When our team first met with the owners of this home, their chief complaints were that their kitchen felt “bulky”, like there was a ton of furniture but not much storage or real space to do anything. The table and counter space were awkwardly competing with each other, and there simply wasn’t enough storage for what this family needed to stay organized.

The request: to have a kitchen where movement feels intuitive and functions well for everyday use and entertaining. Here’s how we changed this space.

The Kitchen:

Cabinetry:

The old u-shaped layout was cramped, and the cabinetry placement choices actually made for a lot of hard to use storage spaces that remained empty. The coffee nook was being used purely as a storage space, and sitting at the kitchen table wasn’t all that comfortable.

kitchen before renovation

Kitchen Before Renovation

 

In order to create more space, we closed off the patio door (the home had another exit to the backyard), which created lots of extra space for cabinetry and the new location of the refrigerator. We chose inset cabinets in a rustic light wash wood to really give the space that modern farmhouse feel. Combined with industrial hardware, the overall look is clean and bright.

 

picture of renovated kitchen

Kitchen after renovation.

Lighting:

For lighting, we chose to install pot lights in this kitchen in lieu of a statement light fixture. This kitchen didn’t have a lot of natural light to work with and the space was still tight even after renovations, so we wanted to keep the lighting as recessed and out of the way as possible. To add a little bit of interest, one neutral light fixture was added above the kitchen sink.

renovated kitchen lighting

lighting after renovation.

As you can see in the image below, the light in the kitchen was quite dark. The before and after images taken during and after this renovation were done at the same time of day with the same camera. Because we removed some of the natural light by closing the patio door, our team made sure to bring back the light in a way that makes the space look bright and inviting.

Lighting in kitchen before renovation

Lighting in kitchen before renovation

The Coffee Nook:

The coffee nook in it’s original location wasn’t being used well. Mostly, the space was used as a spot to put things that didn’t otherwise have a place, so we removed this in lieu of a hidden pantry with a sliding door, adding interest, organization, and more storage to the space.

coffee nook before renovation

Coffee nook Before

photo of pantry after renovation

New pantry after renovation

 

Countertops:

For the countertops, our client still wanted an eat-in kitchen, but didn’t feel like they needed space for a table because of their ample dining space in another room, so we made sure that the island had sufficient seating space for the whole family.

In-progress countertop installation.

 

 

Countertops after renovation completion.

Countertops after renovation completion.

The Laundry Room:

When it came to the laundry room, the most important thing this family needed was more storage. The current storage options weren’t sufficient, and the cabinetry had begun to sag. Because there wasn’t enough space in the kitchen, the microwave also lived in the laundry room, taking up even more space.

laundry room before renovation

Laundry room before renovation.

Stacking the appliances allowed us to create an area for folding, and really improve the storage in this space. Laundry baskets are stored underneath the folding space, while detergents and softeners are kept above. In small spaces like this, it’s best to have most of your as-needed products out of sight to avoid crowding.

laundry room after renovation

Laundry room after renovation.

 

Renovating your space can be scary and challenging, but with the right team, you’ll have a whole new lease on your space. If you’re thinking about renovating your home, click here to contact us, or if you’re looking for more kitchen inspo, click here to check us out on Instagram.