Joey Taylor, a vice president for a construction company, and Crystal, a buyer for a construction company, moved into their home in San Marcos, Texas, in 2015. The century-old house hadn't been renovated since the '80s and was ripe for a redo. After living with the dated space for years, they finally embarked on a kitchen remodel in 2022. Now they have a whimsical, farmhouse-inspired spot their whole family loves.

Before: Drab and Damaged

Although the original cabinets were white and checkerboard floors have a retro feel, the space was uninspiring, and the vinyl floors were cracked.

After: Mixing Things Up

After more than four months of renovating, this space still has kitschy vibes but with cool, modern touches that express the family's personal style.

White Floors

"The house (built in 1907) caught fire in the ’80s, so we assumed the original wood under the vinyl tile would be damaged," says Crystal. Surprisingly, the floor was in good shape, and they were able to freshen it up with white paint.

Mint Cabinets

Blue cabinets were the plan, but when Crystal ordered the Big Chill fridge in fire-engine red, she reconsidered: “I worried it would look like the 4th of July in here,” she says. She found this pretty blue-green through her cabinet company, MC Surfaces. The brass pulls are from Anthropologie.

So Much Shiplap

The old kitchen was covered in shiplap, but it was in need of repair. The Taylors ripped it all out and installed new planks on the walls and ceiling. “We loved the look and wanted to preserve some of the original farmhouse character,” Crystal says.

Floral Island

Crystal wanted to inject a little femininity into the room, so she wallpapered the island base with this poppy print from Anthropologie. She chose the acrylic CB2 stools because they don’t block the view.