This L.A. Kitchen Is the Perfect Compromise for Color-Loving Minimalists

For one couple, their tiny kitchen was the last thing to go in a gradual whole-home renovation. Built in 1979, the stucco-clad three-story is located in the hilly and enviable Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Montecito Heights, but the kitchen lacked solid lighting, had flooring that clashed with the rest of the main spaces, and was in a color palette that didn’t do it any favors. Thus, after 15 years in the home, designer Leah Ring , owner of interiors and product design company Another Human , was called in to provide the homeowners with an airy, modern, and more functional plan they’d love.

BEFORE : The small kitchen was an eyesore for the couple with its blue-on-blue palette and terra-cotta tiling.

AFTER : Instead of wooden cabinetry on wood floors, which was an initial idea, the white cabinets are now seamless. They’re also affordable as they’re prefabricated with laminate fronts.

Kitchen Location : Montecito Heights, Los Angeles, California

The before : “Weird and unnecessary soffits,” according to Leah, made the kitchen feel even smaller, and there were the light blue walls and dark blue–tiled countertops to deal with. “The kitchen, the living room, and stairs, which are all on the same level of the house, all had different flooring, plus there was a chunky column that broke up the space,” she says.

The inspiration : While the wife was initially drawn to a combo of materials, including many tiled and wooden kitchens with saturated color, throughout the design process “it became more tonal and neutral,” says Leah. Green Heath tile adds color that’s still subtle, and white cabinetry and a paneled refrigerator make the revamped kitchen seem like one big space.

Square footage : 250 square feet