REAL QUICK BACKSTORY
We bought our home without ever seeing it in person (we actually only saw it one time over a blurry facetime call). We had NO IDEA the amount of work this ol girl needed &, while the kitchen was functional, it was musty & greasy & she just diiiidn’t match the character of the rest of the house.
I wanted this kitchen to feel storied, like a thousand, family meals had been made in there but instead it was giving “1980’s doctors office” & so we challenged ourselves to a “mini reni” (as Joanna Gaines calls it). Could we give this room a COMPLETE makeover with 1500 bones?!
The good news…it CAN be done. The very, very honest news…it requires a whoooooole lot of elbow grease & EVEN MORE patience.
I broke down the cost & supplies of every project we did just in case not all of it applies to you!
Good luck to you if you are embarking on a similar journey!
I’m excited for you to have a space that you love!
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SUMMARY OF PROJECTS
To see details about each project scroll down to sections below
- Paint – Ceiling, Walls, & Trim (Total Cost: ~$271)
- Lighting Upgrade – (Total Cost: $106)
- Cabinet Refresh – Modification, Paint, Molding, Hardware (Total Cost: $515)
- Shelf Above Sink (Total Cost: ~47)
- New Sink Basin & Faucet (Total Cost: ~$289)
- Beadboard Backsplash (Total Cost: ~43)
- Window Bar (Total Cost: ~$41)
- Faux Soapstone Countertops (Total Cost: ~$112)
- Décor (Total Cost: ~$100)
PAINT – CEILING, WALLS, & TRIM (~$271)
- Ceiling Paint
- Paint Type: Valspar, SIGNATURE, CEILING PAINT + PRIMER, Flat
- Color: Sherwin Williams, Alabaster
- Quantity: 2 Gallons
- Price: ~$36 per Gallon
- Wall Paint
- Paint Type: Valspar, SIGNATURE, INTERIOR PAINT + PRIMER, Eggshell
- Color: Sherwin Williams, Alabaster
- Quantity: 1 Gallon
- Price: ~$45 per Gallon
- Trim Paint
- Paint Type: Benjamin Moore, ben, Interior Paint & Primer, Semi-gloss
- Color: Benjamin Moore, Edgecomb Grey (also known as Baby Fawn)
- Quantity: 1 Gallon
- Price: ~$54 per Gallon
- Paint Supplies (i.e. Paint brushes, paint trays, paint tape, plastic covers/tarps, etc): ~$100
- Paint Rollers, Paint brushes, Foam Brushes
- Plastic Drop Clothes
- Paint Tray
- Paint Tray Liners
- Handy Pail
- Handy Pail Liners
- Paint Tape
- Lessons Learned:
- Its easier to tape the WALLS in order to paint the TRIM than it is to tape the TRIM in order to cut in on the WALLS. That’s confusing lol but the short of it is, I would paint the ceiling, the walls, & THEN the trim.
- CAUTION: each product recommends a different drying time before its technically safe to apply tape. If you have the time to wait, wait. If not, you can buy the “delicate” painters tape OR just plan on touching up a bit (where the tape peels off the paint).
- If you are replacing ceiling lights, REMOVE the lights from the ceiling so that you can paint under the old light (chances are the new light has a different mount).
- Its easier to tape the WALLS in order to paint the TRIM than it is to tape the TRIM in order to cut in on the WALLS. That’s confusing lol but the short of it is, I would paint the ceiling, the walls, & THEN the trim.
LIGHTING UPDATE (~$106)
- 3, Light, Brushed Gold Finish (~$66)
- Semi Flush Mount Ceiling Light, Brushed Gold Finish (~$40)
- NOTE: it seems they periodically sell out of the brushed gold. I hope you catch it!
- Lessons Learned:
- Don’t know how to change a light? The safe answer…ask a certified electrician.. the realistic answer… YouTube it, friend!! ;P
CABINET REFRESH – MODIFICATION, PAINT, MOLDING, HARDWARE (~$515)
*NOTE: cost does NOT include the cost of the power tools except for the paint sprayer; we already had all other tools needed.
