Before & After: A Drab Kitchen Becomes a Serene Space
Have you noticed how we all end up in the kitchen when there’s a party? It seems we all gravitate to the coziest room in the home, and that’s often the kitchen. Photographer and shopkeeper Katie Hyatt has created a kitchen of her own in Atlanta, GA that I’m sure any of us would flock to. With a moody grey palette, the room cultivates an environment that is both serene and functional, much like her shop, .
The renovations took six months, and after many frozen meals, take-out and salads later, Katie and her husband Jared, an Atlanta real estate agent, have a kitchen that is more than worth the wait.
“It’s my happy place and embodies everything I have ever wanted in a kitchen,” Katie shares. “My lovely husband renovated a good bit of it himself. He began by ripping all the particle board cabinets out and continued on with the countertops, base cabinets, and flooring. The flooring was a BEAST. There was a layer of slate on top of concrete board, two layers of linoleum, which were then glued to the original oak floors. He then had to take a heat gun and melt all of the glue off the flooring before scraping it up. What was revealed were pristine wood floors… After the flooring was taken care of, it was time to widen our kitchen entry. The entry was widened 9 inches, which may not seem like a lot, but it really helped to open up the space.” Katie then worked on the walls using a to give the space a European feel. The cabinets came next, which were custom made. “Our kitchen space is small and narrow, so our options were limited in that respect. By opening up portions of our upper cabinets, we were able to allow the room to feel a bit larger and expose more of the beautiful limewash paint. We chose a similar grey paint for the cabinetry as the limewash walls thus creating a monochrome, but serene effect. Everything was accented with honed Carrara marble countertops to help them pop and lend contrast.”
The couple’s home is in a 15-unit condo building from the 1950s, which Katie previously lived in before a move to Texas and back. The most challenging part of the long and narrow kitchen was the size and lack of storage and countertop space. “With the use of custom cabinetry, we were able to transition this to a more functional space,” Katie says. “The second [exterior] door we have opened up into the hall from the kitchen and covered roughly three feet of space that was needed for storage. We worked to create a floor-to-ceiling pantry which hid the door from the interior and gave us at least two times as much space as we had previously.”
The final outcome is filled with treasures and style that is truly reflective of who Katie and Jared are, with many of the pieces often thrifted or from estate sales, complete with a story behind each find. It’s a beautiful space and I’m so thrilled to be able to share it with you today. —
Photography by
Image above: “A great overview of the kitchen,” Katie says. “The natural light does wonders for our kitchen. I do a lot of still and shop photography in this area.”









Love it, but I think it is actually more drab now, which I am super into! Sort of like Jersey Ice Cream Co. I am really starting to embrace this look, it also reminds me a bit of early Martha Stewart when everything was done really muted.
Really pretty and contemplative.
Gorgeous!
Reminds me of a rainy day when you curl up with a good book and a warm blanket. I’m super jealous that despite it’s small size, your kitchen has a full length pantry cupboard.
thanks Natalie!
Gorgeous. I love the faucet and those floors are so beautiful!!.
thank you Jamie!
This is the kind of inspiration I need for my not-quite-installed correctly Home Depot kitchen (the cabinets aren’t secured to the wall… *sigh*). Itching to make changes, so I’m starting my reno savings now! :)
This is beautiful. I would love to know where that bronze-y light fixture is from.
Really lovely! Those floors = heart-eyed emoji. Did you sacrifice the dishwasher or is it hidden behind the cabinet with the pull on it?
it has a panel covering with the brass handle! :)
Beautiful! Katie, if you’re reading, I’d love to know where the fridge is. Did it stay in its original position? And is there a dishwasher? (If there’s not, respect. :) )
I’m renovating a kitchen that’s shaped almost exactly the same, and placement of appliances is the hardest decision for me!
Hey There!
Apologies for the delay in my response! The dishwasher is paneled and has the brass hardware with it. The fridge is in the same spot and we had a cabinet built to frame it.
Lovely job! Do you have any more information on how durable the lime wash paint is? Do cooking splatter stains soak in and is it scrubable? Thank you.
It’s fairly durable. You have to coat the lime wash in a protective coat and definitely wipe it down. I do weekly kitchen cabinet and wall cleans as we cook a lot. :)
I love what she made !
this is SO lovely!!
Such a gorgeous space, so elegant. As a big fan of her brand, it doesn’t surprise me. ;)
thank you so much Susan! :)
It’s wonderful what bright colors and high contrast can do to an interior. Everything looks amazing now. Great renovation, indeed.
I love the floor and the way the darker cabinets make the room seem less narrow and more cozy without the cramped feeling.
thank you Katy! :)
Wow – That Kitchen is gorgeous! Love the color combo x
So warm, inviting and beautiful. Katie are the countertops quartzite? They are beautiful. And I love the touches like the butcher block cutting board. I would enjoy tea any high noon in your fantastic kitchen!
thanks Diana! They’re carrara marble!