These 14 Compact Kitchen Renovations Start With the Best Ingredients

For years, architect Aimée O’Carroll had kept an eye on her current building in Seattle, hoping one of the units would come up for sale. After viewing several units in the building that weren’t quite right, Aimée had nearly given up when something caught her eye—a friend eventually posted a photo of his condo for sale. As luck would have it, it was the same unit Aimée’s parents had rented several years earlier. She took the plunge, and after giving the fifth-floor apartment a new coat of paint and refinishing the parquet wood floors, she set her sights on updating the kitchen. Despite it being a small space—it’s an eight-by-eight-foot galley kitchen—Aimée liked the existing flow to the main living areas and didn’t want to knock down any walls. "I’m a bit over the idea of total open-plan living," she says. "Having these little zones actually feels pretty good." Instead, Aimée selectively updated appliances, fixtures, finishes, and flooring. She also flipped the oven placement for more usable counter space.