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In today’s kitchen reveal, I’ll show you how sketches helped transform a dated kitchen with art and function. Don’t miss the free kitchen conversions chart at the end to add a bit of artistry to your own cooking space!
In 2017, after a decade of renting, my husband and I found ourselves touring a 1958 ranch house in Boulder, Colorado. We’d already lost a bid on a similar home nearby, and we were beginning to understand the fierce reality of Boulder’s real estate market. The listing had conspicuously left out any photos of the kitchen, and the reason quickly became apparent. The kitchen was a patchwork of mismatched cabinets and outdated appliances, with blue linoleum tiles curling at the edges to reveal a shock of bright orange underneath. Overhead, a single dim light struggled to brighten the space.
Having grown up with Bob Vila constantly on the TV and a current Fixer Upper habit in full swing, I brushed off the kitchen as no big deal. In my mind, a Chip Gaines-style “demo day” would take care of things, and the kitchen would come together in no time. We put in a bid, and this time, we got the house.
We lived with the existing kitchen for a year, which helped me pinpoint what I wanted to change. One day, I took photos, imported them into Procreate* on my iPad, and used them as a base to doodle some ideas for a refreshed look. *Procreate is a digital illustration app. I’ll explain how to use it in The Beginner’s Guide to Procreate on November 25th.
It felt so rewarding to picture the space’s potential transformation. Thanks to Procreate, I could explore different color schemes and layouts by drawing directly over the photos. I quickly became attached to the idea of a gathering-friendly peninsula and a bright, airy design.
I know that many in the TPK community prefer the feel of pen and paper—there’s just nothing like the hands-on experience of creating that way! Still, I find Procreate to be a wonderful tool for projects like interior design and planning. It’s handy: you can snap a photo of anything, lower its opacity, and doodle over it to explore ideas and bring visions to life.
My efforts in Procreate were incredibly helpful when it came time to begin working with a contractor. The sketches effectively communicated exactly how things were and how I wanted them to be. They sparked important discussions: did it make more sense to put a peninsula on the left or on the right? Was there any way that double ovens could make their way into the design? What storage configurations made the most sense for larger appliances and Costco hauls? As we talked through these questions, I got more and more excited to make my time in the kitchen feel good.
As is the case with most remodels, the implementation wasn’t totally smooth or within budget. The contractor we had hired was fairly certain that there were wooden floors hidden underneath the layers of linoleum tile. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case — so, we had to install wooden floors that corresponded with the rest of the house.
The timing was also difficult. Our cabinets arrived a few weeks before the installer could come, so their gigantic boxes sat in the living room for many days. It’s amazing how a disruption to the flow of your space can make even the simplest routines feel like a challenge. Navigating around those boxes felt like living in a maze — a daily reminder of the chaos that comes with a big renovation project.
Once the cabinets were installed, I started rethinking all my Procreate sketches with white subway tile. My instinct had been to go heavy on white to counteract the kitchen’s former dim, dark feel. But with the all-white cabinetry in place, I realized I’d need a contrasting color to add balance and warmth to the space.
A trip to Floor & Decor introduced me to a narrow black marble and brass tile. I loved the idea of visually tying the brass hardware and the wall together with narrow strips of brass.
Once the tile was complete, we added warm black paint to the corner to ground the space a bit. The wraparound black brought a lovely balance between warm (wood, black) and cool (white) tones.
In the end, the kitchen remodel came together nicely. My favorite change was taking down the walls on the west side, which used to make the kitchen feel isolated. Once you were inside, it was hard to connect with guests or stay in the loop with the rest of the house. Removing those walls and adding a peninsula made the space feel open, inviting, and so much cozier.
There were, of course, a few compromises that had to be made. I really wanted double ovens, but couldn’t figure out a way to incorporate them into the layout. So, instead of stacked double ovens, I opted for a regular range and a convection oven that doubles as a microwave. In practice, we mostly use the convection oven as a microwave. But, when we need that second oven, it’s there.
