We transformed our dated, dark kitchen into a bright, open-concept space — it turned out even better than I expected

Shortly after my husband and I returned from our honeymoon, we moved from an apartment in New York City to a three-bedroom house in Greenwich, Connecticut. Alexa Mellardo

My husband and I remodeled our 600-square-foot kitchen into an open-concept space.

We took down walls, added windows, and replaced the cabinets to make the room feel lighter.

After the three-month renovation, I filled the room with bright, coastal-inspired decor .

Shortly after my husband and I returned from our honeymoon, we moved from a New York City apartment to a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house we bought in Greenwich, Connecticut.

It wasn't a turnkey property — the white picket fence and bountiful rose garden I'd always envisioned were nowhere to be found — but it had potential.

The kitchen, in particular, needed extensive work.

Rather than writing off its harvest-gold linoleum floors, Formica countertops, and…