Our Kitchen Remodel Story

It’s about the one year anniversary of the beginning of our kitchen remodel story.  It all began right around this time last year…when Spring cleaning was on my agenda!  For those of you who’ve followed this blog from the start, you have already seen this process in “real time”.  But, I thought it would be fun to take a stroll down memory lane for those of you who are just getting to know me and my house.

Budget Friendly Kitchen Remodel

Purpose for our kitchen remodel

Our reasons for renovating were two-fold:  Improve functionality, and Inject {Our} Personality

Let me show you:

When we first moved in, we found out quickly that the fridge smashed at the end of the wall didn’t work so well…

and the whole opposite wall of unused space seemed such a shame.  {We added in a free standing counter as a temporary fix.}

The “pre” Kitchen Remodel Remodel!

Now comes a bit of a gap in my photographic timeline.  Those days were “pre-blogging” days!:)  So, you’ll have to imagine with me the process of:

• rearranging the fridge to the other side of the room
• finding some beautiful lower cupboards for a steal of a deal at our local reStore
• painting the entire kitchen Dill Pickle Green

That was our “pre-reno reno”.  At that point, things looked like this:

It was much better, but we still had some functionality problems.  The main issue was that  I couldn’t reach my upper cupboards!  They were hung high, I could only reach the lowest shelf. {And, yes, I’m aware that at 5 foot 2, I’m a bit “short”!}  Fixing that problem eventually led to a completely new look…

What Our Budget Friendly Kitchen Remodel Included

Here are the highlights:

All the upper cupboards were removed:

The odd, formally unused corner became both a useful message center and a place for sentimental decor:

The upper cupboards were lowered,  an extra shelf and crown moulding were added, and the doors were left off.

The opposite wall got a beadboard wallpaper treatment, and the missing cupboard doors were given a “fabric doors” :

The Cost of our Kitchen Remodel

Everyone does renovations uniquely and in their style.  Our renovation decisions were largely based on our budget {we didn’t have much of one}, and the fact that we don’t own our home.   So, we challenged ourselves to repurpose and reuse things we already had.  In the end, the total renovation cost $159.00.  {Yes, one HUNDRED ~ not thousand! ~ fifty nine.}  Little money.  Big change.  I love that.

I’m a big believer of “using what you have and loving what you use”.  A whole new look in a space doesn’t necessarily require big bucks…just a little hard work and a some creativity.  Don’t let a lack of budget discourage you from making a space feel and function the way that works for you.

{If you want to see a list of all the projects done for the kitchen, click here for the kitchen remodel before and after.  The new wall color is Designer Gray by General Paint.}

For more Small Kitchen Remodel Ideas, check out these posts:

• Small Kitchen Remodel Ideas that won’t break the bank! – (Our townhouse kitchen)
• DIY kitchen pendant lights
• How to organize cupboards in a small kitchen
• 8 Dramatic Room Makeover Reveals Done Under $200

A Budget Friendly Room Makeover Course – FREE for you!

Want to do a budget friendly room makeover, too, but don’t know where to start? I’ve created a free resource for you with the 5 “ingredients” of a room makeover that you can stir together with your own flavors to get a room started – and finished! – so you love it!

Click here or the button below for instant access.