This Gorgeous $200 Rental Kitchen Makeover Is Full of Smart Ideas

This project has so much going for it: It was done for less than $200, it was done in a rental, and it features faux DIY granite countertops and a covetable KitchenAid! (Mixer obviously not included in the $200 total.)

Click through and get dangerously inspired.

The pink + celadon + white + gold combination is comfortingly and charmingly vintage, but the clean lines of the cabinet doors, handles, and subway tiles keep things modern. The rug works perfectly with the color scheme while throwing in a few extra hues, echoing the rainbow of glassware on display.

The most impressive thing about this beautiful makeover? Abbey of Daily Disco did this makeover alone, in just one weekend. It’s making me want to make over my kitchen now!

I am especially inspired by the aforementioned DIY white granite countertops, which turned out beautifully. Our friends over at Apartment Therapy featured a kitchen with DIY marble counters made using a product from Stone Coat Countertops; these were made with Giani Countertop Paint. (If you have experience with either product — or any other DIY faux stone — please tell us about it in the comments! And be sure to check out the process shots and tips at Daily Disco.)

I know some of you are sick of the Paint It White trend, but this is a good example of what a difference white paint can make. These standard apartment cabinets (what I call “aggressively honey”) totally compete with the exposed brick, creating a muddy color combo, so neither of them shine.

But now, the bright white cabinets show off the brick in the best possible light — literally, as the paint reflects light onto the wall.

This project has a lot going for it, but I wanted to list three subtle but super-clever aspects that might be overlooked.

• That is not a new stainless steel dishwasher; it is the same dishwasher with a stainless steel sticker!
• Moving the location of the paper towel holder both created space for the mixer without crowding any other spot and shortened the post-handwashing reach. Replacing it with a gold one added glam.
• The subway tile is peel-and-stick! And the additional photos on Daily Disco show that it looks totally presentable even up close.

This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: Before and After: This $200 Peel-N-Stick Kitchen Redo is All Sorts of Amazing