Before & After: This “Stuck in 2009” Kitchen Got a Dreamy Facelift for Under $200
Studio apartment living has its own set of unique requirements. Namely, because it’s hard to create distinctions between the different areas of the home as they flow into one another, it’s important they communicate aesthetically so the space doesn’t feel disjointed. And when interior designer Marnie Salmon moved into her 450-square-foot Toronto studio apartment in 2017, this was her mission.
The kitchen was swathed in shades of gray, like in the laminate countertops and faux marble backsplash. “While the kitchen wasn’t terrible, it never really felt like a cohesive part of the space. When I was updating other areas of the apartment, it became glaring how disconnected and dull it felt in comparison,” Marnie explains. “After seeing all kinds of TikTok videos showcasing the ease of installing contact paper and the variety of patterns available now, I decided to embark on a mini renovation project.”
Marnie wanted her entire space to have an “eclectic Parisian look,” including the kitchen. “I chose butcher block paper to harmonize with the hardwood flooring, giving it a cohesive, furniture-like feel,” Marnie says. “For the backsplash, the terrazzo-inspired contact paper struck a perfect balance of vintage and modern all at the same time, adding brightness and character to this corner of the apartment. Overall, it beautifully ties in with the apartment’s aesthetic.”
When it came to actually making the changes, Marnie was prepared to do it all herself. For the butcher block counters, she successfully installed the paper on a 90-degree miter cut, and for the terrazzo backsplash, she made sure the seams overlapped so they wouldn’t be visible (making it look like real stone!).
An IKEA BEKVÄM cart was added to the space for extra storage (plus three IKEA ORDNING utensil holders), and all in all the kitchen refresh cost around $200 total. The new additions joined Marnie’s existing appliance and decor collection, which included her grandma’s vintage toaster, that pulled the room together. She transformed the space herself over the course of just one weekend.
“I love how the kitchen feels more unified with the rest of the space. It’s so much brighter now and creates a lively atmosphere,” Marnie shares. “Just this small change of revising the counters and backsplash had such a huge impact on the look of the kitchen overall. It even made the existing white cabinets themselves look better.”
If you want to see more of Marnie’s wonderful apartment and its “eclectic Parisian” vibe, visit the full home tour on Apartment Therapy.