Cottage kitchen and Living Room

Looking back at my client’s rental property that I designed for them is so much fun! The kitchen had been remodeled sometime in the 1980’s with those orangey oak cabinets. It also had a weird layout. I think the original owner tried to maximize cabinet space, but in the mean time, really ended up minimizing living space. The ceramic floor tile was cracked, stained and old, and the room layout was terrible.

We ended up pulling out all of the cabinets that had been on that far wall, including the refrigerator,and moving it to the main kitchen area. We also added a few new cabinets, and moving around some of the old ones around for a better layout.  You can see on the before picture, that there was counter top and a cabinet  where the fridge is on the after. We put down new floor, painted the cabinets, and added a new counter top. It became an entirely new kitchen! I know that sounds very magic wand-ish. It actually took several months. I will say, it was very satisfying and rewarding to see it become brand new, and alive.

Since the home was a ranch home, and the kitchen and living room smack right up next to each other, I decided to keep it light and bright.

I really felt like they needed to be separate, but flow into each other, since when you walk in the front door, you can see right through to the back of the kitchen.

We added french doors to keep it open, but separate the spaces slightly. You can see the difference in the before picture, and you can see more of the projects here.

It’s amazing how simple changes can update an entire home. To me, interior decorating and design is like painting. It’s about putting pieces together, and then seeing what seems like it’s missing. Almost like a beautiful puzzle.

I loved the act of taking something that was so sad looking, and making it brand new. This house just needed  a cottage kitchen and living room, and some love, and it was ready for a new family. At the shop, we’ve been offering interior design and decor since we opened, but it’s really started getting busy. I love how in every home we go into, a transformation happens. We are able to help a homeowner love their home all over again, most of the time using what they already have. To me, that’s the best part.

Thanks for taking a little stroll with me down memory lane!