Reader Kitchen Remodel

We know what you’re thinking: Haven’t we seen this kitchen before? Well, sort of. So many of the kitchen renovations we see here at The Kitchn start with a space that looks like this — white or cream walls, honey-colored cabinets, and bland countertops. Our favorite term for this type of kitchen? Builder-basic. So today’s builder-basic kitchen comes from Jim. He and his wife recently remodeled their kitchen, and now it’s anything but boring. Take a look.

Sometimes a kitchen remodel isn’t in the cards, but the universe has other plans. That’s what happened to Andrew and his wife with their condo kitchen. They discovered there was water damage to the subfloor that had to be fixed, so they used the opportunity to do a budget-friendly remodel and make the kitchen more their style. Take a look at how their surprise $2500 renovation turned out! First things first: they had to replace the flooring.

Upon purchasing her new home, reader Xan, who writes the blog cirqueduppicadilly, knew one thing for sure — those upper cabinets had to go. Not only were they too low (which cut off a good portion of the counter space), but they made the kitchen feel like a rental. “Superficially, they looked fine, but as soon as you touched them they felt like they might just fall apart,” she wrote. With a small budget in hand, Xan and her husband set out to complete a mostly DIY renovation.

What’s a baking blogger to do with a kitchen that looks like this? Michelle, the woman behind Hummingbird High, wrote to us about the recently completed gut remodel of her kitchen. After dealing with an outdated space — one that didn’t actually have a proper place for her refrigerator — she finally has a kitchen perfectly tailored to her baking habits. We’re officially ready to call Michelle’s kitchen swoon-worthy.

One of the first things you might notice about this kitchen is the six-burner wood stove that sits just outside the kitchen in the living/dining area. Needless to say, Kim — who sent us today’s kitchen remodel — didn’t have much occasion to use the wood stove. The rest of the kitchen hadn’t been remodeled since 1988, so it was due for an upgrade as well.

When done right, we love a colorful kitchen. But sometimes having too much color can make a space feel cramped and crowded, like in this kitchen makeover from reader Angie. The peachy-pink walls combined with the floral tile backsplash and honey-colored cabinets make this corner kitchen feel like there’s just too much going on. But Angie’s remodel provides a much more serene cooking space — take a look! What a difference! The first thing Angie did was shop for new appliances.

The first thing you might notice in the before shot of this kitchen sent to us by June of My Food Odyssey is that this isn’t even a kitchen at all. June and her husband recently bought a house in Lithuania for $10,000, which means they were able to plan some renovations to the space as well.

Danielle and her husband recently purchased a farm house that has been in Danielle’s family for years. One of the first things Danielle, who writes the blog The Creative Bite, wanted to update was the navy and gold 1970s kitchen that her grandmother designed. The couple needed a more contemporary space, and one that felt more connected to the rest of their home. We think they nailed it. Take a look! What an upgrade!

Petra and her husband, Patrick, bought their condo in 2012, knowing they had their work cut out for them. The kitchen in particular needed a major update. The couple knew they wanted to stay true to maintain the light in their top-floor condo without disrupting the character of the 1920s home. Take a look at what their condo kitchen looks like now. This kitchen might be in the running for our most-improved list of 2015.

When reader Marina and her family moved into their home five years ago, she always knew she wanted to redo the kitchen. As you can see in the photo above, the kitchen was very dark, and even though the cabinets were painted a light color, they seemed heavy. Plus, as a mom of young children, Marina wanted to have the kitchen open to the family room so she could cook while still keeping an eye on her kids. Take a look a Marina’s kitchen now — it took a turn for the lighter!

When Karen and John moved into an Eichler home (a mid-century modern home in California built by real estate developer Joseph Eichler), they found a kitchen that had been overlaid with more traditional architecture instead of maintaining the mid-century look. Karen and John set out to update the kitchen and restore it to a more era-appropriate style. Take a look at how it turned out. Now that looks more like it!

When Christina, of the blog Christina’s Adventures, wrote in to us about her kitchen remodel in a 1902 Victorian home, she called the before kitchen a “pit of despair.” While it might not be quite that desperate, we do agree it was in need of a serious makeover. Fortunately, Christina and her husband are old pros at kitchen remodels after completing their first remodel in 2014. Take a look at how the kitchen looks now.

When Terri first bought her 1950s-era home, this is what her kitchen looked like. Thanks to a remodel in the 1970s by the previous owner, the kitchen felt out of place with the rest of the house. Terri’s number-one priority for her remodel was to be able to include her vintage Kelvinator oven she found on Craigslist, but she also wanted to have a kitchen that had plenty of modern conveniences. Terri worked with Inspired Kitchen Design to complete the remodel.

