Case Study

A Stunning Brightness and Brick Kitchen in a 100-Year-Old Tyler Farmhouse Opened to the Den and Rebuilt in White

How DreamMaker opened a century-old farmhouse kitchen to the family room with a new peninsula, removed a built-in bookcase for a super pantry, installed white ceiling-height cabinets with better pull-out function, exposed the original brick chimney, and completed a full finish update including subway tile, granite, and new flooring.

Tyler, Texas

2 Weeks

Farmhouse & Bright

Kitchen Remodeling

Project Overview

One Hundred Years Old. Bright, Clean, and Built for Today.

This 100-year-old Tyler farmhouse kitchen needed everything. The homeowners wanted to open it into the family room and make it bright, clean, and far more functional. DreamMaker replaced the dark cabinetry with white cabinets that run all the way to the ceiling, removed a wall to create an open floor plan with a peninsula opening to the den, replaced a built-in bookcase with a super pantry, and uncovered the original brick chimney that had been hidden behind sheet rock for years. A complete finish update – granite countertops, subway tile backsplash, new sink, faucet, and hardware – completed the transformation.

Location: Texas

Neighborhood: Tyler, TX

Modern

About The Neighborhood

Tyler, Texas is one of East Texas’s most desirable communities — a welcoming, family-friendly city known for its established neighborhoods, scenic tree-lined streets, and a relaxed pace of life that feels far removed from its growing role as a regional hub for healthcare, education, and commerce.

The Challenge

What Wasn’t Working

Before the remodel, the space faced several challenges:

A 100-year-old kitchen closed off from the family room by a full wall
Dark cabinets that dated the space and absorbed light rather than reflecting it
Bottom cabinets offering poor accessibility with no pull-outs or drawer inserts
A built-in bookcase occupying space that could serve as a super pantry
No cabinet above the fridge, no subway tile, no updated hardware or faucet
Original brick chimney hidden behind sheet rock - a character feature going unappreciated

Like many homes in Cave Springs, the master bath retained its original footprint — creating real functional limitations for a busy household and making what should be a personal retreat feel like an afterthought.

BEFORE:

“The exposed brick chimney was the detail that surprised us most. We had no idea it was back there – and now it is the heart of the kitchen. DreamMaker transformed a 100-year-old space into everything we could have hoped for.”

– Tyler, TX

5.0 | Google Review

The Solution

Built Around Light, Function, and the Original Brick That Was Always There.

To solve the bathroom’s layout and style challenges, DreamMaker redesigned the master bath with improved flow, custom storage, natural light, and a clean modern finish. Removing the unused Jacuzzi unlocked the footprint entirely, custom cabinetry made every inch purposeful, and thoughtful material choices brought the spa-like atmosphere the homeowners had always wanted.

Key Improvements included:

Wall removed to create an open floor plan connecting the kitchen to the family room
Peninsula added at the opening to the den - creating a casual gathering and serving space
Dark cabinets replaced with new white cabinets running all the way to the ceiling
Bottom cabinets fitted with drawers or pull-outs throughout for improved function
Cabinet added above the refrigerator for additional storage
Built-in bookcase removed and replaced with a super pantry for significantly more storage
Sheet rock removed to expose the original brick chimney as a defining design feature
New granite countertops, new sink and faucet, new subway tile backsplash, and new hardware throughout
New flooring installed in both the kitchen and dining room