Kitchen Remodel on a Budget
Hey all! Ashley from the D*I*WI*ves Club here. Flippin’ honored to be writing over here at Remodelaholic!
Over at the D*I*WI*ves Club we try to do all things DIY and thrifty to the max! I try to do everything on the cheap without it looking like it’s on the cheap. Which can sometimes be easier said than done. I scour thrift stores thanks to my mom’s thriftiness, which I of course hated growing up and now love the knowledge she passed down to me. I love the before and after process of my home, and an ongoing project with my home (of just over a year) has been the kitchen. A long long ongoing project. BUT it’s DONE!
(there’s the hubs, showing off how handy he is)
For the sake of your time I will limit my favorite things to the top 5 most awesome DI WIves kitchen idea’s 6 months in the making.
1.) The beadboard cupboards. I figure I saved about 500% by using wallpaper instead of actual beadboard, plus it was WAY less cutting with a saw. I just used a rotary cutter and self-healing mat for sewing.
2.) The Island. I seriously have harsh feelings towards the person who designed the kitchen. Why would you put a dishwasher in the place where you stand to do the dishes? We had to put them all on the counter and take a step back and then load. It was so silly. The Island not only opens up my kitchen, but allows the dishwasher to be next to the sink, instead of in front of. Silly contractors, you’re letting a mid-twenty year old outsmart your abilities.
3.) Moving the fridge. I love the extra counter space, extra cabinets and my new fridge.
4.) My Backsplash. It’s a stencil, and although a tile backsplash is ideal, it was not in the budget for now. Once again, saved about 500%.
5.) And lastly my counters. I went FOUR months without counters! I had plywood. Classy, right? But worth the wait. My counters are granite which allowed me to use my free undermont sink (four years old, but never been used. Oh to have connections!)
And that’s about it. I am so proud of all my hard work. I love being in my kitchen now, even if it’s just to clean it!
Cassity Kmetzsch started Remodelaholic after graduating from Utah State University with a degree in Interior Design. Remodelaholic is the place to share her love for knocking out walls, and building everything back up again to not only add function but beauty to her home. Together with her husband Justin, they have remodeled 6 homes and are working on a seventh. She is a mother of four amazing girls. Making a house a home is her favorite hobby.
Do you know the name/ brand of that tile? It looks like one I have in my kitchen that I’m trying to find a match for!
Where did you buy your stencil? I want that EXACT backsplash pattern in a different color!
Thanks.
Hi Chelsea! This is a guest post, and it appears the original blog is no longer operating, so I’m afraid I can’t help much. I would try searching for keywords like moroccan or trellis stencil? Good luck!
We’re redecorating our kitchen, too. My husband is putting shaker type trim on our 64 year old solid wood cabinets that his uncle built, when his cousin was building the house, and I, too, am using textured, paintable wallpaper on the cabinet doors and drawers. It really DOES look like the real thing! Though we’ve added some newer cabinets to parts of the kitchen, there’s no way my husband was going to part with the original cabinets his beloved uncle built.
Though our home is one of the humble kit homes built in the 50’s, it has always been in his family, and a dear aunt practically gave it away to us, 15 years ago. ($200 a month for 30 months, interest free. We’re blessed, all right!) Now that we’re both retired, we have time to do some much-needed redecorating.
Sounds like a labor of love! Thanks for the comment, Cindy, and we wish you luck and continued blessings in your home! <3