Rachel and her husband were so excited to become first-time home buyers, but they were less excited about the state of the kitchen in their new home. While the layout was perfectly functional and provided ample counter and cabinet space, the color scheme and style weren’t to their taste. But they were able to give it a budget-friendly facelift that made it feel like a brand-new space. Here’s Rachel’s kitchen now.

After buying a brownstone in Brooklyn, the owners knew they needed to upgrade the kitchen — stat. Not only was the design outdated, but the cabinets, floors, and appliances were all a little worse for the wear. They hired Jane Rosenbaum of Jane Interiors to help reimagine their kitchen — on a budget (they did just buy real estate in Brooklyn, after all). Luckily, the after looks anything but budget. Isn’t it a stunning upgrade?

What do you do when you love the color blue, but your blue kitchen is all wrong? You do exactly what reader Timisha did — you remodel your kitchen and turn it into the kind of blue oasis you want instead of the 1980s disaster it was. Timisha writes the blog Toolbox Divas, and knew she needed to give her kitchen a makeover, but only had a limited budget to turn it into a room she’d love cooking in. Take a look at what she was able to accomplish for just $900. Bravo, Timisha!

We can undoubtedly say that this is one of our favorite DIY kitchen upgrades to ever hit our inboxes at The Kitchn. It’s such a simple makeover, but it makes a huge impact. Robyn Andrea, of the blog Runaway Apricot, told us the kitchen is a big part of why she loves her Harlem studio apartment, but it felt a little boring. She wasn’t in a position to make permanent changes since it’s a rental, but we’d say her solution is perfect. Take a look! Do you love it?

While at first glance you might not think this kitchen needs a makeover, when you start to look closely, you’ll see that some of the details are a bit out of date and could use a refresher. Plus, the white walls and cabinets are kind of bland and could use a pop or two of color. That’s what homeowner Carrie thought as well. And with a former Pantone color of the year in mind, Carrie went to work updating her bland kitchen. Take a look at how it turned out! What a big change!

When Kitchn reader Linn emailed us photos of her bungalow kitchen makeover, we immediately wanted to know more. Before the renovation, this 90-square-foot kitchen was “very green,” as she tells us, with mint green linoleum, walls, and ceiling — perfect for the 1940s perhaps, but not so great for the 21st century. To save on costs, Linn and her husband did the remodel themselves, and on a very tight budget: Beautiful, and impressive!

What’s the incentive to undergo a kitchen renovation? For Kitchn reader Leigh, it was a desire to make the most of the view outside. “One of the major problems with the existing kitchen was that it only had one small window looking over an amazing view,” Leigh told us in a recent email. “Our goal from the beginning was to open up the views by having as many windows as possible and no upper cabinets.

Kitchn reader Cathy was not a fan of her outdated 1980s kitchen. The layout was terrible and it had hardly any cabinets. But she lived with until she could afford to renovate, which finally happened after she refinanced her house. Her renovation is pretty spectacular, in no small part because she tracked down most of her dream elements — a 48″ Viking range, a French door refrigerator, mahogany and Carrara marble countertops!

Teruko’s kitchen renovation is one of the most colorful we’ve seen! This Culver City, California kitchen was dark and outdated before, but after adding three skylights, a large window, and an incredible Mexican tile wrap-around mosaic, this kitchen is now a bright, colorful, one-of-a-kind space. See the transformation below:Wow! That mosaic is so cool, especially considering that Teruko made some of the tiles herself.

After spending two years cooking and recipe testing in his 1950s kitchen, cookbook author Chris Reynolds knew the time was right to redo his kitchen. As he tells us, it was “while baking, at least, three recipes a day” that he was able to plan out his perfect kitchen — something timeless, free of gimmicks or trendy finishes. Chris also stayed with the retro vibe of his kitchen by installing quartz countertops that look like vintage speckled Formica!

“I like to joke that this was the ‘Accidental Kitchen Remodel’ because what started as one project quickly snowballed into several, and our original ambition to make the kitchen just ‘liveable’ turned into making it just perfect,” Katherine tells us about her kitchen makeover. Yet even with that the whole project still came in under $400, and the result maintains the feel but adds a little finesse and personality.

Susan’s kitchen was in bad shape: “Every surface was starting to break down,” she wrote to us, like “loose light fixtures, slipping wallpaper, places where the vinyl floor was shrinking away from the walls, scarred Formica, and badly battered doors on the lower cabinets.” So with her house fully paid off and a home equity line sitting unused, she and her husband jumped into a renovation.

