10 Total Kitchen Makeovers—and What They Cost

If your budget is tight but your out-of-date kitchen needs help (and quick!), take a cue from these inspiring before-and-afters. With redos to fit almost any budget, these ingenious blogger renovations prove that a little paint, updated cabinet doors, and a DIY tile job can go a long way toward getting your kitchen cooking again.

By Manasa Reddigari | Updated Nov 16, 2020 12:11 PM

BEFORE: Cloaked in Darkness

1/20
Black and Tan Kitchen Before

A painted backsplash, speckled laminate countertops, and an overabundance of cabinets trimmed in jarring forest green made this all-black kitchen the black sheep of the home.

gohausgo.com

AFTER: Light and Airy

2/20
White Kitchen with Butcher Block

Ceiling-to-counter marble subway tile, milk-white cabinets, and a butcher-block countertop lighten the mood in this makeover. Two overhead cabinets were replaced by open shelves that bring an airy quality to the space while keeping essentials at hand. (Cost: $2,106; after appliances: $4,552)

gohausgo.com

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BEFORE: Unreachable Heights

3/20
Wooden Kitchen Cabinets

Their dingy hue aside, the sky-high upper-level cabinetry in this kitchen left the homeowner without accessible storage to relieve countertop clutter and cutlery chaos.

domesticimperfection.com

AFTER: Down to Earth

4/20
Two Color Kitchen Cabinets

Floating shelves alongside the microwave shelter cookware, while open shelving above provides a decorative alcove that breaks up the bank of cabinets. The wall-mounted magnetic knife holder corrals loose cutlery, freeing up the new butcher-block countertop for prep work. (Cost: $1,600; after appliances: $3,700)

domesticimperfection.com

BEFORE: Past Its Primer

5/20
Outdated Kitchen

With the grease-stained paint, awkward drop ceiling, weathered wooden cabinets, and tarnished linoleum floor bleeding style by the minute, it was time to perform first aid on this kitchen emergency.

manhattan-nest.com

AFTER: Artful Revival

6/20
White and Black Kitchen

Now that the drop ceiling is a thing of the past, color-coordinated walls, molding, doors, and cabinetry pop crisply against an airy, matte white backdrop. The vinyl composition tile flooring and subway tile backsplash add an urban counterpoint to the rustic wooden countertop. (Cost: $1,230.74)

manhattan-nest.com

BEFORE: Pasty Pastels

7/20
Outdated 1970s Kitchen

These homeowners were anything but peachy keen on their kitchen’s snooze-worthy, 1970s-inspired color scheme, homely pantry door, and lack of a central surface to gather around.

farmfreshtherapy.com

AFTER: Cool Cucumber

8/20
Colorful Kitchen

The kitchen reawakens with serene cucumber paint, a peppy blue tile backsplash, open cabinets, and a butcher-block island that encourages lively conversation. The chalkboard pantry door makes preparing grocery lists a treat. (Cost: $3,500)

farmfreshtherapy.com

BEFORE: Wooden Personality

9/20
Outdated 1960s Kitchen

This shabby-chic kitchen dated back to the 1960s, and its wall-to-wall wooden cabinetry and chintzy floor certainly reflected that bygone era.


Related: 15 House Features We Were Wrong to Abandon

myoldcountryhouse.com

AFTER: Mix-and-Match Vitality

10/20
White and Glass Kitchen Cabinets

Refaced cabinets and drawers adorned with nickel knobs and handles preside over a faux-marble countertop, an asymmetrically patterned floor, and a new era of modernity in this kitchen. A pendant light above the vaulted sink bears an aqua strip for vintage charm. (Cost: $4,600; after appliances: $10,100)

myoldcountryhouse.com

BEFORE: Cold Reception

11/20
Builder Grade Kitchen Cabinets

A sweeping expanse of builder's-grade cabinetry and cold vinyl flooring subtracted space and ambiance from the tight quarters of this uninspiring kitchen.

designdininganddiapers.com

AFTER: Farm to Kitchen

12/20
Concrete Overlay Kitchen Countertop

White-painted cabinetry, a concrete countertop, and a faux-bois floor evoke a cozy, farmhouse feel. Using wooden floating shelves in lieu of cabinets opens up the cramped corner, while a caged pendant light and a subway tile backsplash add an industrial-chic finish. (Cost: $2,380; after appliances: $4,880)

designdininganddiapers.com

BEFORE: Didn't Bet the Ranch

13/20
Outdated Ranch Style Kitchen

These homeowners had little desire to wrestle with the broken faucet, holey cabinets, and chipping tile counters in their 1980s ranch-style kitchen.

anoregoncottage.com

AFTER: Modern Retrofit

14/20
White Farmhouse Kitchen

After a thoughtful demolition, the homeowners opted for a sturdy wooden countertop to replace its tile predecessor. Caulked and painted cabinets, a beadboard backsplash, and a new faucet and sink spout style above a fashionable sink skirt. (Cost: $1,143: after appliances: $1,165)

anoregoncottage.com

BEFORE: Crash and Burnt Sienna

15/20
White and Tan Kitchen

Outdated lighting fixtures, a bland, blond floor, and harsh burnt sienna walls and cabinets left these homeowners with a bitter aftertaste.

designertrapped.com

AFTER: Majestic Gradients

16/20
Gray Gradient Kitchen

About 90 percent of this regal renovation was accomplished with paint alone. Baby blue walls, light gray cabinets, and a dark gray backsplash and island cabinetry soothe the senses, while square-stenciled floors and industrial lights lend modern sophistication. (Cost: $700)

designertrapped.com

BEFORE: Checked Out

17/20
Checkerboard Kitchen Floors

A soiled checkerboard floor, sagging ceiling tiles, faded paint, and an unhinged cabinet door left these homeowners unhinged over their kitschy, 1950s-style kitchen.

keepsmilinghome.blogspot.com

AFTER: Solid Foundation

18/20
Refinished Kitchen Wood Floors

Chipped floor tiles were removed to reveal the wood beneath, which was then refinished and adorned with a saddle blanket for a colorful contrast with the freshly coated ivory walls and updated cabinet hardware. Caged pendant lights hang from a modern geometric ceiling to complete this head-to-toe makeover that didn't cost an arm and a leg. (Cost: $390.91)

keepsmilinghome.blogspot.com

BEFORE: Close Encounters

19/20
White Kitchen Cabinetry

Claustrophobia reigned in this cluttered kitchen, with gadgets, cooking utensils, and cookware covering nearly every inch of the room's horizontal surfaces. Meanwhile, laminate countertops, gloomy pendant lights, and cabinetry that obliterated an old window robbed the space of sunshine.

katymcarter.com

AFTER: Zen Kitchen

20/20
Kitchen Pegboard

Good feng shui is restored now that the window is cut back into the wall and open shelves supplant the old, monolithic cabinetry. With a new butcher-block counter, cozy jar lights, and a Julia Child-inspired pegboard pot rack, the homeowners can again experience the joy of cooking. (Cost: $699)

katymcarter.com

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