Searching Fab Friday Finds? We are happy to share our Fab Friday Find internet photos that inspired us this week... kitchen renovations on a budget!
Fab Friday's are all about sharing those beautiful photos of homes or design styles that catch our eye during the week while browsing, it's where we stop our scroll. This week we are bringing kitchen renovations on a budget. DIY kitchen renovation ideas on a budget sounds even better to me. Kitchen remodels can be costly, but they do not always need to be. Budget friendly kitchen ideas can be put together with a little creativity and willingness to do some of the work yourself.
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| BHG |
Thank you so much to those of you who reached out last week about our thrifty living room ideas! Wow, I was so happy to hear you loved the suggestions, and ideas! Thank you for that.
I was so overwhelmed with the positive response, I decided I would share a few kitchen renovation ideas while keeping a budget in mind. I know this is THE ROOM of our home I am still putting together in my mind. I have been struggling with it for a while now. I have put it together and torn it a part in my mind so many times, I may fly the cuckoo's nest before it is all said and done. We have four doors to work around, two windows, and a built in.
Talk about a puzzler... I get one design in my mind, and then I see something and I wonder how can I incorporate that into my kitchen design too? Then back to the drawing board I go... my never ending battle, my nemesis, the kitchen!
Okay, maybe I am being a bit harsh about the kitchen, and I need to let up a bit, I mean it is my mind that keeps getting in the way. No wait, I know... it is the internet that is supplying me with all of these amazing ideas and causing my decision making skills to completely fail. Okay, I will take responsibility darn it. Hopefully you are better at making decisions than I am, and can get some wonderful ideas from our shares today.
Would you believe the kitchen pictured above was updated using just paint, talk about a recent tag line lately of mine, just paint, it can do wonders **wink, wink**. If you follow me on social media channels, then you know about a furniture makeover I recently completed. Paint is a very budget friendly way of updating any room in your home, or furniture, or cabinets, or walls, or whatever your little paintbrush wants to touch.
The floors were painted with a stencil to provide an updated look for the homeowner's tile, and the cabinets were painted as well. New hardware on the cabinet doors, and this kitchen makeover was complete. Check out the before, I love before and after photos. This is a great example of how you can get a whole new room on a budget by just using paint. What a cost effective way to update any room.
Do you love the kitchen cabinets that go to the ceiling? Oh me too! Now I can tell you cabinets that go to the ceiling are expensive, I priced them out several years ago, but we have a few ideas to share that may help you achieve this look. If you check out this blog, With Love Mercedes, you will find how she added storage space above her existing kitchen cabinets as seen above.
I have considered this option for our own kitchen, but I also recently saw something that caught my eye as well. Moving your existing cabinets to the ceiling, and adding a shelf below your cabinets. I thought this was an interesting fix and would require much less construction and materials, saving us more money, and we all like more dough in our pockets, right?
Both of these options would cost way less than actually purchasing new cabinets, especially cabinets that go to the ceiling. Any time I can save money, I try. If your kitchen has a decent set up, then I would opt for either of these two examples.
Our kitchen probably has one of the strangest plans I have seen. It is just odd, and weird, and does not work for us at all. Now if you ask me, the most economical fix for our kitchen would be to use the original kitchen cabinets that are in our basement; however, we only have the upper cabinets. Not sure where the bottoms ran off to, but that creates another issue.
I can see why my husband does not want to use the doors, but did you know you can purchase new doors for your existing cabinets which is another way to save money. I would love to use the original boxes from the basement so we are not wasting those cabinets, but he is all about everything matching, and I am all about pinching pennies, and having an eclectic look. I never plan to move, I am here for the duration, as long as our kitchen works for us, I am not caring about resale value.
One last thought on cabinets going to the ceiling. I have considered adding plywood to the top of our existing cabinets to alleviate the issue of the cabinet dip that I think is up there once the drywall comes down. Then I would add cabinet grade plywood to the sides of my cabinets so they go to the ceiling. It is like creating a new box at the top, but with less construction, if it works as I am thinking it would... I would only need to then purchase new doors so they are the full length of the cabinet from the bottom to the new top we could create.
Hopefully I did not lose you, I am just thinking out loud here... I can see it in my mind's eye just perfectly. Unfortunately for me, Mr. VS says it does not always translate from my brain to my mouth as well as I think it does.
It would be the best option I think when wanting hidden storage from the top of the cabinet all the way to the bottom. Yes, a bit of construction, and new cabinet doors, but imagine all of the storage! In the end, that is what we need the most in our kitchen. What do you need in your kitchen? Or are you sublimely happy with your home where that would make me a tad bit envious since I am still struggling here figuring out our plan... kidding of course.
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| Home Design Lover |
I would also like to have a kitchen island, but wow! If you consider a true kitchen island, they are pretty pricey. The last time I had my eye on a kitchen island it was over $5,000, I just could not justify it for one small part of my kitchen. So, how about a bar height dining table as your work station then? You may not gain the storage you desire, but you would gain the work space.
You may even be able to modify a table you already have to prevent from purchasing something new. I adore the idea of using a piece from a loved one in our home. I just wish I had something like this to use in our kitchen.
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| Hometalk |
Still have your heart set on a kitchen island with storage? How about using a buffet as a kitchen island? I am in love with the piece above, plus it has storage, and the counter has been extended along the back so you could pull up a stool or two for seating, or extra counter/work space.
Looking in second hand stores, auctions, your local Habitat for Humanity, or thrift stores would also help in drastically reducing the price of a kitchen island, especially if you consider a buffet as an island. I have seen them in second hand stores for very reasonable prices. Give it some paint, and new knobs, and voila, new kitchen island of your making, and to fit your needs and taste.
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| Lightology |
Lastly, you could also consider a change in lighting in your kitchen. When we changed out the fan for a light in our kitchen it changed the look drastically. Of course, we actually had light, which I was so thankful for, but it gave the space a whole new look.
I have my eye on similar lights as above for our kitchen. I found some really affordable options below, and I can tell you I pulled a few I am sharing today with you that are a part of my very own wish list. That darn wish list keeps growing, I think it is close to a mile long!
We hope you were able to gather some budget friendly options for your dream kitchen. If you are anything like me, you gather ideas, and get overwhelmed, and then think ugh... will someone just put it together for me? I cannot say if in the end I would be happy with that though, I definitely want my stamp on our kitchen. It will come together when you least expect it. Or I keep telling myself that anyway.
I definitely have my eye on some furniture pieces. I love that look of furniture in a kitchen instead of cabinets, but only time will tell what route we go since neither of us can make up our minds.
**Bonus Material**
I could not resist, I wanted to share this one with you. I had this fabulous idea a few years ago about using a piano as a kitchen island, only when I began searching, I found I was not as original as I had once thought I was. No worries, I was able to see that getting an actual piano would be too big of a project for us. If you get a chance, check out her blog, she has some really awesome ideas.
I did however, think I could use piano legs in our kitchen, hence the 17 legs in our basement now. I cannot wait to see how that idea turns out, but only time will tell once we figure out our kitchen plans. I am off to figure out a kitchen now... the never ending project for this home. Just know it is not something I find daunting of course since I tend to spend my head in the clouds dreaming up ideas around here.
Enjoy your weekend, and as always, we have some options below to share with you. I like the idea of the table as an island, and the one below even offers storage for cookbooks or knick knacks, whatever your heart desires.
