3 Brilliant Design Lessons to Steal from this Tiny Pink Kitchen

published Jul 22, 2021
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A-frame house with pink front door
Credit: Kate Johnson

On Jo Ann Thrailkill‘s first visit to her cute 1959 vacation home, she blessed the little getaway tucked in California’s San Bernardino Mountains with an equally cute nickname: Little Apple A-Frame.

The moniker is fitting — the 830-square-foot cabin is surrounded by the quaint beauty of a small apple orchard. “My boyfriend and I lovingly and painstakingly renovated the cabin with our own personal tastes and whimsies,” says Thrailkill, who used her experience in fashion and music video production to help her envision the cabin’s new look.

Thrailkill’s major priority on her to-do list was getting the cabin’s once-drab kitchen into tip-top shape. “It’s the one place that I spent the most time, energy, and money,” she says of the cabin makeover. “My family cooks — and we knew that we wanted a fully appointed and beautiful place to create our family meals.” So how did she make her small kitchen beautiful and functional? Here are three key takeaways we absolutely love about this kitchen.

Credit: Kate Johnson

1. Add bold pops of color.

Come stay at Thrailkill’s cabin (yes, it’s a rental!) and a bubblegum pink Dutch door will greet you with a cheery exclamation mark. “The goal was to create a comfortable place, but I definitely lean towards the feminine, so it’s a different version of cozy,” she says.

While the splash of color is super fun and inviting, the door has an added purpose. “I don’t have an exhaust over the stove because it would mess with the line of the triangle,” Thrailkill says. Luckily, it’s an easy fix — Thrailkill just opens the top half of the Dutch door for instant ventilation!

The charming pink color scheme is further carried out with the eye-catching Anthropologie kitchen runner. The beauty of adding a kitchen rug is that it easily adds warmth and character.

2. Use hardware to dress up basic cabinetry.

Thrailkill and her boyfriend decided to build the classic Semihandmade white Shaker cabinets themselves — allowing them to save a few pretty pennies along the way. The sleek and modern cabinetry, dressed with elegant brass pulls, looks just as high-quality as a custom professional finish.

Credit: Kate Johnson

3. Think compact.

“We chose small-format European appliances to support the small space without sacrificing quality,” Thrailkill says. We love this tip for anyone who’s dealing with a tiny kitchen but wants top-notch appliances.

What’s your favorite part of this cute little kitchen?