As some of you know my husband and I bought our first home back in September 2020. The home is a fixer upper and does need some work. Whenever you buy an older home you have to be able to see the potential and have a bit of patience. The first thing that needed to be completely re-done was the kitchen.
This home was built in 1976 and the kitchen had the same cabinetry and sink. WOW. The wood was falling a part and I just could not move into this home and not update the kitchen. I was determined to make this happen. Check out the before & after…
When it comes to re-doing a kitchen it can be extremely expensive and we just did not have the budget for that. Here are the key lessons & decor tips when renovating a kitchen for under $8000.
Work with a family owned company
I had the opportunity to work with a family ran business and it was a lot more intimate. The communication was clear and payment was fair from the deposit to the actual work. I dealt with some contractors that wanted me to pay 90% of the money up front and then pay 10% when they start. I didn’t find that good and they could literally just walk away with your money possibly. Also, working with a Home Depot or IKEA is still solid way to go but the price will literally double because of that, so keep that in mind.
Countertops is key
Some people want to cut corners with the quality of the countertops and honestly that should not be the case. We decided to go with white quartz material because it is extremely durable and scratch free usually. White quartz is timeless and for resale purposes it’s the way to go if you ever decided to sale your house.
Cabinets
This is where you can somewhat cut a little bit of corners when it comes to the budget with the cabinets. I went with a grey for the bottom cabinets to compliment the white countertops. The the top cabinets we chose white. I like having a semi-white kitchen, it made the space look much bigger than it appeared when we finished. Last, to stay on budget we went with a simple laminate material for the cabinets vs hardwood.
Backsplash
I prefer a clean kitchen and the best thing I did was use the quartz material to be the backsplash. It actually turned out to be cheaper in cost and to me it looks more elegant. I love the look! Try it!
Go big with the sink
Never go small with your sink. It is always best if possible to purchase a double sink so you can clean and organize your dishes easily. It was one of the best purchases I ever made for the kitchen.
CLEAN COUNTERTOPS are a must
Avoid as much as possible to have a cluttered counter. Try your best to keep your countertops clear. Put everything in a cabinet if possible. It just makes your kitchen more open and it makes you appreciate the look of your kitchen more.
What have you learned when it comes to Reno in a kitchen?
Below shop my kitchen! Most of my kitchen accessories came from Macys or Amazon!
