If you have been following along, our kitchen has literally been a work in progress since we moved into our house SEVEN years ago. Sounds bad when I say that out loud, but spending our money on travel and a new baby sounded much more fun. We should have completed the project long ago, the kitchen gets daily use. The funny part, we have been discussing the need for more space and moving within the next year, therefore we had to ‘complete’ the unfinished kitchen updates we have been making along the years. Our main goal, keep the budget low and use/or repurpose what was already in the kitchen. Also, DIY-ing everything was a huge savings. When purchasing new items, we did not get too fancy. It is important when making updates to keep in mind the ROI (return on investment) or the equity value it adds to your home. We did not want to put higher cost items that would not fit the style/value of our home.
Our kitchen is a small L-shaped kitchen. It is cozy but it does the job. When we bought the house, we never thought NOT having an actual pantry would matter. It was just the two of us, right? Let me repeat that, we do not have a pantry and use both the upper and lower cabinets to the right of our stove/oven for food storage. We also have a shelving unit in our garage to house most of our ‘extra’ bulk items or small appliances. As for dishes, pots/pans, spices and other kitchen needs, we keep it pretty minimum. You really do not need much and you can really organize things in your space to fit your needs.
Now, lets get to the best part. I will show a picture of the kitchen when we bought our house and then during the stages of our updates. We did everything ourselves aside from a small plumbing connection for our sink. (that was expensive but we had to fix the drain/water connection vs water leaking) I will also point out in each stage what change was made. The most time consuming projects; painting the cabinets, refacing the existing countertops and putting up the backsplash.
BEFORE (when we bought our house, it looked like this)
**the sellers told us they were taking the fridge so we went and bought one to have it delivered when we closed. They ended up leaving this one, so we gave it to a family member and kept the new one. (in next photo)
DURING UPDATES (shortly after we moved in)
Things we updated: Painted the walls a light tan color. Updated the flooring, new light fixture above the sink, and bought a new fridge and new stove/oven.
DURING UPDATES (painted our cabinets to brighten it up)
Updates: I ended up painting our cabinets white and we added hardware. I did this cabinet project pregnant, I did not know at the time. After this, we went two years until the next updates. 🙂
FINISHED!! (aside from some small details and decor)
Updates: A new dishwasher, painted the walls a light grey, a new sink/faucet/soap dispenser, used a countertop resurfacing kit, put up subway tile backsplash and white kick boards along the bottom to tie it all together.
The only things left on the list are MAYBE a new microwave, caulking, put up a natural wood shelf above the sink, some under cabinet lighting for $35 and then add decor to the open wall. Oh, and my husband has one handle that needs to be added to that drawer left of the oven and one piece of floor trim. 🙂 Ha!
So glad to have this kitchen DIY project done. I really love it. Not everyone loves white kitchens but this seems to be working for now. The appliances were the most expensive part and you could find cheaper options to fit your budget. All other items/updates cost us under $800!! (wall paint, countertop kit, light fixture, cabinet paint, sink, faucet, soap dispenser, kick boards, backsplash and flooring) I will link all items I can find in my Liketoknow.it account. You can follow me on the @liketoknow.it App My Brunette Adventure or Jessica Bryant
Most items are Amazon, Home Depot, Menards, Best Buy, other home improvement stores. **This is not sponsored by any of these stores. All items shown or mentioned were purchased and are my own opinions.
Do you enjoy DIY projects? What projects are on your list? They can be big or small. I want to hear what projects are on your list. I hope this helps you with your DIY projects or if you are wanting to update your kitchen on a budget.
Also, I need your ideas for above my cabinets. decor??
XOXO,
Jessica
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Anyone else hesitant to buy patterned clothing? Styles are always changing and prints/patterns are part of that change. I usually do not buy tons of patterned clothing since I am trying to buy more pieces that can mix and match together to make my wardrobe more versatile. However, neutral patterns which can be worn different ways and with basics you already own are good choices. This dress is not a leopard print but more of a spot print in two of my favorite colors; camel and black. It can be worn so many ways, not just as a dress. Today, I am going to show you the top 3 easy ways I will style this dress. If you have a pair of sandals, a pair of white sneakers or a pair of slides/mules then that covers footwear. (In the fall, you can also pair with booties)
My Brunette Adventure 