Cabinet Configuration Modification (Cost: ~$42)
- Process Steps:
- Removed original molding on top of the cabinets
- Cut out cabinet above sink using a “reciprocating saw”
- Enclosed each cabinet with ¼”, Maple, Plywood Project Panels (~$21 per panel)
- Supplies:
- Pull & Pry Bar
- Hammer
- Wood Filler
- Caulk & Caulk gun
- NOTE: we had these supplies on hand so, we did not need to purchase
- Power Tools:
- Reciprocating saw
- Circular saw
- Orbital Sander
- Brad Nail Gun
Cabinet Paint (Cost: ~$309)
- Paint – Prime
- Paint Type: Zinsser, Bulls Eye 1-2-3, Interior or Exterior Multi-purpose Primer
- Color: As is, White
- Quantity: 2 Gallon
- Price: ~$33 per Gallon
- Paint – Cabinet Color
- Paint Type: Benjamin Moore, ULTRA SPEC, SCUFF-X, Satin
- Color: Benjamin Moore, Edgecomb Grey (also known as Baby Fawn), 75% darker
- Quantity: 2 Gallon
- Price: ~$66 per Gallon
- Paint – Island Color
- Paint Type: Valspar, SIGNATURE, INTERIOR PAINT + PRIMER, Satin
- Color: Sherwin Williams, Caviar
- Quantity: 1 Gallon
- Price: ~$45 per Gallon
- Paint Supplies:
- Goof Off Degreaser
- Hand, Block Sander
- Paint Scraper (to help remove gunk)
- Paint Rollers, Paint brushes, Foam Brushes
- Plastic Drop Clothes
- Paint Tray
- Paint Tray Liners
- Handy Pail
- Handy Pail Liners
- Paint Tap
- NOTE: we had these supplies on hand so, we did not need to purchase
- Power Tools:
- Hand Held Drill (to remove cabinet doors)
- Orbital Sander
- Paint Sprayer
- Lessons Learned:
- Above ALL else, this job requires…PATIENCE! Wheeew! There’s a reason people pay thousands of dollars to have someone ELSE paint their cabinets. It is a loooong, tedious process but, for me, this was aaaall the way worth it.
- Don’t thin the paint too much for the paint sprayer. Per the instructions of the sprayer, some paints require you to thin it with water; thinning our paint, though, created quite the mess. By the end of it, we figured out that our paint sprayed just fine AS IS in the paint sprayer.
Cabinet Moulding (Cost: ~$80)
- New top moulding
- Product: LOWES, RELIABILT 3-1/2” x 8’ MDF Baseboard Moulding, 5 @ $10.98
- New bottom moulding
- Misc Supplies:
- Wood Filler
- Hand, Block Sander
- NOTE: we had these supplies on hand so, we did not need to purchase
- Power Tools:
- Miter Saw
- Brad Nail Gun
- Orbital Sander
Cabinet Hardware (Cost: ~$84)
- Hinges – REFINISHED with my FAVORITE gold spray paint (~$12)…seriously look NO FURTHER….this gold spray paint is THE best.
- Cabinet Knobs, Aged Brass (20 pack) (~$40)
- Drawer Pulls (10 pack) (~$32)
- NOTE: I spray painted these with my favorite gold spray paint
- Misc Supplies:
- Steel wool to clean up the old hardware
- Power Tools:
- Hand Held Drill (to remove cabinet hinges)
SHELF ABOVE SINK (~$47)
- 2, Decorative Shelf Brackets (~$21)
- Shelf
- Product: RELIABILT 3/4-in x 12-in x 3-ft Unfinished Spruce Pine Fir Board, 1 @ $12.48
- Cut to fit & stained
- 1 Quart, Minwax 70002444 Wood Finish, Provincial Stain (~$13)
- Product: RELIABILT 3/4-in x 12-in x 3-ft Unfinished Spruce Pine Fir Board, 1 @ $12.48
- Misc Supplies:
- Level
- NOTE: we had this on hand so, we did not need to purchase
- Power Tools:
- Miter Saw
- Orbital Sander
- Hand Held Drill
NEW SINK BASIN & FAUCET (~$289)
- Sink Basin ($50)
- Purchased NEW from the Facebook Marketplace 😊 Don’t sleep on the FBMP, ya’ll!
- Kitchen Faucet, Bronze & Brass ($239)
- I loved how the subtle tones of brass in this faucet complemented the lighting & the cabinet hardware but she was a pretty penny.
