Worst Kitchen in America III: Kitchen Crashers to the Rescue

With help from Alison Victoria and DIY's Kitchen Crashers team, a tiny and dated matchbox of a kitchen gets remade into a state-of-the-art cooking space with loads of visual appeal.

By: David L Haynes

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Photo By: Scott A. Miller

Motivated to Renovate

Kitchen Crashers host and professional contractor Alison Victoria joins forces with this lucky Florida couple to help give them the dream kitchen they never dreamed they'd have. Brigitte and Chase Ratzlaff were the winning contestants in the Worst Kitchen in America contest, a joint collaboration between DIY Network and Food Network Magazine.

A New Kitchen Takes Shape

The Ratzlaffs' kitchen was selected from among thousands of entries to get a complete top-to-bottom makeover — Kitchen Crashers style. After being surprised by Alison and the Kitchen Crashers crew, Brigitte and Chase Ratzlaff get their first look at the plans for their revamped kitchen.

Bring On the New

Alison shows Brigitte and Chase the new copper farmhouse sink that will be one of the highlight features in the new kitchen.

Worst Kitchen: Before

Prior to the renovation, some of the less-than-stellar features in this sad little kitchen included mismatched cabinets (wood panel above; painted white below), bad lighting, cabinet doors that were falling off their hinges, worn laminate backsplash and appliances that barely worked.

Worst Kitchen: Before

The countertops in the kitchen were wood composite with a faux granite laminate. The wood particleboard had begun to deteriorate from underneath to a point that it had started to leave sawdust residue on the floor.

Worst Kitchen: Before

In a noteworthy decorating faux pas, several of the kitchen surfaces, including the awkwardly placed free-hanging shelves, were covered in shelf paper made to look like marble. The dishwasher — which appeared to date to around the middle of the last century — did run, though it left dishes dirty.

Worst Kitchen: Before

In the old kitchen, the refrigerator juts out beyond the door frame, partially blocking the entry. A worn triangular cabinet stands next to the refrigerator, precariously placed and unsecured. A wallpaper border with pink hearts does little to augment the overall motif.

After

Smart workspace planning, subdued lighting and carefully integrated elements are all key in the design of the new kitchen. An eye-pleasing color scheme, beadboard ceiling, recessed pot lights and a sliding barn door help define and unify the new space.

After

The updated kitchen features custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, a copper-top center island and new appliances in brushed stainless steel.

After

While the old kitchen was closed off and claustrophobic, the new one is pleasingly spacious and comes with a large window providing a beautiful lake view.

Before

The old sink and worn-out laminate offer precious little in the way of kitchen aesthetics.

After

The new kitchen fairly sparkles — dressed out with quartz countertops, a copper farmhouse sink and designer faucet in coordinating brushed copper.

Reinventing the Space: Before

The old kitchen was cramped, badly laid out and barely functional for cooking — and even less so for entertaining.

Reinventing the Space: After

The renovation results in a kitchen that's perfectly equipped for meal prep, offers more breathing room and which transitions nicely into a casual and comfortable living space.

Reinventing the Space: Before

The former living room had plenty of square footage, but much of it was left underutilized — except by the occasional rocking horse. This is the room that would soon be transformed into the new kitchen and living space.

Reinventing the Space: After

By incorporating a contiguous kitchen and living area, the new design is better suited not only to cooking, but to family gatherings and casual entertaining. The simple coffee table, custom-built by Alison and homeowner Brigitte, was crafted out of wood crates, stained dark then assembled to create modular storage as well as tabletop surface.

Before: Dated and Dingy

After: Clean and Contrasty

Details are key to helping spruce up the new counter tops in homeowners Chase and Brigette Ratzlaff's newly remodeled kitchen in Lake Wales, FLa.

So What Ever Happened To ...

The actual space where the old kitchen once stood is now reconfigured into something far better suited to its size: a pantry and utility room with plenty of shelving and storage.

Designer Touches

Alison Victoria adds a few accents to finish off the newly renovated kitchen.

Accessories and Details

The new color palette, making use of off-white, greens and earth tones, brightens up the space while providing a tastefully serene backdrop.

Accessories and Details

The new faucet hardware in a brushed-copper finish "pops" against the lighter quartz countertops.

Accessories and Details

Cabinet pulls tie in visually with other fixtures and hardware.

Accessories and Details

A few simple accent pieces help finish out the newly renovated kitchen.

Another Crash With a Happy Ending

Alison and the Kitchen Crashers leave homeowners Brigitte and Chase Ratzlaff with a kitchen that's gone from ugly duckling to striking showplace.

Don't Miss:

Don't Miss:

Worst Kitchen in America III: Kitchen Crashers to the Rescue

Related To:

Motivated to Renovate

A New Kitchen Takes Shape

Bring On the New

Worst Kitchen: Before

Worst Kitchen: Before

Worst Kitchen: Before

Worst Kitchen: Before

After

After

After

Before

After

Reinventing the Space: Before

Reinventing the Space: After

Reinventing the Space: Before

Reinventing the Space: After

Before: Dated and Dingy

After: Clean and Contrasty

So What Ever Happened To ...

Designer Touches

Accessories and Details

Accessories and Details

Accessories and Details

Accessories and Details

Another Crash With a Happy Ending

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