Top Tips to Update Your Kitchen on a Tight Budget

BySerena Ball, MS, RD
40 Comments

Top 5 tips for a budget-friendly DIY kitchen update - in about a week. Plus favorite no-cook recipes for while your kitchen is under construction, to help avoid take-out...most nights.

Planning a DIY kitchen update? Don't miss these: TOP TIPS TO UPDATE YOUR KITCHEN ON A TIGHT BUDGET | @tspcurry

My kitchen looked like it was straight from the 1990s. (I'm not knocking the '90s as I have happy high school memories from that era.) But it was time for an update.

I've had a Kitchen Dreams Pinterest Board for the entire three years we've been in this house. So after seeing several totally inspirational ideas for DIY kitchen updates, I thought "How hard can it be?" So about a month ago, I decided to just go for it...

My budget was $500. And my time-frame was ONE week. That's how long my mother-in-law offered to stay in town to help. (Thanks Clara!)

Here are my Top 5 Budget-Friendly Tips for a DIY Kitchen Update:

1) Pick a kitchen 'theme' or color scheme and stick with it. This keeps you from veering off into big spending. Choose one or two kitchen design pins or an idea from a magazine. This also helps avoid indecision/decision-fatigue.

Because my house was built in the 1950's and already has some great 1950's-style built-in cabinets and I adore vintage cookbooks and kitchenware, this pin was my 'theme.'

2) Find a local independent hardware store. If you're a newbie in the DIY department (as I was!) these hardware folks will be your new best friends. (Thanks RP Lumber!) They're happy to help when you visit daily to ask silly questions. And they will share lots of great tips like this one - which I demonstrated on my DIY Kitchen Update Facebook Live video last week:

Tip to Decrease Paint Fumes in ANY Room:

==> Use 1 tablespoon of vanilla in 1 gallon of any type of paint to help neutralize the odor and make a painted room smell fresher. This even works for strong-smelling counter-top refinisher. (Use 1 teaspoon per 1 quart of paint.)

Avoid Take-Out During Kitchen Remodel - Make one of these 40 NO-COOK MEALS | @tspcurry

3) Pick a start date and a very solid end date. It will save your sanity. And family disruption. And you'll save money by avoiding tempting take-out while your kitchen is non-functioning. My kitchen took about eight days. #Dontjudgethemess

Weather is key too: Dry spring or fall days are perfect. If you refinish your counters, try to leave the windows open for three days to dissipate fumes - and to fully dry paint.

4) Shop around online. This is obvious. But I found two independent retailers that specialized in fun and unique products. They also had awesome budget-friendly options - and speedy shipping. (See below for a list.)

DIY kitchen remodel on a budget | @tspcurry

5) Grab a friend to help - and your kids too. Working with a friend gets the job done faster and is way more fun. And here's my philosophy with kids: I'd rather look at uneven painted brushstrokes on cabinets as a daily reminder of how we worked together on our DIY kitchen project - than worry about brush stroke perfection. And here's the news flash:

Give a kid a paint brush and she's enthusiastic to paint...for about 10 minutes. Then she leaves and stays out of your way for about 2 hours.[bctt tweet="Top Tips to Update Your Kitchen on a Tight Budget + 49 No-Cook Recipes for when the kitchen chaos via @tspcurry" via="no"]

Now...here's my list of budget-friendly kitchen remodel products:

MyKnobs.com - Name says it all. Any knob or drawer pull you could dream of...in every price range. I got these sweet "Candy-Red Insert in Polished Chrome" drawer handles.(See below) These "Retro Pulls" for my cabinet doors exactly match the house's original 1950's built-in's in my office.

Price: $9.41/9 handles + $2.25/25 pulls
Shipping: FREE over $50. Pulls arrived in 3 days; handles arrive in 1 week.

DIY kitchen remodel on a budget | @tspcurry

Spoonflower.com - Hundreds of super fun styles of wallpaper, with matching fabric (and wrapping paper.) You can even design your own. I loved their wall covering calculator so I could order only the amount I needed. Note: If I'd had more time, I'd have ordered the sample for $5...as my delivery wasn't exactly what I expected; but I still love it. (More 1970's tiki than 1950's - but what's 20 years when I got these cool pineapples?)

Price: Wallpaper $50
Shipping: $6. Arrived in 2 weeks.

DIY kitchen remodel on a budget | @tspcurry

Rust-Oleum® Countertop Coating - My hardware store friend said her Rust-Oleum coated counters have lasted 5 years and still look great. I loved how well the Light Ash color covered my lovely evergreen-green laminate counters in two coats; I gave it a third coat because my counters get A LOT of use.

Price: $19.49 x 2 cans + $6.79 foam roller

Valspar Chalky Finish Paint -  My mother-in-law swears by this brand and says it covers better and has an easier consistency to work with than other brands. We put two coats on my cabinets (and three coats in some spots.) The color was 'Aggie's Shawl' which is a darker aqua than my original 1950's pin - but I really wanted color pop - and it still goes great with red accents.

