I never really liked my kitchen. I loved my old kitchen, but the new one never felt right. The countertops, tile, cabinet finish and sink all seemed off to me. To be clear, this is a design perspective — not a life-or-death matter — but after living with the space for a while, the issues became impossible to ignore.
The cabinet layout chopped the room into awkward, crowded zones. Visual barriers multiplied and made the whole space feel smaller and cluttered.
Three pendant lights hung down and blocked sightlines across the room. The dining light was off-center, and the floor changed partway through the space, which interrupted the flow. A long counter jutted into the middle of the room, breaking the kitchen into tiny, awkward pockets instead of creating one open, functional area. In some homes that layout works well, but here it became a clutter magnet, which we didn’t need.
If only I had bought the house before the builder finished the kitchen. The original paint color and finishes never appealed to me. But we chose this house because it was move-in ready and allowed us to focus on starting the church. At the time that was the right decision.
Over the years I made small changes to try to open things up: I removed a small wall cabinet and took doors off a few cabinets to create more visual space. Those quick, affordable fixes helped temporarily, but after three years the wear and tear and my growing dissatisfaction made it clear a bigger change was needed.
Having lived in the kitchen for a few years actually helped me plan better. Time in a space lets you discover how you use it and what practical changes will be most effective. Rushing into a redesign can lead to costly mistakes; taking time allowed me to envision a cost-effective solution that would truly improve the room.
A few weeks ago I decided I couldn’t live through another winter with the kitchen as it was. I pictured a relatively simple rearrangement: removing the dishwasher and a few cabinets, keeping enough storage while opening the room to make it feel more spacious and updated. My goal was a modest update rather than a full gut remodel — though seeing the demolition in progress made it feel more extensive than planned. To save money we’re keeping the stove, refrigerator and dishwasher for now, since the dishwasher is fairly new.
I found a good contractor who could fit us into his schedule, and they started the demo. Once the walls and cabinets came down, the space immediately felt more open. I’m committed now, though realistic about budget limits and potential delays while I gather bids and make final decisions.
Even at this early stage I already love the kitchen more. Removing the visual clutter and opening sightlines transformed the room — it feels spacious and genuinely family-friendly. There are still plans for the right wall and the area above the stove, and the flooring will need to be replaced to complete the look, but the change so far is encouraging.
Is anyone still around or did everyone leave for the holiday weekend?
Maybe I’m just talking to myself, but I have more to share.
Tomorrow I’ll share my new sofa story!
To follow the kitchen renovation in progress, check the kitchen renovation category on the site.