When Kathryn and Jeff Regan bought their West Hartford house in 2008, one of the selling features was its newly renovated kitchen. With cherry cabinets, granite countertops, lots of storage, big island and updated appliances, the 2,700-square-foot home and its kitchen were move-in ready. Yet, while brand new, the kitchen wasn’t exactly their cup of tea.
“It was on the darker side with darker cabinets, darker countertops, but super functional,” Kathryn says. “No issues. It just wasn’t really my style. But it also didn’t seem practical to renovate. We had bought the house because it had a great kitchen, so putting money into it just didn’t make sense.”
But, by 2018, she and her husband were ready to make a change, and once they did, a domino effect of renovation followed.

The Regan family in West Hartford gave their home a light and bright makeover.
Jane Beiles/ Contributed photoNot