Call me crazy but I’ve really had an itch to refresh a kitchen on a budget! Doing a kitchen makeover on a budget is so fun and rewarding! I’ve done it in my own kitchen in our tiny bungalow and it really pushed me to get creative. This time I’m going to be making over a totally different style of kitchen. I did a dining room makeover for the same couple earlier this year!
This is the before picture for their kitchen.
Here is our first piece of inspiration!
Inexpensive Kitchen Makeover Ideas
I have so many ideas on how we can elevate this kitchen by working with what they already have. They plan to get new appliances and retile the floor. So my main focus will be the rest of the kitchen with a minimal budget. Upgrading the appliances and floor tile will really upgrade the space but I want to see what we can do to really help the rest of the kitchen match the elevated feel of the new appliances and floor material.
I love this kitchen done by Chris Loves Julia! They also did a budget-friendly kitchen makeover using what they had.
Dark Brown Cabinets
What to do with the brown cabinets… I don’t know if you are aware, but dark brown cabinets are definitely coming back in style! I’m sure half of you guys won’t want me to paint these cabinets while the other half says “Paint them!” Well, I think I’m about to make everybody happy… because my gut tells me I should extend the cabinets all the way to the ceiling and then paint the top half while leaving the bottom cabinets dark brown! So both sides win!
Extending the cabinets all the way to the ceiling is really going to give the kitchen a more modern style. Adding new cabinet doors to the new extended cabinets isn’t an option so we’re opting for open shelving where we can add baskets and extra decor! I love the intentional look of two-tone cabinets and I think this is the perfect way to lighten up the kitchen while keeping the rich brown wood on the bottom.
Brown Outdated Granite
Everybody on Instagram Stories was suggesting I use our budget to throw out these granite countertops. I’m going to surprise you… because I plan to keep them! Swapping countertops would be a large part of the budget and I don’t think it’s necessary! Look at this beautiful kitchen done by Wild Flower Home Interiors! Remember, this whole project is about working with what we have for this kitchen makeover on a budget.
When you use the right tones and colors of paint in a space, you can really bring out the beauty even in outdated countertops. Just because something is “no longer in style,” doesn’t mean you can’t make it work.
The brown countertops have some beautiful green and warm colors that will make it easy to find perfect paint colors for the cabinets that will complement the space. All said and done, this kitchen will be so beautiful the counters won’t bother you for a second!
Painted Backsplash
I’m still back and forth with this one. The reason why I think painting the backsplash tile would work in their space is because the current backsplash has a little bit of texture to it. I think that would allow us to pull color from the countertops/cabinets to paint the backsplash which will tie everything together.
My other thought is… since we are not replacing the counters, spending the money and time to replace the backsplash doesn’t seem practical in this scenario. If the homeowners want to replace the counters in a few years, they would have to rip out the backsplash anyway. This is why I think working with the current backsplash is the best option. I love the look of this green tile with black grout! I think we could get this look with paint.
I have a few ideas but I’m still not sure about this one. The painted tile in this kitchen looks so fresh and clean and definitely gives the whole space a brighter feel.
New Hardware
Swapping out your hardware is such an easy way to make an outdated kitchen look really fresh! I am thinking of using an aged brass. I may even change some of the knobs to pulls to add interest to the cabinets. Love the look of this kitchen with knobs, pulls and painted back splash.
Small Kitchen Makeovers on a Budget
There are lots of options when making over small kitchens on a budget. I think what it comes down to is getting creative and making smart design choices based on what you already have to work with! If you can’t get rid of your old countertops, pick colors to paint the cabinets that complement them.
Can’t swap out the tiles on the floor? Maybe use a peel-and-stick floor tile or find a beautiful rug that distracts from the floor and compliments the rest of the space!
I really encourage you to work with what you have and find ways to make your space beautiful right now! With a little bit of planning and paint you can really change your whole space!
For now, I’m still going to keep brainstorming ideas for this kitchen but I think I have a really good direction and my next step is to create a mood board for this kitchen makeover on a budget.