This Charming Kitchen Renovation Only Cost $200

I have bad news for everyone who has been saving up money for years to create the kitchen of their dreams: The whole thing could have taken just two days and $200. At least that was the case for Abbey Eilermann, who did this makeover solo in the span of just one weekend!

But don’t let that discourage you — that just means you’ll have a lot of time (and money!) left over once you finally get to DIY-ing your own space. Before we tell you how Abby transformed the “before,” do you want to see the “after?” I thought you might!

So who, exactly, is the wizard who transformed that into this — in a rental, no less? Abbey Eilermann is the St. Louis-based artist behind Daily Disco and the creative genius behind this charming (and cheap!) kitchen makeover that we’re totally lusting over. As you can see, she rendered her own space completely unrecognizable — in a good way.

Time to dive into what changed.

First, Abby painted her rental kitchen cabinets (with her landlord’s blessing, of course)! For help to get the job done, she used cabinet painting kits from Giani in Celadon Green and Titanium White. She also used her artistic eye for color to add a pink vintage rug from Aladdin Rugs.

Another major difference is the subway tile backsplash, which, believe it or not, is peel-and-stick! She also DIY-ed the white granite countertops (to make the peeling black laminate look like marble) with another paint kit from Giani. A more subtle swap that makes a huge impact is the utterly ingenious decision to move the location of the paper towel holder. Shifting it one foot to the right created space for Abby’s KitchenAid stand mixer, allowing both to be focal points of the space. The choice to replace the holder with a gold one upped the glam factor.

While all of those low-budget changes are super impactful, the one we are most obsessed with is the dishwasher illusion. Believe it or not, that is not a new stainless steel dishwasher; it is the same dishwasher with a stainless steel sticker magnet! Brilliant!

According to Abby, the kitchen is her proudest DIY moment. Her best advice? “Take your time and live in your space before making big design decisions.” Once you have a vision, it might take a lot less time (and money!) than you originally thought.

See the rest of this House Tour: This Home has Everything…Hand-Painted Wallpaper, a Cat Named Dolly Parton, Disco Balls and More at Apartment Therapy