Lifestyle Home Naomi Watts Is Showing Off Her Remodeled 1980s Kitchen — See the Before and After Photos! "I like the combination of it being very much a traditional East Coast home mixed with a Sydney vibe," Naomi Watts told The Spruce of her updated kitchen By Charmaine Patterson Charmaine Patterson Charmaine Patterson is an Associate Editor at PEOPLE. She first began working at PEOPLE in 2021 as a Digital News Writer. Her work has previously appeared on xoNecole, The Lakelander, and Aspire TV. People Editorial Guidelines Published on November 11, 2022 04:00PM EST Photo: The Spruce Naomi Watts gave her kitchen a Sydney-meets-East Coast update. The Watcher star, 54, unveiled her new kitchen and the inspiration behind it in a feature for The Spruce published on Thursday. Watts said she had the idea to renovate her kitchen during the earlier days of the pandemic when staying in for long stretches "brought on a new passion for our homes." "We all wanted our homes to become our safe haven, and we really doubled down on how we appreciated home and invested in it," she added. "We wanted to feel comfortable and be surrounded with things that made us feel good." Jennifer Aniston Turned Ex Justin Theroux's Former Home Office Into Her 'Babe Cave': I 'Stripped It All' The Spruce Watts knew exactly what she wanted when it came to giving her kitchen a modern feel. "I just really wanted to get rid of the '80s vibes," she told the outlet. "And there's still a lot of wood, it's just nicer toned wood." Before-and-after images shows Watts' previous kitchen with honey-brown cabinetry, black appliances, and stone countertops ,complete with a beige tiled backsplash. Leslie Jordan Surprised Close Friends with a Home Makeover Courtesy of the Property Brothers before His Death The Spruce Her spruced up kitchen now features sleek grey cabinets with gold handles, complemented by butcher-block countertops and open wood shelves. Her faux-wood paneled refrigerator got a modern gray upgrade, while two columns in the center of the space now hold a pair of simple sconces. The Spruce Watts confessed that her new countertops aren't what she initially had in mind. "We did do the wooden countertop, which I didn't plan for but we had problems with stonework not being delivered on time," she said. "The supply chain stuff right in the middle of COVID was difficult and we had all kinds of, you know, curveballs thrown at us. So the butcher-block wooden countertop was a last minute decision." RELATED VIDEO: Lena Dunham's Gorgeous New Home Happens to Be Located in Her Parents' Backyard: 'Just As I Always Wanted' She also told The Spruce that she thought about removing the island altogether and putting a dining room table there instead. However, she later realized an island better fit her lifestyle. "It's functional as well as meaningful," she shared. "There's shelving on the sides as well as drawers on the back and people do always want to hang out in the kitchen at parties, don't they?" Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Revealing what she loves most about her new kitchen, Watts said, "I like the combination of it being very much a traditional East Coast home mixed with a Sydney vibe. Modern but not austere."