BEFORE: My condo before the remodeling.

I had the floors replaced with engineered hardwood and the walls painted before I moved in, an easy warm grey. I choose maple so it would bring in warmth and lightness to balance out my modern, industrial-feeling concrete ceiling.

I resisted remodeling at first. It was the cost, the mess, and denial. I started with appliances. Then when the shelf above the microwave just fell off the wall at 4 a.m. I decided to rethink things.

Time to tackle the kitchen. I decided to go with a local Portland company, Urban Timberworks and get custom cabinets of high quality. That way because the cabinets could be any size, no plumbing or electric would need to be relocated and that would keep the HOA happy.  I came up with the design below and they went to town.