Renovation Diaries

Wait until you see the stunning Italian stove.

A DIY blogger cuts costs by completing her kitchen remodel herself and learns big lessons in the process.

Wait until you see the pretty wallpaper!

Doing a lot herself saved quite a bundle!

They spent $237 on the new backsplash and countertop restoration.

Wait until you see their backsplash!

It's inspired by a bottle of wine and the couple's Korean culture.

Bright and inviting, this Los Angeles kitchen hits all the right notes.

There's even a nice stretch of counter space to fold all the laundry.

The couple splurged on a statement stove and saved where they could.

The couple sold their not-too-old appliances to make money to buy new ones!

Worth the wait!

It's so gorgeous and roomy! Check out the before and afters!

It's so open and airy now!

They knocked down a load-bearing wall!

Plus, how the pandemic surprisingly ended up saving the couple money in the long run.

Inspired by pro designer Justina Blakeney, this couple gave their North Carolina kitchen a dramatic transformation.

Plus, how they still had enough to splurge on quartz counters!

It really helped with all those big and little decisions!

Plus, how they stayed within budget and saved money in the long run.

Despite a few mishaps along the way, this DIY kitchen in New Bedford is now a bright and airy stunner.

Taking on a full kitchen remodel is one thing, but deciding to do-it-yourself can be a budget-friendly and satisfying reward.

Completed in just four months, this tiny DIY kitchen in Chicago is now a total showstopper.

Here's how they did it for $4,000 less than they had budgeted.

The lime-washed brick wall was a labor of love and a beautiful design element.

It helped them overcome decision fatigue!

They saved on a sink and splurged on a faucet!

And they did it all for around $18,000!

It looks like it would have cost so much more!

You'd think we meant to type $21,000. But we did not!

Wait until you see the brilliant backsplash and the salvaged kitchen island!

The cabinets! The natural light! The island!

The initial budget was $30,000, so the homeowners were thrilled that they came in under that!

It wasn't cheap, but it was worth it.

We got the breakdown to see how every penny was spent.

At least as far as their renovation was concerned.

Most of the renovation was done in three months, but six year later, the couple is still making some updates.

Last week I explained the big renovation and kitchen project we took on last year, and I showed you lots of pretty pictures of kitchens that inspired me. But in renovation, before a kitchen gets better, it usually gets worse. Much, much worse.Want to see what’s involved with pulling apart an old house to put in a new kitchen? If you’ve ever thought about tearing out a wall, brace yourself — let me show you what’s it like. The old kitchen before demolition.

A kitchen, in spray paint.At some point, when planning a kitchen renovation, you need to lift your head out of the daze of scrolling Pinterest, and the stacks of ELLE Decor UK and Dwell and actually, you know, plan your kitchen. I’ve told you all about buying a house, plunging into renovations, and tearing down plaster by the bucketful. Now, back to the kitchen itself — how in the world does one go about planning a kitchen renovation? How do you actually make decisions?

I’ve been sharing my kitchen renovation with you over the past couple of months (see all the posts and the progression here). Today’s finally the day: the big reveal! Here are some photos of my kitchen as it is today, after all the research, sweat, and dust. We are thrilled and feel so lucky — hope you enjoy the peek! When you come down the hall from our front door and vestibule, this is what you see — a big open kitchen and dining area.

There was nothing quite so angsty in my kitchen renovation as the countertops. Maybe it’s because I was coming from a rental kitchen with truly awful laminate countertops, countertops that were not only dirty cream in color but textured with deep wrinkles, like rhinoceros skin, never clean and never smooth; but I was convinced that the countertop choice would make the kitchen. Countertops are the difference between easy cleaning and dread.

Ready for the next step in my kitchen renovation? Here’s where things get a little wild and fast, and where my photo library gets a little thinner than I would like. I understand now why people have a hard time documenting renovations, especially near the end — you’re so exhausted and ready to be done the camera is the last thing on your mind. Having said that, I do want to walk through how we installed our IKEA cabinets.

I’ve been sharing my kitchen renovation with you (sorry for the unexpected hiatus last week!). Now, before I let you in on the IKEA plans and the nitty-gritty of the reno itself, let’s talk money. It’s the giant stompin’ elephant in the room when planning a kitchen renovation. Money is also a fast trigger to emotions and judgment, so it makes me a bit nervous to talk about it.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to tell you about my kitchen renovation. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you’ve probably seen glimpses of the full home renovation that engulfed me and my husband for most of 2012.