Before and After: 4 Kitchens Open Up for a Roomier Feel
New layouts and lighter palettes transform these kitchens of about 195 square feet
Trying to cook in a cramped, cutoff kitchen can be a drag. Add in monotonous cabinet runs or a murky look, and even whipping up favorite dishes can feel like a chore. Luckily, designers have several ways to remedy these kitchen afflictions. Below, see how knocking down walls, jettisoning peninsulas and upper cabinets and changing layouts opened up four kitchens. Also check out how lighter, brighter finishes and fixtures enhance their newly spacious feel. Could any of these ideas help open up your own kitchen? Let us know in the Comments.
After: Kikos got rid of some walls to expand the kitchen into the living room and create an open concept. That went a long way toward reducing the confining feel, adding light and making room for an 8-foot island. Kikos also walled over that pass-through to the dining room seen in the previous photo and moved the range there. So now, even though the fridge hasn’t moved, the cook has a convenient work triangle.
Other design moves to open up and brighten the space included nixing some upper cabinets, using glossy white backsplash tiles that reflect light and having a lot more white wall space plus a white island counter. The remaining cabinets, the tall pantry cabinets to the left of the fridge and the niche shelving at the alcove ends provide all the storage needed.
Backsplash tile: Cloe in white, 5 by 5 inches, Bedrosians Tile and Stone
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Other design moves to open up and brighten the space included nixing some upper cabinets, using glossy white backsplash tiles that reflect light and having a lot more white wall space plus a white island counter. The remaining cabinets, the tall pantry cabinets to the left of the fridge and the niche shelving at the alcove ends provide all the storage needed.
Backsplash tile: Cloe in white, 5 by 5 inches, Bedrosians Tile and Stone
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“After” photos by Chris McCarthy
2. In the Navy
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with two kids and two dogs
Location: Franklin, Tennessee
Size: 192 square feet (18 square meters)
Designers: Erin Hurst of French’s Cabinet Gallery and Weston Blankenship of E35 Design
Before: The homeowners and their two children had enough room to maneuver in this Tennessee kitchen, but opening the space to the living room (where the TV is in the back right of the photo) suited them better. The homeowners also wanted an eat-at island, more personality and style and a better focal point from the living room than just the microwave. Kitchen designer Erin Hurst and interior designer Weston Blankenship gave them all that and more.
2. In the Navy
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with two kids and two dogs
Location: Franklin, Tennessee
Size: 192 square feet (18 square meters)
Designers: Erin Hurst of French’s Cabinet Gallery and Weston Blankenship of E35 Design
Before: The homeowners and their two children had enough room to maneuver in this Tennessee kitchen, but opening the space to the living room (where the TV is in the back right of the photo) suited them better. The homeowners also wanted an eat-at island, more personality and style and a better focal point from the living room than just the microwave. Kitchen designer Erin Hurst and interior designer Weston Blankenship gave them all that and more.
After: Hurst removed the cabinet run and oddly angled wall dividing the living room and kitchen. That meant she could move the fridge from the range wall, where it blocked a doorway when open. It also meant there was now space for a huge island. The sink and dishwasher are on the side where the rug is.
Four family members and only three bar stools, you say? What gives? Well, first, the dining room is only steps away (where this photo was taken from). And second …
How Much Room Do You Need for a Kitchen Island?
Four family members and only three bar stools, you say? What gives? Well, first, the dining room is only steps away (where this photo was taken from). And second …
How Much Room Do You Need for a Kitchen Island?
… two more stools are hanging out on the living room side. Each seat on both sides is a different color, for fun pops of personality against the dashing dark blue island.
Blankenship chose patterned cement backsplash tiles that combine with a detailed range hood to create a lively focal point from the living room. And from the kitchen, anyone prepping food at the island gets a view of floral artwork and a fireplace.
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Blankenship chose patterned cement backsplash tiles that combine with a detailed range hood to create a lively focal point from the living room. And from the kitchen, anyone prepping food at the island gets a view of floral artwork and a fireplace.