The relocated sink is one of my favorite changes in our new kitchen, but it came at a cost. I now know that any remodel that involves plumbing drives up expenses. In our case, the price was quite steep because the plumber had to work around our east-west floor joists. This meant re-routing pipes in a “U” shape to the front of the house and back, which wouldn’t have been necessary if the joists ran north to south.
The only major appliance that stayed in the same place was the refrigerator. We opted for a French door model with the freezer on the bottom. Ours has a water dispenser, which comes in incredibly handy when you’re constantly filling up water bottles for small children.
Though our kitchen isn’t exactly compact, space is still at a premium. Choosing efficient storage was essential, so we opted for a single basin workstation sink with a ledge that supports a cutting board, drying rack, or strainer. I rotate between these attachments constantly.
In the previous kitchen, the bottom corner went unused. Now, that space is fully optimized with a lazy Susan on the bottom and “L”-shaped shelves above—finally making that corner functional.
Our utensil drawer used to be a chaotic mess, but a couple of sets of bamboo dividers (affiliate link) completely transformed it. Now, every type of fork, spoon, and knife has its own designated spot.
We also bought food storage bag holders (affiliate link) to keep our plastic bags organized. This has been a game-changer when I’m putting together the kids’ snacks.
Another revelation has been pullout spice racks (affiliate link). I used to struggle with keeping spices organized in a drawer, where they’d often end up jumbled or spilled. The racks were a bit of an investment, but they make spice storage so efficient.
Although I’d hoped to keep everything contained in the kitchen, we needed a bit of extra storage for overflow. A cream-colored midcentury buffet we refinished a few years back now holds essentials like teas, pastas, canned goods, and flour.
The kitchen is the soul of a house, and I want the time we spend in our kitchen to feel cozy and unique. To achieve that, I added in artistic touches where I could. A pair of floating shelves holds souvenirs from travels to Latin America, plants, cookbooks, staples like butter and garlic, and my kitchen conversions chart.
I’m always on the hunt for one-of-a-kind art, and Boulder’s second-hand shops are my favorite place to look. When I found the abstract figure sketch below, I knew it was exactly what I wanted to add a unique spark to the space. It’s one of those pieces that’s subtle yet full of life.
I also love displaying beautiful bottles, and the black-and-white L’Estornell olive oil bottle with its bird artwork brings me joy every time I see it. It sits next to an upcycled glass bottle I use for canola oil, with a ramekin of salt and a handmade spoon from the Boulder farmers market in front for easy access while cooking.
I had high hopes of a spotless fridge when we started the kitchen remodel, but my children had a different vision. My kids’ artwork and our school calendar have found their way there, turning it from a sleek appliance into a dynamic display of our daily lives. It may not look pristine, but I love how it reflects our family’s creativity, schedules, and memorable moments.
For years, I relied on a basic kitchen conversions chart. It wasn’t exactly pretty, but it was incredibly useful when I needed to adjust recipes or — let’s be honest — skip washing certain measuring tools and use others that added up to the same measurement. As our kitchen remodel came to a close, I knew I wanted a kitchen conversions chart that could be proudly displayed. So, I made my own (learn how here).
Displayed in a gold frame on my floating shelves, my hand-drawn kitchen conversions chart is as practical as it is beautiful. It’s a piece I reference often, and it always seems to catch guests’ eyes. To download your own copy, simply add it to your cart here and use code TPKPREMCHART at checkout. Then, print it out on the paper of your choice and put it in your own kitchen!
I hope you enjoyed following along with the transformation from a drab blue kitchen to a sleek, artful culinary space! My favorite part of the process was using sketching to bring ideas to life. Digital doodles helped me pinpoint exactly what I wanted, and once the hard work was complete, I really enjoyed adding those cozy touches to make it feel welcoming. Soon, I’ll be teaching you how to use Procreate to create your own design drafts. Thanks so much for reading, and enjoy the kitchen conversions chart!
Warmly,
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