Joanna Gaines' Hillcrest cottage kitchen might be missing this key feature – but she's made the unconventional space feel bright, timeless, and welcoming

Hillcrest cottage by Joanna Gaines with light gray cabinets, marble countertops, a wallpaper mural, and wooden decor.

There's something so enduringly charming about cottages. They're small, often with unique features, and always synonymous with the countryside – but it's the kitchens that are always the most coveted.

So when Joanna Gaines shared her rental project, Hillcrest cottage – nestled in the picturesque grounds of a Texan estate, I couldn't wait to see what she did with the cottage kitchen.