Before & After: Kitchen faucet

I'm embarrased to admit it, but this is the kitchen faucet we've lived with for the past two years:

Beyond the way it looked, there were two big things that drove me crazy about this faucet: it was way too low, making it difficult to rinse large pots and pans without getting water everywhere, and the knobs were so close to the wall that it was nearly impossible to clean behind them.

When I saw the Cuisinart Calais faucet on sale at Canadian Tire, I decided to go for it. I was nervous about the quality, since I think Cuisinart is relatively new to the faucet market, but the online reviews were good and the price was definitely right.

Adam installed it on Saturday morning while my mom and I took Hannah for a long walk. He said the new faucet was easy to install, but removing the old faucet was a different story. For some reason, the cold water was piped directly to the faucet, so first he had to shut off the water to the entire house, cut out the pipe and install a tap (after a trip to Home Depot for a plumbing kit and a blow torch). Even better, there was no way to unscrew the old faucet, so the hacksaw came back out to cut it off. There are no easy projects in an old house!

The good news is that the installation went smoothly (no leaks!) and we love the new faucet.

(Sorry the colouring is off in these photos - by the time I was able to take them it required lights on and a flash).

With the faucet's added height, our sink actually feels larger now and we can easily wipe up around it. Best of all, it gives a much need boost to the overall look of our kitchen. Since I know there are others, like us, who are making the best of the kitchen they have while planning - or just daydreaming about - a complete overhaul someday, I thought it was worth sharing how a relatively inexpensive update can go a long way towards improving the overall look and function of your kitchen.

Once the faucet's been in place for a few months, I'll be sure to update you on how it's holding up.

Happy Monday! xo