Low Budget Kitchen Makeover

It’s been two years since we moved into our suburban home and (since we’re selling) we’ve done a little makeover to update our kitchen. With a small budget, we managed to give our kitchen an entirely new look.

By tackling the renovation in stages, we were able to save money on our renovation and space out the money we did spend. We worked on this kitchen a little at a time over two years. In the end, we had a kitchen that looked new and fresh and was ready for the real estate market.

Here’s what we did –

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But first, let’s take a look back at where we started …

before photo courtesy of Nashville MLS

This is our original kitchen, as it appeared when we toured our home in 2017. The home had great bones but was living a little in the past. It was easy for us to update this space with a few tweaks because the layout was great and the cabinets are classic and sturdy.

Instead of tackling a large remodel in one swoop, we decided to slowly update this kitchen over time. Our first step was to remove the curtains and plop down our existing furniture. We also replaced the can light over the sink with a pendant light kit. I love these because they screw in like light bulbs to the existing cans but look like standard pendants. They’re also VERY CHEAP (like $20ish) and you can buy the pendant shades to customize the look.

Sources:
Pendant Light Conversion KitSeeded Glass Bell Pendant Light Shade

We also replaced the faucet for more function. I love a pull-down faucet with a high-arc. It allows for easier filling of pots and washing the sink and dishes is so much faster with this style of faucet. The faucet we bought has been discontinued but there’s an updated model that is just as great!

Source:
Delta Pull-down High Arc Faucet with Soap Dispenser

The following Summer, our fridge went out and we decided it was time for a complete appliance replacement. We spent a lot of time studying reviews and finally landed on Samsung kitchen appliances from varied suites. Since they all have the same handle, it was easy to mix and match high-end appliances (like our stove) with the least expensive options (like our microwave and dishwasher).

Sources:
Samsung Counter Depth Refrigerator with Water DispenserSamsung Slide-in Smart Range with Gas CooktopSamsung Built-in DishwasherSamsung Over-the-range Microwave

At the same time we replaced our appliances, we also updated the lighting in the entire kitchen. I replaced the sconce over the sink with a standard lampshade and installed a clear glass globe sconce over the kitchen table.

My favorite update during this time is the quick paint update of the kitchen island. We used Behr’s Midnight Blue to update the island and add a little color to the space. I also gave our chairs a quick coat of powder blue to add some cheer. We also finally nixed the green and went with a white paint on the walls.

Sources:
Seagrass Lamp ShadeClear Glass Pendant GlobeLight Blue Chair Paint

After those updates, we lived with that kitchen for a while. It was super functional for us and the colors always really pumped me up for the day!

Eventually, though, we knew that we would need to update the countertops to compete in our real estate market. Also, the bright colors really didn’t translate for Winter. The white wall paint also felt very stark, so we updated the space again by painting it the same color as the remaining house. (Sherwin Williams Maison Blanche)

Here’s how we updated the kitchen for the colder seasons:

This Spring, we added our final layer to the renovation by replacing the laminate countertops with a baseline granite.

New granite countertops added such dimension to this white kitchen. For under $800, this is the best update we could’ve done!

Source:
Bainbrook Brown Granite Countertops

We also added a new backsplash, using a simple and inexpensive white subway tile.

sources:
3×6 White Subway TileDelta Pull-down High Arc Faucet with Soap Dispenser

We even kept the existing backsplash behind the stove and just updated it by adding subway around it. I think it looks totally fresh!

We kept our kitchen decor very minimal in order to make it easier to clean and tidy up for showings. Luckily, we still didn’t have to worry too much about that. Our house was under contract within 48 hours. Did the kitchen help? Of course it did!

Our total cost for this kitchen remodel was under $5,000!

Like a big kitchen reveal? Here’s one more glance at the before + after of our kitchen remodel for a side by side comparison:

Looking to update your kitchen on a budget? Here’s our full source list:

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HAPPY HOME, HAPPY DECORATING!

xoxo
Teri

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