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15 Updates for a Dog Friendly Kitchen

I’m so excited to share photos of my completed kitchen! I took these photos on a beautiful sunny day in Pittsburgh. You can see, when it is nice out, my kitchen gets a lot of light. When I turn lights on I might consider a crestron upgrade for some home automation in the future. There is so much that I would love to do to my house, to be honest. If I could change or edit everything and anything I would, but for the time being, I’m just focusing on my kitchen. Particularly as I know that my dogs love spending their time here.

If I get some more time and have a bit of extra cash, then I would love to sort out the exterior of my home. I already make use of a company similar to this Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning Madison one, as I don’t want to have to deal with clogged up gutters. I’m so worried about mold getting into my home and causing respiratory problems for my dogs. If I don’t get my gutters cleaned then who knows what sort of water damage will occur (which could lead to mold and other issues). It doesn’t matter how dog-friendly my kitchen is if my exterior (like my roof or gutters) aren’t kept cleaned and well maintained. But I think I’ve got sidetracked now. So let’s get back to what I was originally intending to talk about – my completed kitchen!

Even though it’s small, the changes made make it feel airy. There are so many things that I wanted to get done to this kitchen, for example, I looked at getting something like a green star elite juicer to help benefit me. But for the time being, I want to focus more on the appearance of my kitchen more importantly. All the updates I made also help! Below is a list of 15 things I did to update the form and function of my kitchen. It was functioning when I moved in, but it was no beauty queen! I love, love, love how it turned out!

You can see some before and afters, but I really focused on the pretty after shots. My kitchen is pretty small but I don’t really need a big kitchen at the minute. I love the look of small frame kitchens, they look so cute!!
15 Ways to Update Your Small Kitchen
15 Ways to Update Your Small Kitchen

1. Paint your Cabinets in Contrasting Colors

Small Kitchen Makeover

Small Kitchen Makeover

2. Raise your Upper Cabinets & Add a Shelf

Frankenstein Glasses

3. Change the Cabinet Layout

Small Kitchen Makeover

Small Kitchen Makeover

4. Add Hardware

Small Kitchen Makeover Chocolate Lab

5. New Counters!

Small Kitchen Makeover

6. Create a Breakfast Bar

Small Kitchen Makeover

Small Kitchen Makeover

7. Get a Giant Sink

Small Kitchen Makeover

8. Replace the Front Panel of your Dishwasher with Stainless Steel (See No. 3 for a side-by-side)

9. Add Pull-out Shelves and Drawers Inside your Base Cabinets. This is how I store our dog food – a small garbage can with a spring lid on a pull out shelf.

10. Add Silicone Stoppers to Cabinet Door Corners for a Soft Close

11. Updated Stove & Microwave

Small Kitchen Makeover

12. Get an “Apartment Style” Refrigerator (it’s tall and skinny)

Small Kitchen Makeover

Small Kitchen Makeover Chocolate Lab

13. Replace Dropped Ceiling

14. Add Stylish Statement Pendant Lights

Etsy Pendant Lights Fabric Wrapped Cord

15. Subway Tile Backsplash with Contrasting Grout

Small Kitchen Makeover

Does your kitchen want to be like mine when it grows up? Here is some of the stuff I used:

Paint: Sherwin Williams Snowbound for top Cabinets, Kendall Charcoal for base Cabinets. Walls are Evening Shadow (same color used in my bathroom)
White Ikea Knobs
Chrome Bin Pulls
Ikea Shelf and Brackets
Subway Tiles
Grout
Pendant LightsBar Stools
Similar Refrigerators
Most Accessories from TJ Maxx, Home Goods or Marshalls

Free Recipe and DIY Library

12 Comments

  1. cheron

    How much was the total kitchen reno?

    Reply
  2. Liv

    Looks great and you’ve provided some really great tips for how to update a kitchen. You must love cooking in there now! x

    Reply
    • Tori

      Yes, I do totally love it! I think my favorite thing is the tall skinny fridge… it seriously made the room feel SO much bigger!

      Reply
  3. Kim domingue

    Beautiful, beautiful job! What a difference! Bet you’re proud as punch…… and if not, you should be!

    Reply
    • Tori

      Yes! I am so proud of how it turned out, and I’m insanely excited that sites like Apartment Therapy have noticed 😉

      Reply
  4. Elizabeth

    I love the 15 steps to update a small kitchen. I am going to re-do my kitchen in my 1961 house exactly like this one- I have been searching weeks for the kitchen and now I have found it. Thank you !!!!

    Reply
    • Tori

      Awesome! I tried to keep as much of the original layout and cabinets that I could… but almost everything else is new with a lot of elbow grease. You can do it!

      Reply
  5. Shannon

    Nice job! If we stay in our current place long enough to re-do our Pittsburgh kitchen, I’ll be heavily borrowing from this post. I love the lower dark cabinets with the white uppers, and the pendant lights are the perfect touch.

    Reply
  6. mary beth @ www.mbzinteriors.com

    Your kitchen is gorgeous (I just found your site, that’s why I’m perusing around). I love your checklist, you make it sound so 1. 2. 3. when remodeling – cute!

    Reply
    • Tori

      Glad you like the post! It’s never easy when re-doing a kitchen, but sometimes it helps to think that way! : )

      Reply
  7. Alexa

    This looks AMAZING! We are currently living at my boyfriend’s parents house, so I am counting the days to when we will have a place of our own. We will likely get a home that will need some fixing up and posts like these make my imagination run wild. I love the contrasting cabinets, I would have never thought of that. Thanks for sharing – all great ideas!

    Reply
    • Tori

      Thank you so much for commenting! Once you start looking for this contrasting cabinet look you will be obsessed! There is a ton of inspiration on pinterest. Make sure to incorporate a little food and water station for your pup!

      Reply

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Tori Mistick is a blogger, podcaster and certified Canine Enrichment Specialist. You might call her a professional dog mom! Tori has a soft spot for senior dogs and loves the color pink. Based in Pittsburgh, PA.

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