The Most Embarrassing Kitchen in America

When we set out to find the most embarrassing kitchen in America, we expected to see some shocking spaces. But Susan and Hansen Lee’s kitchen still took us by surprise. It was not only outdated — cabinets from the ’50s, dingy countertops and (holy cock-a-doodle-doo!) rooster wallpaper — but also dysfunctional.

The dishwasher was kaput, the ovens opened only six inches before crashing into a door frame, there was no space for a fridge, and the family (including daughters Ella, 4, and Brielle, 7) didn’t have a place to sit together for dinner.

When our contest winners bought the Woodland Hills, Calif., house last December, a kitchen overhaul was at the top of their to-do list. But that plan got put on hold when their leaky roof needed replacing. "For months we ate takeout most nights, with the kids at a little play table and Hansen and I at the counter," says Susan.

A style resuscitation was in order, so after hatching a plan, HGTV Star winner Tiffany Brooks and contractor Jeff Devlin, host of DIY Network's I Hate My Bath, got to work.