Easily my favorite spot in the house — we spent the most time planning this space. From the placement of the fridge, stove, hob, and hood, down to the tiniest details, it was a long journey, but we’re so glad with how it all came together. The inspiration struck from a single Pinterest photo, I knew I wanted a limewash-look laminate for the top cabinets paired with dark wood for the base. We hacked away our kitchen wall (with PE approval) and designed a curved countertop. This gave us more room to work with, especially for what I hope will be my dry pantry zone, a little corner where I can (hopefully) bake and make my morning matchas. To add a playful touch, we installed two boba lights that really bring the space to life. It’s still a work in progress — I’m toying with the idea of adding a steel/wooden shelf to proudly display my ever-growing ceramic cup collection (because one can never have too many cups, right?). 
The countertop also extends into the service yard, ending with an open shelf cabinet; no doors, just easy access for laundry days. It’s a small design choice, but one that makes a mundane task just a little more enjoyable. One small hiccup: our top cabinets ended up a little too high for me, a miscommunication with the carpenter; this is reminder that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution so take the time to measure what truly works for you! 
Since we didn’t engage an ID, we had to handle all the admin and permits ourselves. We got our dad’s friend to help with the hacking works, and sourced our own PE (Professional Engineer) for $850, which was much more affordable than the $1.6–2.5k quotes from ID/contractor. We found ours through our estate’s Telegram channel, so feel free to DM me on IG if you’d like the contact! As always, hope this gave you some helpful takeaways or ideas for your own journey!
29 July
