Before and After: An $860 Redo Brings Some Charm and Color to This Bland Kitchen

All-white kitchens are everywhere, and it’s no wonder why: They’re timeless, can match pretty much any style, and are perfect for showing off colorful accessories and small appliances. But if you’re looking for something a little different, here’s your sign to give green a try.

Blogger and DIYer Kristine Ham (@extra.ordinary.home) started with a white-and-black kitchen that was fine, if a bit bland. It was a “complete clash” with the charming character of the rest of the home, Kristine says. She wanted to bring in some personality that would help the space pop.

Thankfully, Kristine was able to use a lot of what was already there. Rather than tear out the boring off-white cabinets, she painted over them. And while she changed her mind “eleventy-hundred times,” she says, Kristine ultimately settled on a pistachio green with gorgeous vintage vibes for the lower cabinets (Dulux’s Renovation Range’s Green Spruce).

To help make the cook space feel a little brighter and airier, Kristine swapped some of the upper cabinets for open shelves; for the remaining upper cabinets, she chose a fresh white (Dulux’s Renovation Range’s Antique White). She also used the same white on the paneling, which helps with the open feel.

“If you’d told me a year ago that I’d have a #greenkitchen (by choice), I’d say you were mad,” Kristine says. “But there’s something about this house that just makes me want to use color.”

The new green cabinets deserved new countertops in place of the dark ones that were there before. As a replacement, Kristine (with the help of her dad) installed wood countertops that add some warmth to the cook space. The new beech cabinet hardware and the natural wood finish on the open shelves help tie the entire kitchen together.

Even though her kitchen looks completely different, Kristine was able to keep her overall spend down by reusing what she had and focusing on cosmetic changes. In the end, the remodel rang in at about $860 — a steal, considering the huge impact.

“It brings me so much joy even a year later,” Kristine says. “It makes me feel at home and is truly the center of my home.”

Inspired? Submit your own project here.