Colour me confused. I don't get how the after looks any better than the before. I think the shelves in the before picture look sturdier and less makeshift.

I agree with both CHARLIE26 and RLMESQ. If it wasn't pointed out in the post, I don't think I would have seen the difference except switching the black litter box to a clearer one.
Everything before functioned just as well. I don't get why spend the money?

Before and after.....the paint is white in the after - as opposed to the beige, the bottom of the electrical fuses are covered, the shelving before was rickety - the after are clean and neat.

@emilyryz - I think most people see what was before and after; they're just saying that the difference isn't so drastic to warrant extra praise.

@Lyonstill - I imagine that for very little money, she just made it look better. It does look better, but like I said, not really enough to warrant extra praise.

Paint the shelves and you go from 99% to 100%.

I often downtown understand the comments here. This is a huge different. It looks amazing. So much better.

My suggestion for a rainy day project would be to build a wooden frame to hide the sides of the litter box and then pain te frame the same colour as the doors.

You'd need a smaller litter box, but as it's not their main area you should be fine.

IN the after photo the cabinet was actually made bigger, in order to hide some of electric boxes or whatever they are. As a homeowner, it's often these small changes that make a big difference. I am getting close to tackling the small things in my house that bother me. I think it's great, and looks much nicer. It certainly isn't a super dramatic reveal but it is still great!

I think the point of this post is that sometimes, little changes make a big difference. I know there are a couple of improved places in my home that just make me smile. And a few places where a small change would make the area feel cleaner/brighter/sweeter. And I think that warrants a little praise!

The changes make a huge difference in the look of this utility area. It appears much more clean, organized, and modern in the second picture. Sometimes those small changes in practical spaces are the most gratifying to accomplish.

Her blog is full of brilliant ideas for real people with real homes (instead of staged overpriced projects). Personnally that's the kind of articles I like to read and thank God not all the web is trashed with snobish displays (and comments).

@MID CENTURY-MY WAY
Thanks for pointing out the cabinet. I was wondering how she covered the fuse box, and I couldn't figure it out!
I guess we are accustomed to radical changes in the before and after, but it just goes to show how little changes make a difference, and the owner is obviously very happy with the results, which is what matters most.

i agree with Miche! the point is little things can make a big difference. you don't have to do something huge, lengthy, and expensive to affect change in your home.

The difference may be more about how it feels. Personally, the less on the floor in a utility area, the better. So I prefer the wall-mounted shelves.

Hey, they said it was a "little" update.

I'll never understand why negative people feel the need to comment on things like this. I think the transformation is tidy, utilitarian, and functional - Not to mention stylish (albeit in an understated way). Well done! (and BOO to the bitchy commenters)

People keep the litter box under the kitchen sink?

Define: Big
Because I'm just not gettin' it.

I'll feel lucky if my kitty corner ever looks as good as the "before," LOL!

But yeah, I think this is a fine post. Except I'm curious how she deals with all the litter that inevitably gets tracked onto the floor. It's a never-ending cleanup situation.

People who want to make rude/bitchy comments are invited to do so, as long as you give your full real name, and a real email address, AND, if you choose not to do so, seek professional help.

I think it looks great. And maybe its pathetic of me, but I would feel a HUGE sense of accomplishment just to get that corner done and modernized. The whole room probably looks better.

how do you keep kitty from tracking litter everywhere? You don't even have a little mat in the area

I like it. It looks fresh and modern. Unfortunately, I have to have a ginormous little box with a cover because of how large and lazy my male is. He doesn't like to bury the largest of his, ahem, prizes. I think he likes to show them off. Yesterday, my husband cleaned the litter for me and accused me of hiding a St. Bernard somewhere in the apartment.

@toastercat, when my own kitteh destroyed her litter mat in a fit of... standard cat insanity, perhaps?... I found that the little mat had actually been making little to no difference in the amount of tracked litter. And without it, the area is both neater-looking and easier to sweep up in a hurry.

Makes sense. I switched to the breeze system. Ugly as all hell but it's in my basement and the big pellets mean no litter tracked (they do go crazy and get some on the floor around the box though)

Ok, so it wasn't mind blowing; the painted door is a big improvement. A hooded or curtained cat pan certainly would have tackled the 'visibility' issue.

I actually quite like it. I wish AT could feature more posts about hiding litter box. Not everyone thinks buying those "hideaway" litter box is the solution..

Agreeing with Pier723. More litter box posts! I'd love to see how other people tackle this issue.

It's nice to see beautiful homes, but I'd want to see more practical solutions for common problems.

^ yes more litterbox posts. I'm always curious about where they actually are in the house tours. I think this B&A looks great, the paint alone makes the whole space look so much better.

