DIY Kitchen Makeover Completion + Cost Breakdown

If you have been following my DIY kitchen makeover progress since I started the project you have seen many of the before and after photos of the changes that I have made.

Today’s post is a wrap-up where I am linking to all the how-to tutorial posts about each aspect of the kitchen makeover that I have written about, listing all costs, resources, FAQ’s, new photos and more about the makeover.

After many months, hours, effort and living in paint clothes, my DIY kitchen makeover is complete…

…just in time for spring.  :-)  YAY!!!

I was waiting to post this wrap-up after the new ovens and microwave were installed. They are now in.

Transforming the kitchen was worth all the time and effort, but it did take focus and determination to keep the production line going. Many of you have asked me how I had the energy to get it done.  I just kept thinking about my vision for the finished kitchen and worked a section at a time so I would not become overwhelmed. Working section by section also allowed us to still use the kitchen while it was being made over.

Here is a breakdown of what I did.

DIY Kitchen Makeover – What I Updated:

• Painted the ceiling fans and stained brown trim around the room
• Removed 4 upper cabinet doors to create open shelving
• Removed 1 upper cabinet door above oven to create a built-in look for microwave
• Painted all the cabinets. Painted both sides of doors and inside of the cabinets where I removed the doors to create open shelving.
• Added new cabinet hardware to drawers and doors
• Tiled the backsplash with white subway tile
• Replaced avocado green glass cutting board with butcher block
• Painted the counters to look like Carrara marble
• Added new: light fixture, sink, Delta Touch 2 O faucet, dishwasher, oven and microwave

The makeover went very smoothly and we kept to our budget until…. the 1970’s oven glass cracked while we were baking Christmas cookies. :-( We had to buy a new oven.

It took time to refigure the space for the size of the new ovens. The cabinet had to be cut and refitted. We like the new ovens and microwave, but new ovens are not inexpensive. The cost of the new oven cost about the same as the entire kitchen makeover did up until this point.

We also had to do some rearranging of the shelves above the ovens and then repaint after I had already painted the area.  The new ovens are much taller, so we lost the open shelves above them where I displayed a few white pitchers and my cookbooks.

We thought about closing the space, but there was just enough room for the cookbooks so I decided to keep it open. If I can find a long basket that fits the space I may replace the cookbooks with it.

I know the microwave is up high, but it was the only place it could go. I did not want it on the counter.  When the installer told me how it needed to be placed, I wasn’t sure I would be able to reach it, but after it was installed, I found we could reach it just fine.

I painted all the cabinets and ceiling fans, tiled the backsplash, and painted the counters to look like Carrara Marble and replaced the glass cutting board with butcher block.  Ed installed the new sink, faucet, light and removed the scalloped wood valance over the sink.  We had installers install the new dishwasher and ovens.

You can read about the new floor color further down in the post.

I was going to buy a new rug for in front of the sink, but this seagrass runner that I had in the foyer of my previous house fit perfectly.

I added a 19-1/2″ long chrome drawer pull on the end of the peninsula to use as a dishtowel bar. I bought the towel at JoAnn Fabrics and added the pom-pom trim myself.  It is just for decor. :-)

One reason I love to use white as the main color in my decor is so I can showcase and highlight everything (like this spring towel) in and around my home and be able to change it out seasonally without having to worry if everything coordinates or matches.

I love the clean fresh white and bright look and have carefully edited what I put on the counters. I will never be a minimalist, but I am striving for less clutter and this includes on the kitchen counters.

Before I even started the kitchen makeover, I removed the cabinet doors where I store my dishes to create open shelving. I seriously love this concept for two reasons. One – it makes it easy to unload the dishwasher. Two – it adds a casualness to the space. I like easy, breezy… where the screen door slams behind you kind of style. :-)

On the cooktop counter, I have the toaster and a recipe stand that has a favorite family recipe it in that my mother wrote. I posted how to make one here: Photo Frame Recipe Holder

I also have a crock that holds wooden spoons as well as a tiered metal basket to hold produce along with frequently used oil and vinegar.

On the sink side of the kitchen I have the coffee maker, sugar bowl, fake topiary and dish soap. I also keep a wooden desk organizer to hold papers (not shown in photo).

I made a pair of the topiaries for the kitchen in my previous house. I updated one of them to look even more realistic by using real dirt in the pot instead of moss.

You can read how I made it in this post:  How to Make a Fake Topiary 

Many readers ask me how some of the items I make and post about on my blog hold up. As you can see, this topiary has held up wonderfully after 6 years. All I did was remove it from its previous pot and stuck it in a different pot.

The upper cabinets come down low on the wall and only leave 15″ of clearance under them.  Many items I would like to use on the counter simply don’t fit.

..like the Vitamix I won. I am still waiting for the smaller mixing pitcher to become available to purchase. When I get it, I plan to move the Vitamix under the cabinets.

As the seasons change, I will add flowers and different items on the counter so the kitchen always looks fresh and vibrant.

Flooring Update:

Since posting about the kitchen, the wood floor was refinished.  It is now stained grey.

