Kitchen Update for $500

We own a little ranch on a little lake in southern Wisconsin. It was built in 1972, and time has stood still for the past 40 years. That is, until I got my hands on it two years ago. Working on a tight, tight budget, we are remodeling this little house into a charming lake cottage perfect for summer weekends. I updated our kitchen for $500!
Here's a before picture from 20 years ago. It looked the exact same, the EXACT same, three years ago.
I started de-cluttering, and replaced that lovely mustard yellow stove with a new (used) stove. This is the state she was in two years ago.
Here she is now! We added floors, paint, tile, hardware, appliances, and a butcher block counter top, all for under $500.
I painted these cabinets two years ago. Since then, I've painted a lot more pieces of furniture, and have learned a lot in the process. Looking back, if I painted these cabinets again, I would do it differently. Maybe they'll get another refresh in a couple of years. For now, though, they are ten times better than the dark, faux wood doors.
Simple ceramic subway tiles kept the cost down, but replaced the 70s green and gold splattered tile.


I'm still working on a few other projects for the kitchen to add finishing touches to the space. Then, it's time to tackle the bathroom. Head on over to my blog to see other updates from our little cottage, and a complete breakdown of the $500 budget.
Jenny @ Refresh Living
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Kelly French Johnson Kelly French Johnson on Oct 06, 2015
    That looks wonderful @Jenny @ Refresh Living! Are your cabinets a laminate finish? They look similar to mine and I really want to paint them, but have been told that the paint will chip off. Any advice?
  • Sandy Hartnett Sandy Hartnett on Feb 13, 2016
    Oh so much better! Great look! Hugs
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