This Tiny Kitchen Corner Got a $50 Glow-Up (Perfect for Cozy Baking!)

Sarah EverettHome Projects Editor
Sarah EverettHome Projects Editor
I organize the Before & After series and cover DIY and design. I joined AT in October 2020 as a production assistant. I have an MA in Journalism from the University of Missouri and a BA in Journalism from Belmont University. Past editorial stops include HGTV Magazine, Nashville Arts Magazine, and local magazines in my hometown, Columbia, Missouri.
published Nov 17, 2025
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
About this before & after
Home Type
Project Type
Cost
Skill Level
Rental Friendly

If you have an older apartment, it can sometimes be hard to find new-condition items that fit a vintage-looking space without a huge juxtaposition. Danielle Domrose was having that issue in her approximately 1950s or ’60s kitchen. 

Before, it had “poorly done peel-and-stick subway tile” near the stove that “did not feel cozy or homey [and] did not match the space,” she says. 

The DIYer came up with a renter-friendly tile fix. 

“I started by ripping all of that off,” Danielle adds on TikTok. She then picked peel-and-stick tile sheets from Chasing Paper that have a vintage feel and better match the pastel pink square tiles by the sink area. 

One pack of 12×12 sheets covered the corner, as the entire kitchen is only 60 square feet. “I’ve never used stick-on tile before, and I was pleasantly surprised with how real it looked,” she says. 

The hardest part was keeping the peel-and-stick tiles level.

Danielle says peel-and-stick tile is “not as daunting as you think; it’s quite easy and can completely transform the look and feel of your space.”

The hardest part, she adds, was making sure the tiles lined up, but even that wasn’t too difficult. The new tiles are a major improvement “adding the vintage flair my kitchen needed,” Danielle says — and it’s now a space she’s excited to bake and cook in. (Thanksgiving baking, anyone?!)

For more advice on how to get the vintage tile look for less, check out these three additional ideas.