You can read more here:  Bona Floor Refinishing

If you have any questions about anything that I have done in the kitchen, please leave them for me in the comment section. Here are the answers to a few FAQ’s that I have received so far:

DIY Kitchen Makeover – FAQ’s Answered:

Why didn’t you use chalk paint? 

I thought long and hard about what type of paint I was going to use to paint the cabinets. It came down to the fact that I didn’t want a distressed finish. If I did, I would have used Chalk paint. Another reason is that chalk paint needs to be waxed or sealed with Polycrylic. Waxing and buffing is a lot of work that needs ongoing maintenance that I knew I didn’t want to have to do to over the years to keep the cabinets sealed.

How is the Giani countertop paint holding up?

It has only been a few months, but so far the countertop paint is holding up great. I love it and would do it again without any hesitation.  The painted finish really looks like white marble and is super durable. I do use a cutting board to cut food and have a trivet to place hot items on.  I also cut a cutting board to the shape of the bottom of the coffee maker. This protects the countertop paint since steam and heat do get produced when the coffeemaker is on. Other than these items, we use the counters like we did before.

How many hours did it take to paint the cabinets?

The makeover process took about 4 months.  I didn’t work every day and took a few weeks off over the holidays. If I had to estimate the hours it took to paint the cabinets I would say it took me 3 weeks working 9-5 – five days a week.  I removed the cabinet doors and painted them production-line style out in my garage and foyer. If I didn’t remove them and painted them in place, it would have taken a week to simply paint them.

Why Did You Choose a Stainless Oven When Your Other Appliances are White?

It used to be in the world of decor that kitchen appliances had to match and so did the metal finishes. I am happy to see this change and allow more freedom to create unique kitchens. I like to mix and match so I can create my own look. If you know me, you know I don’t like to follow a set of style rules.

I did look at white ovens but chose the stainless oven because I had a white oven in my previous house and was unhappy with it. The white glass around the oven doors turned yellow and then brown over time. It could not be cleaned off and made the oven look dirty all the time. This can happen on any oven, but you don’t see it as much on a black or stainless appliance. When I mentioned this to the salesperson at the appliance store, she agreed and told me that white ovens are replaced far more than black or stainless ones for this reason.  Since this oven has to last and look good for a long time, stainless was the best choice.

I chose the white dishwasher so it would blend into the cabinetry so there was no break in the white color.

What would you change if you had to do it again? 

I have painted kitchen cabinets before so I knew in advance what not to do. For this kitchen I had trouble finding the exact replacement for the cabinet door hinges. I wanted white and found many similar, but not a exact match.  When replacing hinges they need to be the exact same or the doors will not close correctly. I found hinges that would work, but they did not have the little plastic protection section in front of the moving part of the hinge that many hinges have.

This plastic protects the metal from getting worn where the hinge moves; without it the finish can wear.  Since the hinges are white, I am seeing wear. I had no other option, but if you are going to use white hinges, look for ones that have that tiny plastic section in front of the moving part of the hinge.

Links to the DIY Kitchen Makeover Tutorials and Projects

• Kitchen Makeover Plans
• How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
• How to Paint the Inside of Cabinets
• How to Paint Kitchen Countertops to Look Like Carrara Marble
• Adding an In-Counter Butcher Block Cutting Board
• Choosing Cabinet Hardware
• Living in a Kitchen While it is Undergoing a DIY Kitchen Makeover
• Kitchen Subway Tile Options
• Schoolhouse Lighting
• Removing a Scalloped Wood Valance Over a Sink
• How to Paint a Ceiling Fan Without Taking it Down

DIY Kitchen Makeover Resources and Cost Breakdown

*affiliate links used

DIY Kitchen Makeover cost:  $1680.05

Total DIY Kitchen Makeover Cost with new appliances:  $5175.58

Cabinet Primer – 2 gallons -Valspar Bonding/StainBlocking Primer – Lowes – $43.96

Cabinet Paint – 2 gallons – Sherwin Williams Pro Classic Enamel in Semi-Gloss – $144.98

Sandpaper/Tack cloths – $15.00

Paint Brushes – 1′ and 2″ Purdy paint brushes – $19.57

Spray Paint for Wine Rack – $8.50

Tape N Drape Dropcloths – $18.00

Stainless Sink – $199.00

Chrome Delta Touch 2 O Faucet – $267.72

Edison Schoolhouse Light – $262.00

Glass Cabinet Knobs  from D. Lawless – $4.65 each x 22 = $102.30

White Cabinet Hinges  from D. Lawless – $1.95 set -22 sets = $42.90

Chrome Drawer Pulls  from D. Lawless – $4.96 each x 11 = $54.56

Chrome Towel Bar – $13.19

3-1/2″ x 7-1/2″  white ceramic subway tiles in the color Imperial Blanco/grout and supplies – The Tile Shop –   $267.37

Butcher Block – HomeGoods – $54.00

Giani Countertop Paint – I needed 2 sets – $160.00

Appliances – $3,495.53

So that is it… my DIY kitchen makeover is all wrapped up. It feels and looks like a new kitchen and I am loving it.  My next projects related to the kitchen will be to come up with an idea for the wall in the dining table area and redo the pantry closet, but the kitchen is now a project I can talk about in a past tense.  It’s DONE!  :-)

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