Before & After: Our 5-Room BTO Kitchen Transformation 👨🏽‍🍳🏠

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The kitchen reno discussion began with non-negotiables. The husband, being a chef, was clear on one thing: he wanted an island for extra prep space. Meanwhile, I was determined to keep the space open and clutter-free by skipping top cabinets—I’ve always felt they tend to collect things we don’t really need.
Keeping the kitchen open was also key because we wanted the overall house to feel spacious and inviting, with the island as a central spot for people to gather and hang around. We wanted to introduce warm tones and textures while maintaining the minimalist, uncluttered aesthetic we were aiming for.
To create a sense of height, we overlaid the basic BTO tiles with vertical off-white tiles that run from the countertop all the way to the ceiling. We opted for warm, brown shaker-style cabinetry to bring a cozy, inviting feel to the kitchen. For the island, we chose a bold orange-copper brown tone that stands out as the centerpiece of the space.
We also installed pendant lights with an amber hue that give off a warm, cozy glow at night.
While we’re thrilled with how the kitchen turned out, we do wish we had covered the exposed pipe and gone for an L-shaped countertop to create more workspace. Turns out, we spend way more time in the kitchen than we originally thought!