more cost effective as you most likely will not need to remove a load bearing wall and install an engineered beam.

Always hire a licensed general contractor (get my free download on how to hire a contractor) make sure you are familiar with your town laws when it comes to removing any structural wall in your home. 

White Apron Farmers Sink | Brushed Nickel Kitchen Faucet

If you already read our post, “selecting quality kitchen cabinets from Wolf Cabinets,” you know that we opted for white kitchen cabinets and a gray island.

The farmers sink and herringbone white subway tile tie in perfectly with the modern farmhouse theme. 

The existing kitchen was a small L shape so once we removed the kitchen wall, we decided to add a buffet wall with cabinets and a pantry to create more kitchen storage.

The design team at Horner Millwork was amazing to work with and had so many great ideas to create a functional and stylish kitchen.

If you are looking for more ideas on how to convert an L shaped kitchen, click through this post, white kitchen cabinets with white countertops and see how we transformed an L-shaped kitchen into a U-shaped kitchen at the ranch house renovation project. 

You can see how Jim created a similar buffet wall in his split level home he sold a year and half ago.  

Our 1970’s split level kitchen remodel is pretty dramatic difference right?

When I designed this kitchen with the Horner Millwork team at their kitchen design center in Sommerset, Massachusetts, one of the biggest things I wanted to ensure was that the kitchen had extra storage for pots, pans, dishes and food!

Split Level Kitchen Remodel With Island

Adding a kitchen island to any home, especially if you are removing walls to create an open floor plan, this is a great way to add a visual barrier between the two rooms. In this case, the island separates the new kitchen from the living room. 

Black Entryway pendant

The Wolf Cabinets are packed with convenient storage features like pull out drawers, soft close doors and pull out trash bins. 

Pull Out Drawers

These are wider pull out drawers that work great in an island or large bank of cabinets. Pots and pans are easily stored in oversized drawers like these.

Pull Out Trash

I love the kitchen cabinet in the island with the trash bin pull out feature. You can find a great one here on Amazon to update your existing cabinet. 

Be sure to order the correct sizes (based on your cabinet size) if you opt to purchase any of the pull out drawers or trash bins. 

Split Level Kitchen Living Room 

By removing the wall and ceiling in the kitchen and living room, we were able to create the open concept kitchen and living room layout we wanted.

Split level living room ideas are somewhat limited as the space is usually small but removing the kitchen wall and opening it up into the living room is definitely a must if you are trying to create an open concept layout.

Everytime I look at these kitchen remodel pictures I shake my head with how different it looks. I love everything about it!

I love how the modern black ceiling fans from Hunter look against the shiplap ceiling. 

As you know, the kitchen is the heart of most homes whether it be just family members going about their daily routine or while entertaining guests.

Under cabinet lighting is one of the best things you can add to your kitchen to create a custom look and it doesn’t cost that much money. 

People are opting for open concept kitchen and living rooms today vs. boxy rooms that are separated by walls and a doorway. 

This particular split level plan allows everyone to gather and commingle at the same time while still having a living space to watch tv. 

The wall color is Platinum by Behr and the oak floors were sanded down (the previous color was an ugly warm orange brown color) and refinished with a natural light gray stain to create a neutral seamless look throughout the house.

We opted for a satin finish on the floors to eliminate any shine. 

Entryway Pendant from Amazon

We added a gas fireplace with faux rustic wood mantel (you can find it on Amazon!) as well to the living room wall which Jim added molding and trim around to finish it off. 

Faux wood mantel 

Looking to see all of the home remodeling projects we did in this split level home? See them in order below.

Split Level Home Renovation Series

• Split level home remodeling project – how it all started and the home before we tore it apart
• Small 5×8 bathroom remodel with cost and how we saved money by keeping the same layout
• Kitchen demo + adding a load bearing beam between the living room, dining room and kitchen
• Split level kitchen renovation before and after (you will not even recognize it!)
• Kitchen cabinet review at the split level home and how we packed storage features into the new space
• Installing shiplap on the new vaulted ceiling in the kitchen and living room at the split level
• Opening up a load bearing wall in the kitchen
• Split level entry way foyer makeover (before and after)
• How to increase front door width and height – front door makeover
• Installing solid core interior doors for a modern look
• Split-level house exterior makeover before and after
• Why we picked black windows with white interior
• How to modernize a split level home exterior
• Finished basement vinyl floor plank installation
• Split level front door ideas
• BONUS – See another split level home that sold 80K over asking price

More Kitchen Remodel Posts

• 1960’s split level kitchen remodel
• 2003 mediterranean kitchen remodel
• 1960’s ranch kitchen remodel
• 1970’s colonial kitchen remodel
• 1960’s lake cottage kitchen remodel

Before I sign off, I want to thank Horner Millwork and Wolf Cabinetry for this amazing partnership. This project was so much and we love how the kitchen turned out! All opinions and words are 100% my own.