Kitchens are tough, you guys. Especially when you’re renting! You’ve got your living room, dining room, and bedroom which all start out (for the most part) empty and transformable thanks to furniture, decor, and a coat of paint. Then there are your kitchens and bathrooms - they usually come with sinks/counters/cabinets/tubs/appliances, and there’s really not much you can do about it - unless you’re willing to spend money on upgrades and changes with your landlord’s approval. Sure, there are a bunch of great hacks out there that can breathe new life into a room, many of which I’ve applied in both our old apartment and our current home - (tile stickers! faking open shelving!). But there’s really only so much you can change when you’re renting before the money starts adding up, and it’s money you won’t get back once you move out.

Take our kitchen, for example. When we first moved in I had all sorts of plans for how I was going to completely transform it. I wanted to take the upper cabinets down and replace them with open shelving! I wanted to paint the bottom cabinets white! Retile the backsplash or maybe tile sticker it! Cover up the counters with contact paper! But as we lived in the house a bit longer, I found myself putting all those things off - firstly, because they cost money and a whoooole lot of time and energy. The more I researched the work that goes into painting cabinets, the more I wanted no part in it - ha! I also didn’t want to pay for someone else to do it, as we can’t take those cabinets with us when we move. But secondly, and maybe more importantly - I found myself not minding the kitchen as it is. Would it be my first choice when designing a home? Definitely not. If I owned our house, would I make changes? Yep, you bet. But my dislike of its features wasn’t great enough to want to devote weeks of time, energy, and funds into changing it. In my mind, it would be a bad investment for something that wasn’t so bothersome.

So what did I do? Instead of focusing on the things I disliked about the room, I started filling it with things I LOVE. Plants! Baskets! Candles! Wooden cutting boards, wicker accessories, pretty tea towels, fun art, ceramic mugs, coffee/tea pots, and more. By styling the room with things that make me smile, my dislike of the kitchen’s core features - the cabinets, backsplash, and countertops - lessened. I actually have grown to appreciate these features! Even though I love open shelving, cabinets with doors mean I don’t have to worry about keeping things tidy and styled 24/7. The backsplash tiles are the perf neutral shades to make the green of my plants pop. The countertop coloring and speckles make it so that it always looks clean, even when there are crumbs and splatters. It all feels earthy, lived in, and cozy for a lil kitch. I’m kinda into it!

It also doesn’t hurt that this room gets absolutely gorge light. The sun streams in and bathes all the plant bbs sitting on their lil plant stage - that’s what I call the triangle pedestal above the sink. It’s the perf place for an indoor succulent garden. All the plants are so happy in the sunlight, seeing them grow and flourish here has been a joy.

This jade beauty has shot up Jack and the Beanstalk style since I placed him on this windowsill. He’s living his very best life.

Reed diffusers and candles mean the room always smells lovely.

This vintage wicker wine holder was a lucky thrifting find a few years back.

Since we’re low on fridge and counter space, I bought this beautiful hanging basket to hold fruit and other food items.

The top of the fridge is valuable real estate, so obvi I filled it with more plants :P Including a philodendron cutting I’ve been propagating - it attached itself to the wall and is creeping up as it grows.

Our media console came with a beautiful mango wood shelf piece we don’t use, so I placed that over half the stove for some extra counter space. It’s especially helpful when we’re grabbing things out of the fridge. We don’t cook much - although that’s starting to change now that I’m working from home - but when we do need the extra burners we just lift the wood off easy peasy.

mugs / wine glasses here & here / tumbler / cups

These tiny side shelves on the cabinets help me live out my open shelving dreams in a small way - ha!

Aw lookit the gang all sittin’ pretty. Thanks to them this room has turned into one I love spending time in - my morning routine in the kitchen is my fave part of the day! So here’s to working with watcha got, and learning to appreciate things for what they are. Cheers!