Before & After: A Bay Area Kitchen Gets a Boost on a $5K Budget

Written by

Dabney Frake
Dabney Frake
Dabney is a Southern-born, New England-raised, current Midwesterner. Her dog Grim is part terrier, part basset hound, part dust mop.
published Oct 20, 2017
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(Image credit: Bay on a Budget)

Musician and producer Tim Ouyang knows that just living in the Bay area is a financial feat, let alone owning a home there. When he moved into his new place, Tim was determined not to overspend on a renovation, despite his kitchen’s need for some TLC. He made some smart, safe decisions that completely overhauled the space, without blowing his budget.

(Image credit: Bay on a Budget)

The biggest visual improvement is the painted cabinets and new hardware. For around $140, Tim lightened the wood cabinets by painting them white and adding some sparkle with silver pulls. To save money, he kept the same countertops. Swapping out the unflattering fluorescent lighting for three new chrome light fixtures cost only $120, and also went a long way towards brightening up the space.

(Image credit: Bay on a Budget)

The biggest outlays were for new appliances and flooring. Hardwood replaced the old linoleum (about $1200 including installation) and really warm up the room. To make way for stainless steel appliances (LG fridge, KitchenAid range, Presenza range hood and KitchenAid dishwasher), Tim sold his old ones and put that towards the cost of the upgrades. By waiting to purchase during a Black Friday sale, Tim paid about $3,200 for all four — saving himself about $1,000 —which was a lot less than the original retail price.

(Image credit: Bay on a Budget)

Other finishing touches include a new kitchen island, from IKEA, which adds more storage. New inexpensive open shelving above the sink makes the space more open and airy.

Thanks so much for sharing Tim! For more photos, check out Bay on a Budget.