Before & After: A Fresh Kitchen Makeover For Under $500

Written by

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
published Nov 2, 2014
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(Image credit: Alex Moen)

We’re all about the affordable makeovers that completely transform a room for not a lot of money. And though this kitchen does get a new floor (the price of which is not reflected in the $500 budget mentioned here), pay attention to the rest of the room where the $500 was spent. Alex got creative and outlines everything done to achieve a fresh new look.

(Image credit: Alex Moen)

From Alex:

I’ve wanted to redo my kitchen since I bought the house five years ago. It was old, dingy, and dark, and I wanted it to look new, clean, and bright. I didn’t have a big budget, so I chose improvements that would make the most impact and also be the most affordable (and that I could do myself!): painted cabinets, new back splash, new hardware, and painted (yes painted!) counter top.

Cabinets: I like the clean, bright look of white cabinets, and I wanted the depth and resistance to grime that the grey/blue adds. As you can see in the “before” picture, the cabinets and drawers had no pulls. They didn’t technically need them, but it looked stupid. Cost of paint: $150 Cost of hardware: $100

Backsplash: The “before” back splash was a continuation of the counter top: peachy/tan leafy-patterned laminate. Uglytown. Fortunately, it wasn’t too tough to remove. I used a mosaic (the square foot “page” of tile) subway tile from Home Depot with gray grout. If you are installing a back splash, I would highly recommend using a product called SimpleMat (available at Home Depot) instead of mortar. It was very easy to use and works like a dream! Cost for tile, SimpleMat, grout, and tools: $170

Countertop: I didn’t have the budget for a new counter top, but I was NOT about to continue living with the old one, so I decided to try out Rustoleum’s Counter Top Coating (that’s the $40 tint-base, not the more expensive kit). For a full review of the product and tips for application, follow the link to the post on my blog. Bottom line: I’d recommend it as a cheap, short-term solution to an ugly counter top. Cost for kit and tools: $60

*Yes, as you may have noticed, I also had hardwood installed on my floor. This of course bumps the budget up way past $500, but I wanted to focus on the big impact made by the smaller improvements that anyone can do on a tight budget.

Thank you Alex! See more of this kitchen makeover on Alex’s blog.

Re-edited from a post originally published on 11.2.14-NT