5 Budget Kitchen Makeovers That Look Like Serious Splurges

Kitchen Makeover — Before

Sara of the Instagram handle @feathers_of_our_nest is part of a one-income family of six, so when they all decided to do a kitchen makeover, they had to make it both DIY and budget-friendly. She explained on Instagram, "We first started by taking out the half wall separating our living room and kitchen. That really opened the space." Next, she painted the kitchen cabinets with a Fusion Mineral Paint color called Casement. Then, she was able to find Del Conca Verdiana tiles on sale at Lowe's for just $80. "Then came the countertops," Sara wrote. "My desire would be to have quartz, but in this season of life that’s not in the budget. So my hubby came to the rescue." Coming to the rescue meant ordering sheets of a laminate loom called Wilson Art's White Carrara and installing the sheets himself. If a home improvement store would've ordered it for them, it would've cost them a whopping $900. But thanks to their DIY tweak, they were able to save at least $500. 

Kitchen Makeover — After

It looks like that money-saving trick was truly priceless — just look at those magnificent countertops! Of course, that wasn't the only thing that changed in this kitchen makeover. The family also extended the "island" in the middle of the kitchen, adding on legs from Lowe's, which they painted in a pretty Sherwin Williams shade called Dove White. Then, Sara's husband built a farmhouse table using plans from Ana White DIY. Meanwhile, Sara found some unique distressed metal chairs on Amazon to complement the table. Of the kitchen makeover experience, Sara wrote, "It has taken us a little over a year. But that’s to be expected when you are doing it yourself and doing it on a budget with cash only. We are so pleased with the results. I’m also thankful and blessed for my hubby who not only trusts me that it will look so much better, but also put 100 percent into it." Talk about a team effort there! 

Kitchen Entrance Makeover — Before

Vicki of the Instagram handle @wheelchichome admitted on her blog Wheel Chic Home that her kitchen is an "awkward shape," somewhat resembling an "L." That said, she wasn't about to let that stop her from revamping it. She wrote on her blog, "The tiles we painted a little while ago, and I’d started to get tired of the green. I wanted white on the backsplash. So that was the starting point for me." Of course, that wasn't the only alteration she wanted to make. But because she wanted to do this kitchen renovation on a budget, she had to make a few compromises: For instance, she would leave the old kitchen cabinets in place and simply repaint them in two different shades of gray — light gray for the top cabinets and dark gray on the bottom. Some updated decor was also in order — especially in regard to the lighting.

Kitchen Entrance Makeover — After

Talk about bringing the light into this home! Although our eyes naturally wander to the lovely lamp on the left side of the photo, we can't help but notice all the other fabulous additions, such as the fresh new cabinet colors and the too-cute decor lining the clean, crisp countertops. You might be surprised to know that the high-gloss white shade with sparkles is actually laminate, which was a money-saving trick for Vicki. She wrote, "If you’re worried about how cheap laminate looks and feels you might want to think again — this is a game-changer!" We can imagine just how delighted houseguests must be when they walk through the door. Read more details about Vicki's makeover at Wheel Chic Home.

Kitchen Cabinet Makeover — Before and After

Karla of the Instagram handle @moderate_home shows the true power of updating kitchen cabinets in this stunning home renovation photo. "As much as I loved our house the first time I walked into it, I wasn't crazy at all about the kitchen cabinets," she wrote on her blog Moderate Home. "The old hardware was difficult to clean and the color of the cabinets just made the cabinets seem dark and dreary." That's why Karla decided to take it upon herself to re-create the whole room by just changing that one part — in a seven-step process. This journey included removing the old hardware, cleaning the cabinets with bleach water, sanding the cabinets, filling all the holes, adding new hardware, painting, and then putting the doors back into place. "I will not even attempt to make you think that this was an easy project... although it was worth it," she wrote. Once asked to demonstrate a kitchen cabinet makeover at SAW Habitat for Humanity for their ReStore Open House, Karla used a cabinet door similar to the ones she had in her own kitchen. And judging by her personal kitchen cabinet "facelift," it's no surprise why. Read more details about Karla's kitchen makeover at Moderate Home.

Kitchen Update — After and Before

Carrie of the Instagram handle @cjnelson1313 jokes in her caption, "I bet your kitchen doesn't have the original 1955 stove." All kidding aside, we love the way that she's updated her kitchen, complete with new flooring, modern decor, and a fresh coat of paint wherever it was needed. We simply can't get enough of the new lampshade, either; it must be so welcoming for friends and guests whenever they walk in through that door! Is it just us, or does this before-and-after photo appear to show two totally different rooms? We can't believe how much has changed.

DIY Kitchen Makeover — Before and After

Shantelle of the Instagram handle @shag1983 explained that one of the biggest steps of her whole kitchen makeover was painting the kitchen cabinets. We can see why; it's yet another example of what a big difference this simple step can make. This DIY "weekend project" certainly paid off for Shantelle. We love the pretty white color exuding from both the top and bottom cabinets — it seems to brighten up the entire space. 

Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some kitchen makeovers of our own to take care of — especially after seeing what these clever folks did with theirs!