KS

Blog

Before and After 5-Star Review

Jul 13, 2026 | Posted in Before & After, Starr Spotlight | Share

In January I shared photos of a recently-renovated kitchen belonging to my San Francisco clients. Now I’m here to share the glowing review they left me, and show a few before-and-after photos. Enjoy the transformation!

Kitchen before the changes was mismatched, dark marble pill-shaped counter end with black legs, a fridge behind, flooring running front to back, and some counter-height chairs with orangey wood backs and seats on black legs. Lots of paperwork and books strewn around, and an open shelf on the wall to the left full of books.
BEFORE – Photo by Kimball Starr
AFTER the kitchen is lighter, brighter, and more coordinated, with white marble-look counters and light oak uppers and lower cabinetry. The owner's counter-height chairs surround a longer, more accessible countertop that can be reached from the living room, or guests can sit in the chairs and talk with the cook. Reddish-orange pendant lights that coordinate with the chairs hang from the ceiling towards the dining room doorway. The fridge has moved to make space for the sink and dishwasher. The upper cabinets extend all the way to the ceiling now. White marble-look backsplash and counters have replaced the heavy black marble.
AFTER – Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Gao’s Cabinets

The kitchen is so much more light, open, and functional now.

BEFORE in the kitchen, looking towards the corner with the sink and dishwasher, and cherry wood upper and lower cabinets. The upper cabs don't extend to the ceiling, gathering dust and oils from cooking. The flooring is a light oak finish hardwood. A large oven and cooktop in stainless steel is visible with a kettle on the surface.
BEFORE – Photo by Kimball Starr
AFTER the renovation, there's a new prep sink in place of the full sink, and the dishwasher has moved to make space for more light oak cabinets. The oven and cooktop now has a matching upside-down-T-shaped vent hood, and the counters are white marble-look quartzite. The hardwood flooring now runs side to side to make the space feel bigger. Two orangey-red pendant lights hang from the ceiling, and you can look all the way through because part of the wall and the upper cabinets that used to be there have been removed.
AFTER – Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Gao’s Cabinetry

We opened up the wall in front of the new prep sink, creating a more unified space.

BEFORE showing the kitchen wall and passageway to the dining room, painted a bright yellow. A large medium-colored wood cabinet is next to the wall, and a dark marble counter top is visible above drawers. On the right, the kitchen counter is rounded, with a view through the living room (sofa on the left) to the backyard patio, and green space with seating and plants. Collectible masks hang on the wall above the opening.
BEFORE – Photo by Kimball Starr
AFTER looking from the dining room through the light, bright kitchen to the living room and into the exterior yard and patio. The wall has been removed to the right and left, opening up the passage further. The light oak cabinets now extend all the way to the ceiling. The white marble countertops form a U-shape to allow you into the kitchen, and provide seating and prep space. 4 pendant lights in orangey-red hang above the counter. Light streams in from a window on the left between the new cabinets. The stainless steel microwave is under the counter on the left, next to drawers and more cabinets. The light wood flooring runs left to right now.
AFTER – Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Goa’s Cabinetry

The view into the backyard is now a feature, with the kitchen and living areas feeling harmonious with each other and nature. Great result and happy client! Read for the review below or on Google.

Header for a Google Review, with the label reading: Kimball Starr Interior Design Interior Designer San Francisco Design District A photo of a lime-green corner sofa and glass table from one of Kimball's other projects is inside a circle at the top right. On the bottom left is a circle with the letter M and the name Misha W, with 5 yellow stars underneath.

Despite being a residential real estate broker with decades of experience, I knew my wife and I would need help redesigning the kitchen of our Noe Valley home, which had seen us through 25 years of hard use.

Our primary interest was in getting help on the interior design and layout aspects of our new kitchen, and here Kimball really excelled. She was meticulous in her measurements and had a great eye for the practical necessities of a busy kitchen (my wife and I both like to cook).

One small detail as an example: Making sure there’d be enough room between the open door of the dishwasher and the end of our peninsula countertop to allow easy access.

She also helped us think through the specific uses of our custom cabinets and drawers so that we’d know we had room for all of our “stuff.”

Though our primary focus was on help with layout, Kimball also helped us select finishes. My wife’s and my design aesthetics are often not the same, and Kimball was very careful to be respectful of both of us. In fact, at a certain point we asked her to be more assertive of her own opinions and she responded accordingly.

As others have said, Kimball is not interested in pushing her own views; rather, she listens to what you want and helps to execute it. We really appreciated that.

The proof of the pudding is that we absolutely love our new kitchen! It “works” in all the ways we wanted it to. Besides this, Kimball was available, organized, always pleasant, easy to deal with, and very affordable. Easy 5 stars!

~ Google Review from user Misha W.

Kimball Starr designs contemporary homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or in-person consultation.

RECENT POSTS

CATEGORIES

ARCHIVES

Blogroll

LABELS