It seems obvious now, but replacing the shelving unit with wall-mounted shelves is brilliant. It's way easier to sweep or mop that way.

I have one covered litterbox and a one open box. My large cats hate using the covered box, and it's so much harder to keep clean. (More crevices and parts. . . )

Thanks for a post on a mundane problem.

Doesn't do it for me either, the changes were there, but not really significant enough for a B&A.....I'm also not sure why leave those shelves on display (seriously, I would have either put another cabinet door over them, or at the least some cheerful cloth).

Any cat owner should have this http://www.omegapaw.com/products/roll-clean-litter-box.html littler box.

Little changes, big difference. The area looks clean and more spacious, a big impact on quality of life.

This "after" is perfectly nice, but honestly, I'd just be grateful to have a secluded spot for the litterbox, I'd be fine with the "before" picture too!

The problem with so many cat litter "solutions" is that no one consulted the cat. They can be extremely picky about their bathroom and if they don't like it, it can be a disaster.

Where's the kitty entry? Is the panel door left open all the time?

if you search for kitty litter box furniture, you can see some amazingly nice pieces (some are even DIY) that allow you to not only conceal your litter box, but also retain functional use of that space. I've been eyeing one for a couple years now!

I think it does look a lot better, but I do find it weird that we're showing off our litter boxes now.

Oh well, to each his own. =P

No, this actually makes sense. While I don't have cats living with me at this moment, I have shared my homes with 20 cats in my lifetime- no, not all at once! The most I had living with me at one time was four. With cats one needs to be careful about how much & too suddenly a cat's litter area can be altered. They can get annoyed by humans imposing their own "design aesthetics" on what the cat sees as its natural given right to poop as it pleases! From a cat's point of view- imagine that every time you went in to do your business someone moved the toilet! Or made it smaller. Or bigger. Or more annoying to access during that crucial moment. Changed the water to something that smells weird. Cat's will let you know how they feel about your installation of swinging doors & curtains (to "contain" their bodily function behind) by pooing on your shoe (or whatever else they deem worthy of getting your attention). The fact that Chez made very subtle changes to the Kitty Korner shows that, whether subconscious or not, she takes into consideration the feelings & needs of the other beings with whom she has chosen to share her home. Maybe this is what she's done so far. Maybe later she'll paint the door. Or add some color with a print, or paint. or maybe she'll leave it like it is. It does look cleaner & tidier. And I am sure her kitty has barely been effected by the change. No stinky surprises will await her on the bedroom floor in the morning!

The visual difference is minimal.... It does look cleaner and like many I don't think it is a particularly great effort because it still uses a cheap looking open litter box. I think having a cats waste viewable in any area that people frequent is tasteless and negates any other efforts to decorate this corner. Not to mention all of the litter that will accumulate on the floor.

As a cat lover and happy guardian of two in a one bedroom apartment, I would LOVE more cat-litter posts.
I find I have to disagree completely with a covered litter box, due to the added difficulty in completing an already unsavory task on a daily basis, cleaning it. When it is out of sight, it is out of mind - and we are less likely to pry off a hinged covering that doesn't easily remove than we are to simply "dig in" upon sight LOL. I think the changes this person has made may be small but they do pack a punch. Cats are wonderful companions - so please, more posts about making litter boxes convenient and cleverly disguised - yet accessible? See the challenge?

@Kristinarose22, that is definitely something I would be interested in! Thanks v much for the post :-)

I used to be terrible at keeping the kitty box clean when it was "hidden". I am sure my cat was furious with me. I just downsized into a smaller apartment and there really was no place to hide a box. So after coming to terms with my lazy self, I decided to put it in the bathroom right next to the tub where I can't ignore it. I clean it everyday before my shower and Kitty and I are fine with it. And guests don't seem to mind because it's clean.

This post has really made me thankful I'm a dog person. I've never had a cat and never thought about the implications of their pooping into a box inside the house.

I would add a curtain or maybe slatted panel to the front of the shelving thus hiding most of the little box and giving the cat more privacy...which they like.

It does look better, it's all about the details. I would add a white Modkat Litter Box (www.modko.com) to the bottom, it is the best looking litter box and truly reduces the litter tracking by 90%, it has saved me!

simple changes to be sure, but the biggest thing would be to hide the litterbox inside something larger to keep litter from being flung hither and yon (I know from experience). I agree with Depechie a ModKo version would be great but there are lots of others out there. Or heck, just hit up Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/search/?q=litterbox

i think the difference is pretty dramatic. the after looks much better, cleaner, neater, just as functional. definitely an accomplishment! good job!

Great job! It's the little things that really gets on our nerves but what a big improvement!