When a former coworker made the move from Seattle to Atlanta and needed a refresh for her 680-square-foot condo, she turned to Amber Guyton, owner of Blessed Little Bungalow, to transform her tiny space into something that exuded the homeowner’s personality.
The Inman Park residence was outdated and needed a new beginning, but the client had a limited budget. The designer’s goals – and challenges – were to transform the small kitchen and bath into more functional spaces and to come up with innovative storage solutions that wouldn’t break the bank.
“We made the best use of the spaces by adding color and organization,” said Guyton. “The goal was to infuse culture and personality without being overwhelming.”
Completing the Kitchen
At the top of the wish list for the heart of the home was improved storage. Guyton and her client went to work prioritizing what would go where, and every inch of cabinet space serves a purpose.
“We had to make do with what we had, so maybe she didn’t need seven serving spoons,” said the designer. “We purged what we could and used things like cabinet organizers and pot and pan stands to make everything more accessible.”
The cabinet door under the sink also has an organizer for cleaning supplies, and a base cabinet houses small appliances. Storage above the fridge was reserved for items the homeowner doesn’t use daily.
The larger appliances were in good condition and at the right size for the small space, so Guyton was able to save by not replacing those.
Although white cabinets would have made the kitchen feel larger, that was outside of the budget, and the honey wood of the original cabinetry does its part in warming up the space. The designer thought about adding an island to accommodate more storage, but that would have made the room feel smaller.
She replaced the existing pendant lights with iridescent glass fixtures with more character and installed a flush ceiling fixture. The new brass and marble cabinet hardware add more decorative detail, as well as the brass faucet.
In many kitchen updates, a bar-height countertop is often brought down to a standard height, but in this renovation, it actually helped to keep it higher to accommodate a small dining area. This was also made possible by borrowing a few feet from the adjacent living room.
Bath Benefits
In this even smaller space, the only storage was inside the vanity, so Guyton incorporated a medicine cabinet with hidden storage, as well as open shelving above the toilet for soaps, perfumes and hanging hand towels. She also incorporated a toilet paper onto the side of the vanity.
The intricate black-and-white floor tile and white subway tile in the shower were in good shape, so those were kept in place, but the designer added decorative elements like a colorful shower curtain and a cheerful, floral wallpaper that covers half the space.
“Since it is the only bath in the condo – to be used by my client and her guests when visiting – we wanted something fun and funky,” said Guyton.
Overcoming Obstacles
A larger project budget would have allowed for updated kitchen cabinets, but the designer had to stick to the budget. A gut renovation would also have been a challenge for the homeowner since there is only one bathroom in the condo. Not doing everything all at once can have its upsides and downsides.
“The purchase of this condo was a homecoming for my client, and I wanted this renovation to feel like that for her,” said Guyton. “She is so proud of her new space and loves when I post photos of it.”