4 min readI never planned to renovate my kitchen—it wasn’t even an option. As a renter in a 1960s Newport Beach home just steps from the ocean, I had accepted that the kitchen my space came with would never be the star of the home. It was charming in a sort of nostalgic way, but not exactly my dream cook space.
The mustard-colored stove looked like it belonged in a time capsule. The tile countertops constantly trapped crumbs and grease in the grout lines. The wood drawers scraped against wood instead of gliding on modern rollers. The range hood didn't work. There wasn't even a designated place for a microwave.
Then a massive water leak changed everything. Instead of simply replacing damaged materials, I suddenly had the rare opportunity to rethink almost every inch of this rental galley kitchen. I spent weeks scrolling Pinterest and Instagram and creating and fine-tuning design mock-ups with AI—and basically convincing myself that if I couldn't make the room bigger, I could at least make it feel more luxurious.
For the most part, I succeeded, and I love spending time in my kitchen way more than I used to. But if I were doing it again, I'd make a few very different decisions. Here’s the breakdown of this unplanned kitchen renovation.
The Design Decisions That Worked
Prioritizing Quality-of-Life Upgrades
I capitalized on the opportunity to finally bring this kitchen into the 21st century by adding a dishwasher. Before, washing dishes monopolized the tiny sink and precious counter space. Now it's something I barely think about—which is exactly the point of a good renovation. I also upgraded to quartz countertops, replacing the aging tile that constantly needed regrouting and always looked dirty.
Plus, installing a deep touchless faucet, an integrated soap dispenser, and a new sink made everyday tasks feel surprisingly elevated. They may not feel like “fun” upgrades, but these are features I interact with dozens of times a day, so they’re worth every penny.
Reconfiguring the Cabinet Storage
The dishwasher came with one downside: sacrificing cabinet space. But, instead of accepting less storage, I rethought how every remaining cabinet functioned. One tall cabinet that had previously housed the trash can with a couple of awkward shelves above it became a full pull-out pantry with multiple roll-out shelves. After making this change, suddenly everything was accessible. No more digging through the back of dark cabinets or forgetting what I owned.
The renovation also forced me to do a serious edit of my things. Out went the mismatched food storage containers I'd been hanging onto for years, duplicate gadgets I'd never touched, and kitchen tools that had somehow survived all these years without ever being used.
I even reclaimed additional counter space by moving the microwave into the pantry cabinet and having a hole drilled for the plug. Hiding this appliance made the kitchen feel calmer and far less cluttered.
Finding Ways to Make the Room Feel Taller
Galley kitchens aren't known for feeling spacious, so to draw the eye upward, I installed floating shelves above the sink and swapped a basic light fixture for a statement chandelier.
The shelves added both storage and personality, while the chandelier made the kitchen feel far more custom than its modest footprint would suggest. Those visual tricks don't change the square footage, but they absolutely change how the room feels.
The Mistakes That I Now Regret
Not Taking the Right Fridge Measurements
Because the kitchen is so small, I wanted every new appliance to feel substantial and high-end. I chose a refrigerator with oversized designer-style handles. They're beautiful—but they protrude farther into the walkway than I anticipated, making an already narrow galley kitchen feel even tighter.
The bigger mistake, though, was assuming a counter-depth refrigerator would automatically save space. Because I chose a 36-inch French-door model tucked into a tight nook against a wall, the right door couldn't open fully. To make the refrigerator functional, it had to sit farther out from the wall than intended, completely defeating the purpose of buying a counter-depth model in the first place.
So, here’s the lesson I wish I'd known before shopping: in a small kitchen, don't just measure the width of the refrigerator. Measure the door swing, handle clearance, and the surrounding walls, too. Sometimes a standard-depth model—or a narrower refrigerator altogether—is actually the better fit.
Underestimating the Importance of Counter Space
The oversized sink falls into a similar category. I envisioned washing sheet pans with ease and having plenty of room for meal prep cleanup. What I didn't fully consider was how much usable countertop I'd lose. It turns out, counter space is the real luxury in a small kitchen—not the sink.
If I could do it over, I'd choose a slightly smaller sink and reclaim those extra inches for prep work.
Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.
Alexa Erickson Gage is a California-by-way-of-Maine writer, editor, and content strategist who covers interior design, travel, lifestyle, and beauty. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Thrillist, Fodor's Travel, BuzzFeed, Martha Stewart, and more. A lifelong content curator, she also runs @living_by_lex, where she shares design-forward destinations, bougie hotels, one-pan recipes, effortless fashion edits, and vintage-meets-modern home decor inspiration.
