A Smart Reno Made This 200-Square-Foot Kitchen Unrecognizable

Stephanie and Eric Baker always knew they’d have to redo the kitchen of the 1974 ranch they bought in 2016 in Greer, South Carolina. “It felt like a dungeon,” says Stephanie.

Since adding square footage would cost big bucks, they postponed the project for a year to save up. Meanwhile they hired local designer Amanda Louise Campbell to help make over other parts of the house—and were thrilled when she said she could give them their dream kitchen without increasing the size of the room.

To create a highly functional space, she tore out cabinetry (see ya, floor-hogging peninsula) and reconfigured the layout for an island. Then she added lots of storage spots and pep, including patterned tile, glam lighting, and cheery blue-green paint. As promised, not a single wall was sledgehammered.

“The new look makes it feel twice as big!” says Stephanie. “I can’t believe it’s still the same size.”

Reno Details

Floor

The original floorboards were straight out of the ’70s: 1 1/2-inch-wide oak with an orangey tone. “They not only looked dated but also were so worn out that we couldn’t have them refinished,” says Stephanie. New 3-inch-wide oak boards, stained custom brown, are way more contemporary.

Backsplashes

Stephanie originally spotted the patterned cement tile (from Lili Cement Tiles) that’s above the sink in one of Amanda Louise’s projects on Instagram and had to have it. The wall behind the range has seafoam green ceramic subway tile from tilebar.com. “Using two different tiles gives the space a ton of personality,” says Stephanie. “Not being matchy-matchy really paid off.”

Lights

While Stephanie wanted to make a statement over the island, the two sphere pendants by Crystorama that Amanda Louise suggested gave her pause at first because of their dark finish. Now she’s a fan. “Since they’re open and have flashes of gold, they feel bright,” she says. A clear globe from Progress Lighting above the sink adds to the airy look.

Island and Countertops

A 4-foot-by-8-foot island is plenty big for the Bakers. “I’ll be at one end cutting veggies, and Ellie is at the other doing homework,” says Stephanie. The top is gray-veined quartzite, the same as the perimeter counters. The island’s base is painted St. Lucia Teal by Benjamin Moore. Wood stools aren’t always comfy, but this 32-inch-wide cushioned one is.

Shelves

Bulky upper cabinets blocked the light and cramped the kitchen’s style. Floating shelves made from reclaimed wood, with a finish that mimics the floor, open it up. They also show off the eye-catching cement tile—and give Stephanie a place to display her ever-growing collection of work by local artists.

Cabinets

Timeless Shaker-style cabinets in bright white (Extra White by Sherwin-Williams) and sleek pulls by Goldenwarm perk up the space. “We had dowdy brass pulls in my house when I was a kid,” says Stephanie, “but these are totally modern and fresh.”