Six weeks, one very patient family. Swapped the oak cabinets for shaker fronts, quartz counters, and moved the fridge to open up the walkway. Lighting made the biggest difference honestly.
Moving the fridge to open the walkway is the kind of change nobody notices in photos but everyone feels in the room — that was the right call, and six weeks for a scope like that is a tight, well-run job.
You’re also right about lighting being the biggest lever. For anyone reading this planning the same reno: layer it — pots for general, under-cabinet strips for task (get them on their own switch), and one statement fixture over the island or table. It’s a few hundred dollars in the middle of a five-figure reno and it changes everything.
What did you go with for the under-cabinet lighting, and did the quartz install go in one slab or did you end up with a seam? Would love to see the before/after shots if you’re up for posting them.