Design Coaching Chrissy & Pete: A Mini Demo Update And OFFICIAL Kitchen Layout

Gretch here, signing on to give you a project update! A few weeks ago we kicked off a new design coaching series and introduced you to our starting line-up (Chrissy & Pete). If this doesn’t ring a bell, hop on ... The post Design Coaching Chrissy & Pete: A Mini Demo Update And OFFICIAL Kitchen Layout appeared first on Emily Henderson.

May 21, 2025 - 01:05

Design Coaching Chrissy & Pete: A Mini Demo Update And OFFICIAL Kitchen Layout

Gretch here, signing on to give you a project update! A few weeks ago we kicked off a new design coaching series and introduced you to our starting line-up (Chrissy & Pete). If this doesn’t ring a bell, hop on over to the intro post where we break it all down. But for a quick memory-jogger, Chrissy and Pete are renovating their builder-grade kitchen, all while juggling a tricky layout, tight budget, tighter timeline, and oh yeah, three kids under three!

Since our last post, Chrissy and Pete have officially finalized their layout, purchasing all of their IKEA cabinetry, and have even begun some light demolition to get things rolling. It’s all happening!

Many of you shared some great layout suggestions on the last post, and we think you’ll be pleased to see where C+P landed. A few of you also asked for some floor plans of the space to better understand the layout and the vision. So let us deliver! As a refresher, here’s where we last left off with the kitchen:

Their biggest concern was the lack of storage space and the need to adjust the dysfunctional layout, considering how the new one should connect with the rest of the open floor plan. And that weird, angled ’90s island? Yeah, it just all needed a refresh.

Picture yourself standing where it says “Old Floor Plan”, looking into the kitchen from the dining/living areas (like the shot above). Straight back is a hallway that leads to their garage, with a very small powder bath to the right and a laundry closet to the left. The angled wall opens up to a den, and the hallway next to that loops around the stairs and back over to the living/dining. There’s a small wall across the island with a pantry door to access storage under the stairs.

In the new layout, everything is much more streamlined. The main wall of cabinets to the left straightens out, with the bathroom wall bumping out about a foot to sit in line with the short wall across it (adding more space to the tiny powder bath–WIN). The window is replaced and centered on the new sink, and the island is updated to a better shape with more storage and shifted to be more central in the room. The biggest change happens at the old pantry wall, where Chrissy and Pete have decided to put their fridge and oven/microwave, moving the access door to the hallway.

On our recent drop-in, we were pleased to see that Pete had already made some demolition headway, removing the pantry door and walling it off to prepare for the incoming cabinetry. While there, Emily also had a chance to help…hold their littlest, Birdie (sound familiar??) while we talked about next steps. With 3 under 3, someone has to hold the baby while someone else holds the hammer–and Em will always volunteer Read More