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I hadn’t planned on tackling this kitchen renovation so soon, this was one of those projects that spiraled. Since the kitchen is the heart of the home it was always on my mind because you can see it from all of the main living areas and it is a highly used space. I was not a fan of the cherry colored MDF cabinets or the brown formica countertops.
A few years ago I got a quote to have my cabinets professionally painted and she quoted me $2500 at the time, which is more than fair! It’s a lot of work to paint cabinets, trust me, I know now that I’ve done it! So I would be paying her for her time and energy, not just the products she was using. But we didn’t have $2500 extra at the time so I looked into doing it myself and realized it would only cost me a few hundred. Since the kitchen is right there in the middle of the home I was terrified to mess it up, which is why I wanted a pro to do it. But I did my research on the prep needed and what kind of paint to use and went for it and I’m so glad I did!
Once the cabinets were painted I hated the countertops even more! We didn’t have the money to replace them so I figured I’d give paint and epoxy a try until we could save for new countertops. Then I replaced the backsplash, built a countertop hutch and a kitchen island, and it just went on and on until we had a full kitchen remodel!
Here’s a video of the Kitchen Reveal where I explain everything in a VoiceOver. This video has gone pretty viral on social media.
Without further ado, here are all the wonderful before and after photos!
As far as the cabinet hardware, I just kept the old ones because I hadn’t found any new ones I loved yet, and I just used Rub N Buff to turn them gold. I should have used a clear coat on top of it but I didn’t and a lot of the gold has rubbed off. But since then I found some cabinet knobs and drawer pulls that I fell in love with and added those on!
This kitchen brings me so much joy now. It wasn’t my style at all before, and now, knowing I did all of this myself makes me so happy! And it only cost between $1500-2000!
The paint stir stick cabinet doors were a really inexpensive and fun way to bring a lot of character to the kitchen.
You can tap here to see how the bottom sliding doors work in the coffee bar inside the hutch.
Dropping the bar down to countertop height was definitely the right decision. And that wall rack! We also really love this workstation sink that has our reverse osmosis system underneath for the best clean drinking water, our water smells like bleach half the time, so gross!
The kitchen being done has really warmed up the whole home and brought so much character to the space.
Kitchen links can be found here.
Next up, we will be moving on to the dining room! I added a beadboard wall treatment to make the space its own.
This is the look I’m trying to achieve..thank you for the inspiration..would love to know colors you used for wall and trim
Hi, thank you for being here and supporting the blog! The walls are Alabaster by SW and the trim is Accessible Beige by SW.
Astin, I’ve read your DIY kitchen remodel blog, and I’m truly impressed! Your budget-friendly approach, from painting cabinets to using paint and epoxy on countertops, is inspiring. The before-and-after photos show a remarkable transformation, and your accomplishment on a budget of $1000-1500 is commendable. Thanks for sharing your practical and enjoyable journey
Thank you so much for being here and reading my posts and supporting! I appreciate you!
What a wonderful transformation and kudos for doing it all yourself! What green is that? It’s so calm and deep!
Thanks! It’s Pewter Green by SW.
Where did you get the cabinets above the kitchen cabinets?
Hi! I built them out of plywood, you can read more about that process in my other blog post: https://astinsdesigns.com/2023/02/11/should-cabinets-go-to-the-ceiling/
Where did you source the stone for your backsplash? Love it!!!
Hi, I found it at Floor&Decor but they no longer carry it last I checked. If you go to their site and type in “Alamo” you’ll find a white stone thats basically the same but in white.