Price: $29.99 x 3 cans + $48.96 Minwax® Fast-Drying Polyurethane + $32.84 painting supplies

DIY kitchen UPDATE ON A BUDGET | @tspcurry

Behr Satin Paint - in the lightest grey-white for kitchen/dining area walls

Price: $42.96 x 2 cans

Two final notes: 1) Have fun with it! Half the fun of planning a kitchen update is pinning your inspirations. 2) I have no #disclosures to report. This was financed by my savings account

Now, to help avoid opting for take-out during your kitchen construction, check out these 49 No-Cook Recipes - including Deanna's Cucumber Avocado Soup with Moroccan Chickpeas - and The Recipe ReDux recipes at the end of this post.

Cucumber Avocado Soup with Moroccan Chickpeas | @tspbasil

Do you have kitchen update inspirations? What are they? Please share. (:

More Uncategorized

40 Comments

  1. Wow!! I am impressed. The pineapple wallpaper really adds to the theme as does the, jars and red accents. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your inspiration....it was fun and rewarding. Serena is correct about the kid--the two youngest lasted only about 10 minutes; however the two oldest were a big help washing down the cabinets and painting without any notable streaks (:

  2. WOOHOO! I am loving this! I too have had a kitchen remodel pin board since we moved into our house. I am super big on DIY and lucky for me the hubby is pretty good at this stuff, so I think with this post, your photos and video, I can convince him now to bite the bullet! I have to admit, I am terrible at painting, I am pretty sure your little one had better strokes than me! I needed that advice too on pick a theme and stick to it, I change my mind WAYYY to much. Also, maybe I should add, turn off Fixer Upper so I stop being indecisive lol! Nice job!!! Looks great!

    1. YOU can do it Liz!! Feel free to contact me with any questions. Seriously! Or post them here. It really was 8 days. And that was even with a repainting of the dining area part - twice since we didn't like the color. And lots of trips to the hardware store. If you cut out the trips to the hardware store that's 30 min away, we may have been done in 7 days! Thanks for your enthusiasm. (:

  3. This looks great! I am so impressed that you were able to do all of that in 8 days! When the time comes for me to do a kitchen update, I'll be using your tips for sure!

  5. This is awesome! I am veryyyy far away from ever having my own house, but will be pinning this so I can look back on it for when I finally do! :D! Your kitchen looks awesome! <3

    1. Thanks Farrah! You just have a long time to keep that pin board going. Mine was a good 3 years old. And now...I'm sorta sad I have less use for it. But...I guess it's called dreams. So maybe in another 3 years I'll feel like an update. It was work, but fun! (:

  6. Serena, you're amazing! I am beyond impressed that you did this yourself. It looks gorgeous. Enjoy every minute in your new kitchen. Love that blue!

    1. Not myself...with my mother-in-law.(: She painted LOTS too! But I guess I can take the credit for the color. So thanks...amazing how color can make a person happy!

    1. The space is so much brighter and lighter with the dark counter-tops gone. I didn't pick light counters for that reason - but now I'm so glad I did. And it's a much more fun space to keep clean - because it's new. (:

  8. I can't believe how LIGHT and BRIGHT It made the kitchen. Super great job...I can see why you love it so.... congratulations on your NEW KITCHEN !!!!!

    1. Thanks! I wake up in the morning and it does make me smile...as it does feel so bright. (:

  9. i live in an apartment so clearly cant do anything with it.. i hated my last apartments kitchen but this one fits my style well. i love the color you picked, love love love it esp this time of the year 🙂

    1. Well I love, love everything you cook in that apartment Dixya! So it must be a space you like to spend time in. Thanks for your kind comment. (:

  10. Very useful post for the people who are thinking to remodel their kitchen cabinet, ,The information you have shared is very informative.

  12. These are great tips for updating your kitchen on a tight budget and love the cabinet color! I have a small kitchen and all these ideas will come in handy! Thanks for sharing!

  13. Awesome post! Love the turquoise blue color of the cabinets. it definitely compliments the stainless steel appliances. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Thanks for visiting Selene. Are you in Peoria, IL? You're practically my neighbor!

  14. I feel that the above ideas will guide us to create a beautiful kitchen on a budget. Though kitchen remodeling can be expensive, I think there is no need to sacrifice the style because we only need to plan ahead and make smart choices when choosing where to splurge and save. Though the above ideas are friendly to all, but it is mainly for those whose dreams are bigger than their budgets. Thus, don't need to bother if your have tight budget, you can wisely implement the above steps by hiring the right contractor to make you dream come true.

  15. I like the color of the chalky blue. I would never have thought to chose a color so bold and adventurous. however, when I saw yours it really changed the way I looked at it. Great Article, Thanks.

  16. Awesome tips for updating your kitchen! Budgeting plays a important part when it comes to making a difference in renovation! Thanks for sharing

    1. So true Ryan! And the kitchen has held up great - now 1.5 year later. I still love it. And I see more and more aqua blue cupboards in mags. Sorta feeling smug - as I was ahead of the trend! Thanks for visiting.

  18. My husband wants to renovate our kitchen, and I think it is time to as well. Thank you so much for discussing the importance of making sure you set up an appropriate budget. It makes understanding that taking the time to do this can help you prevent spending more than you need as well as making the most out of your materials.

  19. We're planning an entire renovation this spring, and it's the kitchen that I'm worried most! Thanks for putting this post out there!

  20. I’m looking forward to making arrangements for my kitchen remodel on a tight budget. thanks for sharing the budget-friendly article. I really appreciate your tips & suggestions.

Comments are closed.