- Here are some VERY similar faucets on Amazon
- Misc Supplies:
- Silicone
BEADBOARD BACKSPLASH (~$43)
- Bead Board Backsplash (Cost: ~$37) – See that bead board? ITS NOT ACTUALLY BEAD BOARD; its a pre-pasted wallpaper that you wet & stick to the wall. It is AMAZING! It looks even better when you paint it so we painted it to match the trim color. I am so impressed with this stuff; durable, cleanable, raised like bead board. FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS FOR ME! We used it in our living room too!
- Misc Supplies:
- Wallpaper Tool Kit (Cost: ~$6)
- Lessons Learned:
- READ THE INSTRUCTIONS; you must SATURATE the wallpaper with water to activate the adhesive. We actually filled up a cooler with water & submerged it.
WINDOW BAR (~$41)
- 2, Heavy Duty Shelf Brackets (~$16)
- We used these for the window bar top
- 12” deep board cut to length
- Believe it or not, we had this board on hand from a built-in we took down upstairs.
- 1 Quart, Minwax 70002444 Wood Finish, Provincial Stain We had this on hand too!
- Barstools – THRIFTED from the Facebook Marketplace for $25
- Misc Supplies:
- Level
- Lag Screws
- NOTE: we had this on hand so, we did not need to purchase
- Power Tools:
- Miter Saw
- Orbital Sander
- Hand Held Drill
- Lessons Learned:
- Brackets MUST be in the studs
- Use STRONG screws; we used 4” Lag Screws
FAUX SOAPSTONE COUNTERTOPS (~$112)
Okay, let me just get this out of the way….YES, I painted my laminate countertops! You should also know I have ZERO regrets ;P . The original countertop selection (almond color, laminate countertop) is one thing that confused me from the jump with this house. The builder made incredible & timeless decisions on finishes EXCEPT for the countertops. I am PERFECTLY fine with laminate btw but in the color almond?! Come on now! It gave “1980’s doctors office” & it was a “no” for me!
Also! HUGE shout out to Simplicity in the South, an amazing home & DIY blogger (in South Carolina actually)! I read her blog post on how to make your countertops look like Soapstone & it was the only reference I used!! I did everything pretty close to how she did it so I encourage you to check out her blog post!
I recount my own experience in this blog post.
- Paint – Countertop Prime
- Paint Type: Zinsser, Bulls Eye 1-2-3, Interior or Exterior Multi-purpose Primer
- Color: As is, White
- Quantity: 1 Gallon
- Price: ~$33 per Gallon
- CAUTION: I did NOT use oil-based primer but you may need to! Consider doing a “nail test” on a small area of primer before painting all the countertops.
- Nail Test
- Paint a small area with the latex primer you have & allow to dry
- Use your fingernail or something sharp (like an actual nail or screw) & scratch the paint; if the paint comes away easily, you will need oil-based primer
- Nail Test
- Paint – Countertop Color
- Paint Type: Valspar, SIGNATURE, INTERIOR PAINT + PRIMER, Eggshell
- Color: Valspar, Lincoln Cottage
- Quantity: 1 Gallon
- Price: ~$45 per Gallon
- Paint – Protective Coat/Varnish
- Paint Type: Modern Masters, Decorative Painters, Dead Flat Varnish
- Price: ~$35 per bottle (32 oz)
- Paint Supplies:
- Goof Off Degreaser
- Hand, Block Sander
- Paint Scraper
- Paint Rollers, Paint brushes, Foam Brushes
- Plastic Drop Clothes
- Paint Tray
- Paint Tray Liners
- Paint Tape
- NOTE: we had these supplies on hand so, we did not need to purchase
- Misc Supplies:
- Spray Bottle
- Plastic grocery bags
- Caulk & Caulk gun
- Power Tools:
- Orbital Sander
- 120 or 220 grit sanding discs
- Lessons Learned:
- I chose NOT to add “veining” to my countertops; I loved the final look without veining; it’s got dimension & just the right amount of “imperfection” like real stone would. I KNEW if I tried to do the veining, I’d screw up what I already loved.
Corey Beasley
The beadboard backsplash is genius!!! The counter tops look amazing. So many great tips. Love the entire makeover!
bykailamarie
Corey BeasleyRIGHT? Ive used it like three other places in our house already lol so affordable, super easy, & makes a big difference! Thanks so much!