By the time we got to the end of our main floor renovation, the big decisions were already made. Cabinets were in. Counters were installed. The “wow” moments were there.

But what really transformed our home wasn’t just the kitchen itself — it was all the quieter, less flashy decisions that made the entire main floor feel intentional, cohesive, and genuinely easier to live in.

This part of the reno ended up being less about aesthetics and more about how our home works for us every day — can I get an amen for organization?!

Kitchen Storage That Actually Supports Real Life

Photo of island drawers open - especially water bottles

The number of dumb Pinterest searches I did about drawer organization, and where to put pots & pans was really ridiculous.

One of our biggest priorities was creating storage that supports how we actually live — cooking daily, homeschooling, hosting, and generally feeding people nonstop. Before, our storage was all over the place and did not work well (everyone has an overflowing avalanche of water bottles in a corner cabinet, right??)

This time we leaned heavily into deep drawers over lower cabinets, and I will never go back. Being able to open a drawer and see everything — cough, water bottles, cough — instead of crouching and digging through dark cabinets is such a small thing that makes a massive difference.

We also thought intentionally about zones as I incessantly made Photoshopped drawings of where I wanted everything to be stored:

Silverware & plates near the dishwasher
Cooking tools, pots, spices & baking sheets right by the range
Pantry flow that matches how we prep meals - we now have 2 big deep drawers dedicated to baking supplies

We were also able to have Sam wire into our kitchen pantry to hide the microwave inside. It’s not flashy, but it’s so satisfying. The kitchen feels calmer, easier, and way more intuitive — which is exactly what I wanted for the heart of our home.

The Floors’ New Vibes

We chose Flooret Modin Lato LVP flooring, and they’ve been one of those decisions that just keeps paying off. They’re durable, easy to clean, and somehow manage to feel both modern and timeless at the same time.

What I love most is how they unify the entire main floor visually. Instead of each room feeling separate, the flooring creates a sense of continuity that makes everything flow together naturally.

The lighter color also really brightens up the whole space and gives it a fresh feel.

Turning Dead Space Into Our Hall Pantry

One of my favorite transformations from this whole project is the hall pantry tucked under our stairs.

What used to be awkward, wasted space is now a beautifully lit, shelved pantry that we use constantly. We’re still finishing the last touches (a bifold door to hide everything away when we don’t want to see it), but it’s so handy.

Sam used remote control LED strip lights underneath each shelf that do a fantastic job of lighting everything, while keeping the light color the same throughout the house too.

This is also where our vacuums (stick and robot) live for easy access and daily sweeping.

This might not be the “sexiest” part of the reno, but it’s easily one of the most impactful. It’s a perfect example of how smart design isn’t always about adding square footage — sometimes it’s just about using what you already have really well.

The Trim Glow-Up: When the House Started Feeling Finished

Adding crown molding, updated baseboards, and door trim throughout the main floor instantly changed how the entire space felt. Suddenly the house didn’t just look renovated — it looked complete.

Trim is one of those details people often skip or underestimate, but it has a huge visual and psychological impact. Before, we had very basic baseboards & quarter round at the bottom, and weird extra thick rough cedar around the top - and none of it was installed well.

Once the trim went in, the whole main floor started feeling as one cohesive, designed space instead of a collection of updated rooms.

Paint Colors + Consistency Across the Main Floor

Probably one of the most subtle — and most powerful — decisions we made was choosing paint colors that tied the kitchen, dining area, hallway, and bathroom together. Instead of each room trying to be its own moment, we focused on flow and consistency. The result is a home that feels calmer, brighter, and more connected.

We used Behr Interior Eggshell paint for everything, but the colors came from different lines. For the kitchen, dining room, and majority of the living room we went with Sherwin Williams Modern Gray (7632). We did one feature wall of the living room, the entire bathroom (and ceiling), and the hall pantry in Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze (7048). And the hallway is a gorgeous light green - Benjamin Moore October Mist.

I absolutely love the paint colors we chose and would highly recommend all of them.

The Real Takeaway

A few months later, and here we are! We’re no strangers to DIY projects, and hardly a year has gone by that we haven’t built something new at our house (my studio, the back porch & pergola, all our sidewalks and patios, Sam’s giant shop, just to name a few), but this one might have been one of the most challenging - just because it was the heart of our whole home. Being displaced (again, thank God for the studio) made it more difficult, but it was 100% worth it, and I love that we’ll be able to look back on this project and be proud that we did it ourselves, together.

The Details That Made the Whole Main Floor Feel Finished (pt 3/3)