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“After” photos by Matt Mulligan
3. Let There Be Light
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young daughter
Location: Reading, Massachusetts
Size: 195 square feet (18 square meters); 13 by 15 feet
Designer: Heather Aordkian of Kitchen Magic
Before: Darkness and a closed-in feel permeated this Massachusetts kitchen — not even remotely close to the homeowners’ style. And too much blocking was happening: A peninsula impeded connection with the living room and chunky upper cabinets impeded light and views through a window over the sink. A generously sized window just out of frame to the left could stay, but designer Heather Aordkian rethought its style and every other design element.
3. Let There Be Light
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young daughter
Location: Reading, Massachusetts
Size: 195 square feet (18 square meters); 13 by 15 feet
Designer: Heather Aordkian of Kitchen Magic
Before: Darkness and a closed-in feel permeated this Massachusetts kitchen — not even remotely close to the homeowners’ style. And too much blocking was happening: A peninsula impeded connection with the living room and chunky upper cabinets impeded light and views through a window over the sink. A generously sized window just out of frame to the left could stay, but designer Heather Aordkian rethought its style and every other design element.
After: Removing the peninsula and the upper cabinets alongside the windows opened the kitchen right up and let the sunshine in. Plenty of white finishes help bounce it around. A new island is big enough to have seating for four (around two sides) but doesn’t hinder the flow, thanks to careful planning.
Aordkian extended the lower cabinet run to make up for lost storage. She also added a microwave drawer to make space for a vent hood, as well as a pullout bin for trash and recycling to keep the floor clear. Two floating shelves enhance the open look.
Aordkian extended the lower cabinet run to make up for lost storage. She also added a microwave drawer to make space for a vent hood, as well as a pullout bin for trash and recycling to keep the floor clear. Two floating shelves enhance the open look.
Celadon cabinets nicely balance walnut ones on the fridge wall and create a calming effect. The backsplash tile and cabinets go all the way to the ceiling, visually stretching the kitchen’s height. And a glass globe light over the island and a slender pendant light over the sink add illumination while keeping sightlines open.
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“After” photos by LOMA Studios
4. Island Dream
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with three kids
Location: Clarendon Hills, Illinois
Size: 190 square feet (18 square meters)
Designer: Susan Klimala of The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn
Before: What started as a minor redo — painting the cabinets, changing a few other elements — turned into a major makeover to give this Illinois family of five a beautiful and better-functioning kitchen. The homeowners ended up tasking designer Susan Klimala with renovating the kitchen and two adjoining spaces. The brief here: Create a space with an open flow, a fresh color palette and seating for five.
4. Island Dream
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with three kids
Location: Clarendon Hills, Illinois
Size: 190 square feet (18 square meters)
Designer: Susan Klimala of The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn
Before: What started as a minor redo — painting the cabinets, changing a few other elements — turned into a major makeover to give this Illinois family of five a beautiful and better-functioning kitchen. The homeowners ended up tasking designer Susan Klimala with renovating the kitchen and two adjoining spaces. The brief here: Create a space with an open flow, a fresh color palette and seating for five.
After: The range stayed in the same place, so if you mentally turn the peninsula in the previous photo from horizontal to vertical and make it the island, you’ll get the new orientation. That confining peninsula and the old, small island are gone, along with the dark cabinets and countertops. A long island with an expansive white quartz countertop and space for five stools now anchors the kitchen.
Shop for bar stools and counter stools
Shop for bar stools and counter stools
Klimala moved the fridge and added cabinetry where it used to be. The new cabinets are white, with clean-lined Shaker doors, and reach the ceiling for a more expansive look. White pendant lights over the island and glossy white subway tile on the backsplash keep the bright look going, while dark gray shiplap on the island base offers a grounding counterpoint.
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1. Wide View
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two young daughters and a puppy
Location: Torrance, California
Size: 195 square feet (18 square meters)
Designer: Mil Kikos of ME Design Group
Before: A confining U-shaped layout and an awkward location in the house — a combined family room and dining room lay on one side and a mostly unused living room sat on the other — started this Southern California kitchen off on the wrong foot. The design journey didn’t improve with the next step, either: long runs of basic oak cabinetry.
As a final misstep, the fridge sat behind where this photo was taken, alongside another cabinetry bank. So the cook had to walk back and forth a lot. It also meant that a pathway connecting the living spaces on either side ran right through the kitchen in front of the fridge — not ideal for anyone preparing meals. The homeowners tapped designer Mil Kikos to create a more functional, more open and brighter space.
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