used to save every clean white kitchen I saw online, thinking that was the goal. Then I moved into an older place in Tacoma, Washington, and reality hit. Uneven floors. Weird wall angles. Cabinets that refused to line up perfectly no matter what.
At first it annoyed me. Then I leaned into it.
Instead of fighting the space, I worked with it. I kept the original cabinets, painted them a muted green, and added warmer lighting. Suddenly the kitchen felt honest. Like it belonged there instead of pretending to be something else.
That’s when I realized renovation isn’t about copying trends. It’s about respecting the character of the space you’re in.