When Kitchn reader Deepthi and her husband bought their 1966 Bay Area home two years ago, they knew a kitchen renovation would be their top priority. As purchased, the kitchen had limited cabinet and counter space, old appliances, and no dishwasher! But with the help of a kitchen designer, the couple now has a sleek new space: Wow! It’s hardly recognizable. Such a sleek, clean color palette of grey and cream.

In 2009 Kitchn reader Debbie and her husband bought a classic 1920s Chicago bungalow in a short sale from someone who’d been unable to flip it due to the recent housing crash. When the owner couldn’t sell the place for what he was asking, “he ripped out everything in the kitchen and just slapped stuff on the walls, including cheap cabinets that were literally attached to the walls with a few screws,” Debbie tells us.

Kitchn reader Jim’s 1970s kitchen was due for an overhaul — something that, as he told us, would “bring [it] into this decade.” So with a budget of under $10,000, Jim set out to give his kitchen a contemporary new look: What a transformation! Here’s what Jim tells us about his kitchen renovation: The original cabinet boxes were in great condition, so I had custom doors and end caps made and added new hardware for about $3400.

Kitchn reader Kim admits that the kitchen in her 1853 home wasn’t terrible, but it did have several features she and her husband weren’t wild about: tile countertops, vinyl flooring that covered up hardwood, and an electric cooktop mounted in the island, among other things. So, over the course of 16 months they did a complete remodel of the space, transforming it into a beautiful, cozy kitchen with a distinct industrial-vintage vibe.

When Kitchn reader Elizabeth moved into her Brooklyn apartment, it was a dull affair: “The kitchen floors were a brown linoleum that never looked clean, the cabinets were a mega mess, and the lighting couldn’t have been less desirable,” she wrote to us. “Nothing like halogen donut overhead bulbs!” But after a few DIY projects, including painting and redoing the kitchen floor, the new space is full of color and personality! See how her kitchen looks now: So cute!

When Beth moved into her San Diego home, the 1980s kitchen had never been updated. “The kitchen was very small for the size of the home (4 bedrooms),” she wrote to us. She dreamed of an open kitchen and dining area, and a large pantry. Over the course of four months the existing kitchen was stripped to the studs and rebuilt it into a beautiful, light-filled space. See what this kitchen looks like now! So, so lovely!

Back in 2008 Kitchn reader Deb bought a cottage in Chester, Nova Scotia that needed a ton of work. “When I bought the house the kitchen was a disaster and pretty gross,” she wrote to us. “The laminate floor, ancient appliances, lack of cupboards and brown paneling weren’t going to cut it.” But she was determined to make “this strange kitchen with a horrible layout” into a charming cooking space! See how she transformed it: What an improvement!

When reader Kelly’s kitchen remodel hit our inbox we were blown away by the transformation. The wood-paneled cabinets were straight out of the 1960s, and they made the kitchen especially dark. Check out how Kelly and her husband made over their space. We wouldn’t have even recognized this as the same kitchen to be honest. Kelly and her husband did all of the work themselves, she says “he was the foreman and I was the apprentice.

Reader Belinda’s kitchen was functional, and had lots of cabinet space, but not a lot of personality. The wood grain cabinets and the beige walls made for a drab space that even her colorful dishware couldn’t make up for. Just take a look at how Belinda renovated and rearranged her space. Belinda really lightened up her kitchen by removing a good portion of the closed cabinets.

Reader Barbie sent us photos of the dramatic transformation her kitchen underwent as part of her remodel. We were excited to see how this narrow kitchen got a modern update, and how Barbie and her family gained a lot more space. Take a look at how her kitchen looks now — it’s almost unrecognizable! The renovation made the kitchen feel more connected to the rest of the house instead of being so closed off. There had previously been a wall where the large, dual-sided island is now.

Reader Jillian was dealing with an very dated, dreary kitchen when she and her husband bought their house. In fact, the kitchen was one of the things that kept the house on the market for so long before they bought it. With just a couple of updates Jillian was able to give it a fresh new look while spending only $150 on the makeover. Take a look at what she did. It’s amazing what a little white paint can do, isn’t it?

Reader Jennifer had been in her home almost five years before she was able to get started on her kitchen renovation. Unexpected expenses related to a garage update meant that the appliances were the only things that had been updated. But on the plus side, this meant that she knew just what she wanted in the space, and what she didn’t want. Take a look at how her kitchen was transformed.

