What Are We Going to Do with This Kitchen?

Help me make decorating decisions!

In case you don’t know, I’m moving! I’m leaving a full-service building with modern amenities and moving into an old craftsman house in Beachwood Canyon with tons of character and a kitchen that looks like this:

What are we going to do with this kitchen?

When I first walked into the place, I instantly fell in love. It had great light and good VIBEZ and something inside of me whispered, Karyn, this is where you’re going to write your next book. I was so excited by the positive energy that I didn’t care when I saw the kitchen. Or the bathroom (which needs just as much love). And did I mention it doesn’t have air conditioning?

BUT THE VIBEZ, YOU GUYS.

After sending off my first check I came home to my modern apartment with a modern kitchen and tons of cabinet space and a normal-looking faucet (LOOK AT THE FAUCET!) and wondered if I was making a mistake. But no, no, no—the great light, the next book, I must live there.

It’s going to be fine. No, it’s going to be finer than fine. It’s going to be magnificent.

So let’s tackle this kitchen one thing at a time. First up, the refrigerator. It doesn’t have one. I don’t know why Los Angeles is like this, but I’d say about 80% of rentals don’t come with a refrigerator. When I got this place, the building manager Steven said, “Do you have a fridge or should I try to find one?”

Initially I was like, “Find one, Steve!” But now that I think about the possibilities, maybe I should get one of my own? A cute, retro-looking one? (Right? Right?)