We just received this simply lovely budget kitchen makeover from reader Leea in central Mexico. She has a rental kitchen, so she couldn't change much, and yet she made a stunning difference — on a budget too! Read on for dramatic before and after photos, as well as Leea's budget makeover tips for rental kitchens.
Kitchen location: Central Mexico
Rent or own? Rent
Total cost of makeover: $150
Leea says:
The kitchen was dark and depressing, not to mention cumbersome. Using glossy white paint added in extra light. Naturally I could not undertake anything too radical with a rental so I was limited to few small simple upgrades that were affordable.
Here's a detailed list of the upgrades:
- Painting the kitchen ceiling, walls and floor cost $40
- The mirror backsplash was added for $10
- Homemade vintage-style blue shelf was made from a piece of wood bought at a lumberyard and the hardware came from a small local hardware store for $4
- The curtain and tea towel were made from matching vintage apple fabric found on eBay. Cost was $15
- Floating shelves from local Home Depot at $15 apiece
- Ikea fixtures ordered online via eBay for $50
- Total renovation cost: $149
And here are a few tips for those of you who rent and might want to do something similar.
- Make sure you are not spending too much money on fixtures that are not removable in a rental. Adding in a few floating shelves can do wonders in a tiny kitchen with no cupboards.
- You can get cheap and personal shelves by buying raw wood from a hardware store or lumberyard and painting it with a bright accent color. Get old brackets from antique stores.
- Most small kitchens are dark; glossy white paint brightens even the tiniest spaces.
- Most kitchens in Mexico are barebones, with no built-in cabinets of any kind. It was quite a challenge to work around this without installing cupboards. A long narrow table against a back wall is an easy way to store a few things.
- For food storage I had to use a plastic bin to protect dry goods from moisture and bugs. Getting a brightly colored one cheers it up a bit.
What a wonderfully charming makeover, Leea! Thank you so much for sharing it.
For more good ideas on sprucing up a rental kitchen, see this post:
• Ten Kitchen Improvements for Renters
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If you have a kitchen design tip, a kitchen tour, or a kitchen makeover or remodel, we'd love to see it! We're always looking for real kitchens from real cooks.
Submit your kitchen here.
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This is lovely!
What about the new table on the right in the first photo (which is lovely)? Was it just moved in from another room and that's why it didn't cost anything?
Yep, the table was moved from another room (storage room). Everything else in the pictures I already owned.
I like how this space seems to reflect truly personal tastes. It doesn't look "designed" and it doesn't look like it was bought out of a catalog either. I think kitchens that look like rooms, and not granite showplaces are very comfy and homey!
Oh, and I REAALLY love that cactus outside!
I really love Leea's kitchen--very charming and full of character.
Looks great. Well done!
Nice transformation. It gives me really good ideas for when I get to attack my mother-in-law's kitchen in Puebla next summer. They are so reluctant to do anything that costs much, even if we are the ones spending the money.
Good job.
What an upgrade! Congrats!
It is a very good example of creativity. Necessity is the mother of invention, isn't it? Very clever and functional. One item that lends a bit of visual cacophony is the stretch of fabric beneath the sink. I would suggest gathering the fabric into folds, pleats or box pleats so it offers a softness to the hard edges. Measure the opening and multiple by 3 to get your length. You can tack the folds or pleats into place, velcroe them or string them from a rod or cable. Pleating is not hard nor is box pleating. It will be a visual improvement over the wide swath of fabric. I do like the red fabric choice however, just not the wide uninterrupted swath. An Elvis painting on black velvet could achieve the same look.
I love the dark wood drawer "counter" where did you get it??
The long wooden table was hidden away in a storage room when I moved into my apartment. I believe it is handmade from old wood scraps, or so it appears. It has a few paint stains that add to its street credit. :-)
hey Leea,
thts a great makeover of kitchen. Keep posting such ideas. from your post i am getting inspiration to make some budget changes for my retal kitchen :)
I would use the same fabric under the sink for an additional curtain across the bottom of the long table. It would be more unifying and allow storage to be behind wraps. Maybe even some curtains or a valance on the window. Love your screen door!