This remodel, shared on Reddit by user MattKosem, replaced a early-1990s oak kitchen with flat-panel IKEA fronts, darker quartz counters, taller cabinetry, new appliances, and a large prep island that completely changed how the narrow space works.
The original kitchen already had generous cabinet storage, large windows, and a functional footprint. But the raised-panel oak doors, fluorescent lighting, laminate counters, bulky upper cabinets, and narrow walkways made the room feel dated and compressed.
Instead of keeping the kitchen divided into smaller sections, the remodel focused on opening circulation paths, extending storage vertically, and simplifying nearly every surface across the room.
The Original Oak Cabinets Made The Kitchen Feel Heavy
The original kitchen used honey oak cabinetry across nearly every wall, including around the dining nook and sink wall.
Because the upper cabinets carried decorative routed panels and darker trim, the room felt visually busy before adding anything onto the counters. The older microwave wall and fluorescent hood area also created a heavier focal point around the cooking zone.
Window valances, wallpaper borders, laminate counters, and smaller walkways pushed the kitchen deeper into an older closed-off layout.
Flat IKEA Fronts Removed The Builder-Grade Cabinet Look
The remodel replaced the raised-panel oak doors with flat IKEA cabinet fronts in a soft beige tone.
That single change removed much of the shadow and depth that previously made the cabinetry feel bulky. The cleaner slab-style fronts also stretched the cabinet walls vertically instead of breaking them into smaller decorative sections.
The homeowners noted that the beige fronts appear warmer in person and shift more gray under the current lighting.
Because the cabinet lines stay simple and uninterrupted, the kitchen now reads as one continuous surface instead of multiple cabinet blocks competing against each other.
The Large Island Opened The Entire Center Of The Kitchen
One of the biggest changes came from the layout itself.
Instead of keeping a narrow galley-style circulation path, the remodel introduced a large central island with seating and deep storage drawers underneath.
That shift completely changed how the kitchen moves. The center of the room now works as prep space, dining space, and gathering space instead of acting like a narrow passage between cabinet walls.
The homeowners specifically mentioned that the original layout felt like two narrow hallways beside each other.
Cambria Quartz Replaced The Older Laminate Counters
The original kitchen used white laminate counters that blended into the backsplash and upper walls.
After the remodel, darker Cambria quartz in Feldstone introduced stronger contrast across the room.
The darker surfaces sharpen the lighter cabinet fronts and create clearer separation between the island, sink wall, and prep zones.
The homeowners also chose thinner-profile quartz counters inspired by European kitchens instead of thicker traditional slabs. That thinner edge helped the kitchen feel cleaner and less bulky overall.
The New Sink And Appliances Sharpened The Kitchen
The remodel replaced the older white appliances with stainless steel models across the kitchen.
A large farmhouse-style stainless sink became one of the strongest upgrades along the main wall. The wider basin changed the entire sink area from a small segmented workspace into a continuous prep and cleanup zone.
The newer range, microwave, dishwasher, and refrigerator also introduced sharper lines against the flatter cabinetry.
Instead of older black-and-white appliances interrupting the room visually, the stainless finishes now connect the entire kitchen together.
Taller Cabinets Changed The Height Of The Room
The original kitchen repeatedly stopped the eye with shorter cabinet runs, soffits, and visual breaks.
After the remodel, taller cabinetry pulls the eye upward across the entire kitchen wall. The refrigerator surround, pantry storage, and upper cabinets now feel integrated into the architecture instead of attached onto separate sections.
That vertical extension helped the room feel larger without expanding the footprint dramatically.
Black Window Frames Changed The Entire Sink Wall
One of the strongest upgrades came from the windows.
The original kitchen used warm wood trim and older windows that blended directly into the oak cabinetry around them. After the remodel, black-framed windows introduced stronger contrast and sharper lines across the sink wall.
Because the surrounding cabinetry became lighter and flatter, the windows now stand out instead of disappearing into the cabinet walls.
The remodel also removed much of the smaller visual clutter from the original kitchen, including the valances, wallpaper borders, ornate trim, and routed cabinet detailing.
The Kitchen Looks Larger Even Though The Space Stayed Narrow
The remodel never relied on dramatic luxury finishes or oversized architectural additions.
Instead, the transformation came from simplifying surfaces, reducing cabinet detail, improving circulation paths, and extending storage upward instead of outward.
The original kitchen felt crowded and compartmentalized. The new version feels calmer, cleaner, and far more connected to the surrounding living space.
The result looks closer to a modern Scandinavian-style family kitchen than a narrow early-1990s oak layout.
All image credits go to Reddit user @MattKosem, at Reddit thread.