Before & After
Before & After: A Family Kitchen In Nelson, B.C. Gets A Bright, Airy Revival
Published on January 13, 2025

Every well-loved kitchen needs a second act. Snow Colbeck and her husband had long been dreaming of a renovation that would transform the heart of their home into a welcoming space that was perfect for entertaining and had plenty of storage to boot. Finally, the kids were older, and they were ready to make their dream a reality. “We have two teenagers and a big extended family, so our kitchen gets a lot of use,” says Snow. “We often host special-occasion meals and family get-togethers, so having a more functional space was important.”
It’s easy to swoon over the abundant natural light and uplifting vibe, a mix of warm boho style and clean-lined elegance. Snow especially loves the neutral palette and decadent finishes, a testament to a designer who definitely hit the mark. “We loved working with Caralee,” says Snow. “A renovation of this size can be daunting, but the skilled design team and contractor made it go quickly. We’re over the moon with the result.”
They called on Caralee McKinney of Nelson’s Spruced Kitchens to take on the project. The design brief included opening up the kitchen, and upgrading the space with modern finishes and decorating elements that had elements of a boho style kitchen.
Scroll down for a look inside this boho-style kitchen!

Snow Colbeck in her elegant kitchen.

Before: The kitchen had minimal counter space and honey-hued cabinets .

“When the sunlight comes through the window, it reflects off the gold-toned fixtures and marble backsplash,” says Snow. “The whole kitchen just lights up!”

To create a larger, more open-concept space, Caralee and her design team removed a wall dividing the kitchen from a hallway, as well as a wall and shower in the adjacent main-floor bathroom, which was downsized to a powder room. The additional square footage was put to use with a floor-to-ceiling pantry and built-in bench.

Before: The upper cabinets were removed and the ceilings were raised to brighten up the space.

A new island was expanded with a unique wood extension that provides more storage and seating. Caralee says this kitchen’s cabinet order was the biggest she’s made for a single project, and accounted for half of the clients’ $126,000 reno budget. For Snow, it was more than worth it. “The open-concept floor plan and extra storage are fabulous for hosting, and now we connect more as a family,” she says. “We cook meals, sit at the island and curl up by the gas fireplace all together in one space.” While they spent on the cabinets, they saved on flooring, using refinished cherry hardwood salvaged from another part of the house.

A shower was removed from a main-floor bathroom to make room for a large pantry wall.

The designer added a custom butcherblock extension to expand the quartz-topped island.

Some of the window trim was redone to match the tones of the original trim.

A narrow pullout cabinet beside the range keeps spices and oils within the chef’s reach.

A marble hex backsplash looks sophisticated with the understated white counters.

Before: The dark entry shared space with the laundry machines and lacked flow.

Caralee had hex floor tile added in the side entry along with a built-in bench for function. “It looks like the tiles are scattered into the wood,” she says. The clever fix also nods to the hex tile on the kitchen backsplash.

Laundry appliances, which were pulled out of the side entry to make way for cosy seating, were moved to an empty landing upstairs, where a chic new laundry zone features dark blue cabinets and a fun boho wall tile. The machines are topped with a folding counter, and a tall storage unit houses towels, bed linens and the vacuum. “Instead of the laundry area being a utilitarian space, we created a moment with the pretty tile, sconce and shelf,” says Caralee.
Amanda Mary Creative
Kitchens + Baths
Caralee McKinney