When Meg bought her first house, it was in need of a lot of love. She bought a house that had been foreclosed in Georgia, and she decided that the kitchen was the first place she wanted to start. Meg took the drab kitchen, which was also in need of a good scrubbing, and made it into a lovely farmhouse style space. We’re not only impressed with Meg’s kitchen because it looks so inviting, but also because she DIYed many of the projects herself.

When the photos of this kitchen renovation hit our inbox, we were shocked by the transformation. Especially given that the reader, Laura, who sent them isn’t an interior designer (although she tells us she is in her dream life), but an English teacher at a university. Laura and her husband took this incredibly dated (have you ever seen an oven that color?) kitchen and gave it a whole new life. Take a look at how this kitchen went from 70s Tang to farmhouse chic.

Homeownership is a huge step for so many people, which is why we’ll always be impressed by those in their early 20s who take such a huge step and purchase a home. Courtney wrote to us to share her kitchen makeover in her first home, which she bought this year at just 23 years old. Since she was working on a budget, she made several DIY updates to put her own stamp on her new space. Take a look at how much fresher it feels! Doesn’t it look so much fresher and up-to-date?

When you’re starting with just 104 square feet of space, you have to get creative in the kitchen. That’s exactly what designer Christine of Christine Tse Interiors did when she helped her clients expand their plain white kitchen with little cabinet or countertop space. The only catch? The kitchen couldn’t get any bigger. How did she improve storage and the feel of this city kitchen? With some clever upgrades (and big dose of color). Take a look at the transformation!

Nicolay was a first-time homeowner when he moved into this two-bedroom Boston condo. The kitchen remodel was high on the priority list, but he knew they would be facing some budgetary and spacial constraints — not to mention the fact that their apartment was on the second floor of an old church. The modern remodel is stunning, and Nicolay learned a few valuable renovation (and life) lessons in the process.

We have to admit that we actually like many parts of Matthew’s “before” kitchen — the sleek black cabinets, the black and white tile floors — but we also know that such a distinctive space doesn’t always fit in with the rest of a home’s design. Plus, since this kitchen was the original from 1941, it definitely needed a few upgrades. If you’re thinking this kitchen looks a little bigger, your eyes are not deceiving you.

Similar to our other kitchen remodel this week, reader Kristen writes in about moving into the apartment where her husband grew up. The kitchen held lots of memories, but was a little dated and in need of an update. Kristen decided to tackle the renovation herself and document it on her blog Casa Dolce Casa. Check out the updated kitchen — it’s a gorgeous change! We love the fresh take on the space, and would never have guessed that Kristen was a beginning DIY-er.

We’re pretty sure this could have been one of the neighbor’s kitchens (minus the modern appliances) in an episode of Mad Men. But as charming as the wood paneling might have been in the 1960s it doesn’t fit most modern ideas of a bright, warm cooking space. Like many readers of The Kitchn, Tatiana decided to give this space a bright, white makeover and add a little bit more space. Take a look at how it turned out — pretty impressive!

When Sylva and her family moved into their new home in 2005, their 1970s kitchen had never been updated. Luckily, Sylva was able to see the potential the space had. (After all it is quite a spacious kitchen!) It was time to get rid of the mahogany, and bring this dated kitchen into the 21st century. Take a look at how Sylva’s kitchen looks now. First things first, all the brown is gone and the space looks so much brighter. Plus, it fits in with the rest of the home now.

We’re always interesting in seeing the home kitchens that caterers and personal chefs work out of. Sometimes they are expansive (and make us jealous), but frequently they are smaller than we’d imagined, which just impresses us with how much can be done in a tiny space. Sue Dinneen’s before kitchen falls into the latter category. Sue has lived in her 1920s Tudor revival home for many years, and has run a part-time catering operation out of it for the past 12 years.

Today’s kitchen renovation comes from reader Koko of the blog, Koko Likes. Koko moved into this home not long before her husband Quincy was deployed for a tour in the Army. They had talked about renovating the kitchen when they first moved in, but plans were put on hold until Quincy’s return. Last fall, Koko and Quincy finally got the chance to start their remodel, and they finished it this month.

Tanja and Mark live in a 1,000-square foot condo in Los Angeles, and they’ve wholeheartedly turned the space into a personal, comfortable home. They haven’t been afraid to tackle some pretty major projects, too, including the kitchen. They renovated on a budget with environmentally-friendly choices, like cork floors, and did it all for under $7,000, which is a good deal anywhere, let alone pricey LA.