Ha - you would not believe how much can be done with just paint and hardware!! I happened to just finish my kitchen project - check it out:

Kitchen Renovation

I redid my kitchen for $5,000. The changes were so profound, one of my friends wouldn't believe I hadn't enlarged the kitchen. He literally went outside to check for foundation changes.

I painted the kitchen white, put in a white tile floor with black accents, and bought all new white appliances. I changed the handles and pulls to white as well. I painted the kitchen cabinets white, and put in a black countertop.

I didn't want new cabinets. I don't like kitchens that look like they just flew over from the Home Depot, and don't fit the house. My kitchen has an enormous walk in closet, so more cabinets were not a necessity.

@Village

I did the same thing! The previous owner of my house had brown carpet in the kitchen. I almost puked when i saw it. I put in continuious large white rectangular tiles in the kitchen, laundry room and mudroom area.

I kept the white cabinets that came with the house and just replaced the brown tile counter tops with some black man-made stone.

After knobs and new lighting total cost was about $5000. I almost spent another $4000 to put in poured terrazzo but then realized I was being crazy.

in the Bay Area a good kitchen remodel with just Ikea cabinets can be about $30,000 (electrical finishes etc.) With custom cabinets $50,000 and up. Each plumbing fixture moved or new is $1500 a pop.

We're just finishing up a remodel in Northeast MS. We used the cabinets we had, added some we built, painted them, added new stove top, range hood, sink, refrigerator, counters, marble backsplash, ceramic tile floors, plus some other odds and ends. Total: around 9000.00

For a complete renovation here in France, starting with electricity, tiles on the floor, appliances, cabinets, counters, sink, plaster on the wall, paint, you name it (except for the plumbing): 6 000 euros. I should mention that we are doing everything ourselves