With the addition of beadboard panels, moldings and fresh paint I transformed this ho-hum and too wide kitchen island from bland to farmhouse fresh! Staircase newel posts were modified for inexpensive legs and Ikea butcher block was stained walnut for an "antique" look. The extra long counter and legs allowed for additional seating on the end of the island and freed up much needed space in front of the refrigerator. Step by step detailed instructions can be found on the blog! ~Heather #ProudestDIY #DIY #MyKitchen

This took me less than a week and I love the outcome. Hubby said he is going to hire me out. ha ha Come on over to my blog to see much more and the before link is in the post.

I renovated my kitchen on a strict budget, and it only cost me $93 to completely transform my kitchen from bland builder-grade oak to bright white.

-matte black knobs from Rockler

-oil-rubbed bronze card catalog pulls with chalk stock (chalkboard cardstock) labels purchased on Amazon from House of Antique Hardware, Inc.

Process:

1. Wipe down cabinets with Windex. Use included sanding pad on any faux wood surfaces to rough up the waxy coating.

2. Tape off cabinets along walls, appliances, and hardware.

3. Paint cabinet frames and doors (front and back) with or without removing the doors. We chose to remove our door to paint the frame but returned them before painting the doors so we could paint both sides at one time.

4. Repeat step 3 for second coat. If necessary apply a third coat.

*Notes

---> In my post I recommend additional preparation of the surface before painting and using a topcoat to seal your painted finish. To view pictures of the process visit my blog Dear Emmeline.

Previously, this kitchen (originally installed in 1988) was too monochromatic. The color of the cabinets and the floors was too similar and the small island was lost in sea of golden oak. The awful drop ceiling fluorescent light was extremely dated and the lack of cabinet hardware only emphasized the arched paneled doors which didn't feel very modern..

I stained the center island dark brown, and painted the cabinets a warm cream color (Manchester Tan by Benjamin Moore) I added hardware to the cabinets and removed the old fluorescent lights which I replaced with 2 pendants and some LED cans. I tiled the backsplash with pencil tile to accentuate the generic granite countertops. I also updated the kitchen faucet and removed a few cabinet doors to break up the monotony of the cabinet doors.

The entire transformation (including the new Bosch appliance suite) came in under $3500. I did all the work myself, including the electrical, plumbing and tiling. The transformation took a little less than 3 weeks.

#Bestof2012