While not all of you will adore the color palette of this super successful Before & After, there are two lessons here to be learned by all. Number one, even if you rent your apartment or home, there's no reason not to ask your landlord for a little freedom in sprucing up your space. And, number two, a fresh coat of paint will brighten any room! Continue on for after pics as well as the interview originally published on Apartment Therapy's Color Cure.
The Color Cure: How long have you lived in your home?
Sophie: I've lived here for about 9 months.
The Color Cure: When did you overhaul the space?
Sophie: I've been doing a little here and a little there throughout my time here but I finished the cabinets and completed it about 2 months ago.
The Color Cure: How long did it take?
Sophie: I spent a little bit of time while living here working on it but the wallpaper and painting of the cabinets I completed in 1 day.
The Color Cure: Where did you find your color and design inspiration?
Sophie:I was looking at modern kitchens on blogs and Google and stumbled across a really nice one with deep pink lacquered cabinets.
The Color Cure: How much planning did you put into the project?
Sophie: I knew as soon as I moved in I was changing the kitchen as it was horrendous and my landlord never painted the cabinets white as agreed before I moved in. It took me about 2 months to decide what I wanted to do and I originally painted my cabinets steel gray. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. So about 2 months later I tiled the backsplash. I was walking down Spring Street and saw my lovely wall paper hanging in the window of the Janovic store and took a photo of it. At the time I didn't know where I would use it so I just kept it on my radar. When I decided to paint my cabinets pink, I immediately thought of it because it was so feminine and I knew it would look great with a pop of color. The whole idea for pink cabinets was really spur of the moment, I saw that inspiring kitchen on Google and 2 days later thought, hey, why not?
The Color Cure: What was the most challenging part of the project?
Sophie: There wasn't anything really challenging about the project, it was fairly simple.
The Color Cure: Did you learn a new skill during your home improvement project?
Sophie: I learned how to apply wall paper. It was my first time doing it and it turned out really well.
The Color Cure: Are you happy with the outcome?
Sophie: I'm very happy with the outcome. And when people come over they are always surprised by the hot pink kitchen.
The Color Cure: What, if anything, would you do differently next time around?
Sophie: Nothing I would do differently.
The Color Cure: If you had one piece of advice for Apartment Therapy readers, what would it be?
Sophie: Don't be afraid of color, it just might brighten up your every day :)
• Read more: Before & After: 2 Kitchens Overhauled with Bold Color & Painted Cabinets at Apartment Therapy
Related: A Cabinet-Painting Idea for the Color Wary
(Images: Apartment Therapy)
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Whooooa. No.
Haven't I seen this on here before?
I like it. Better than before.
Oh- I guess you say that it's been on before... Why is it back?
I love the tile & color. It is a big improvement from the sad original!
Whose landlord is ok that that they painted the cabinets red? My landlord won't even let us put nails in the wall, none the less paint cabinets supermodel lipstick red and glue up a back splash! Amazed by that alone.
I can't imagine how TO'd I'd be as a renter if I walked into an apartment with pink cabinets like this (since it happens frequently enough that your walkthrough may not be the actual unit you get). Then again, I really despise the resurgence of the pepto-ish pink that's been cropping up...ew. But that's just my thing.
I always love the makeovers of rentals, but I always wonder who their landlords are. I've lived in rentals for the past 6 years (a different place every time...FML), and most were even turned off at the idea of even painting the walls, even if I promised to paint them back to white when I moved out. I can't IMAGINE a landlord that would be ok with painting CABINETS, which can't be converted "back to normal" after being painted.
Especially considering the impermanent nature of renting, unless you plan to be living there for an extended period, I just can't see the benefit of making bigger changes. I wouldn't compromise my security deposit by changing features that I didn't put in myself. :/
Would have looked better before if they just cleaned the kitchen...
I like the wallpaper and the back splash, and the pink, while not my color, adds life to the small room making it much more pleasant then the before.
With the tiling, it looks like an awful lot of money to throw into a place she's only renting. The pink doesn't bother me, but with the olivey-lime green accents it looks like it was a mistake.
I think the After is fantastic and shows a lot of energy. The Before was sort of lifeless. Bold color choice -- looks great!
Having lived in a few NYC apartments with tiny & hoorendous kitchens I can totally appreciate this! Love it! This has inspired me to do a kitchen overhaul of my own...thanks!!
Obviously this redo will not be to everyone's taste. I don't particularly care for it but it's not my home. Gutsy move and I appreciate that and commend you for it. I'm just glad to know that I'm not the only one putting work into a rental. I've only done painting but am considering changing the countertop in my bathroom and adding some tile. Oh, also glad to see another microwave on the fridge. That's where mine is. Almost everyone that comes over complains about not being able to reach it. I have no problem reaching it and I'm the one that uses it regularly. :-)
This came out beautifully! Nice job! I really like how red kitchens come out. And they are more versatile than you would think of. You can easily turn them to a traditional or a contemporary style (depending on the door style of course)
While I'm not a fan of a pink, it makes the place a lot cheerier.
hahahah @ lia_bia, my thoughts precisely. i would love to do that, but my landlord wouldn't allow something that dramatic. cute though.
Pink/black/acid green is not my color combo at all, but I really like the backsplash and the oven surround.
As far as putting time and energy into a rental - I love it when our tenants do - as long as they are careful with the paint. It means that they care about the space and think of it as 'theirs'. That means that they will take care of MY investment, too.
Our current tenants painted the garage space to make a 'man cave', and I totally want to paint my sister's garage in her side of the duplex now LOL.
Definitely a bold choice, and if she likes it, then it is successful. I am intrigued that she painted the cabinets in ONE day. I've been thinking of painting my brown cabinets white, and have read repeatedly that it is a long, intensive process to do it right (10 days to dry the doors). Wondering if she found a successful shortcut??
Faces on the wall, watching me, following me with their eyes.......eeeeesh.
I painted a rental apartment's living room walls a dark grey with cream woodwork, first asking my landlord and promising that I would repaint when I moved, if the successor didn't like it. She was SURE I would have to, but HAHA! the next renter chose my unit out of several because of the paint choice in the living room, it "had personality."
Good experience, and asking first made me feel fair - after all, it wasn't my place to mess with without permission.
@nate f, I'm also glad to see someone else who puts effort into their rentals. Granted, my place is a long-term living situation for me and DH (been here 2.5 years, and no plans to move for at least 2 more), but we've done all sorts, painting, ripping out carpet and refinishing wood floors...my landlord is great, really flexible, and honestly, a freshly tiled kitchen and refinished wood floors raise the value of the apartment for future tenants.