A Kitchen Renovation Adds Charm Using Smart Savings

Dated Look: Before

Worn cabinets, pink-and-white laminate, and an acoustic-tile ceiling dated the kitchen. Shown: Chris Webb in the kitchen

Hidden Work Station

A desk and paperwork hide behind flipper doors that swing open and slide back.

Style and Function

A beveled edge dresses up simple black laminate countertops. Trays slide into “found space” between two cabinets near the sink. Pendant: Restoration Hardware Countertops: Wilsonart

Organized Set-Up

This spice drawer near the range has angled dividers to make locating the cinnamon as easy as pie. Cabinets: MD Design Bin pulls and glass knobs: Van Dyke’s Restorers

Corner Cubby

An L-shaped built-in keeps the computer hidden and art supplies well organized and easy to grab. That way, homeowner Tela Webb and daughter Sophie always know where to find the scissors.

Extra Space

Open shelves help tap every cubic inch of the island, which has a beefy butcher-block top and furniture-like feet. Paint: Sherwin Williams’ Peacock Plume Butcher block: John Boos Vinyl floor tile: Azrock

Floor Plan: Before

A partition wall split the 382-square-foot bare-bones space, and a dropped ceiling made it feel even smaller.

Floor Plan: After

Removing the wall opened up the room and allowed for more storage and workspace within the original footprint.

1. Chose white appliances that blend seamlessly into white cabinets
2. Added cupboards and counter space near the dining room as a staging area for meals
3. Demolished the partition wall to make way for an island with drawers, storage cupboards, a recycling-bin pullout, and a butcher-block top
4. Built in an office area with a desk behind cabinet doors and storage for files and art supplies