how to improve a small kitchen on a buget
Hi, we've recently moved house and I am hoping for suggestions on how we can improve the space. we are on a budget but can do a few things and I would really love suggestions.
Our kitchen is a small eat-in style space and the cabinets are a very cheap looking laminate kind of shiny finish. I can't find out where they came from so replacing the door fronts probably wouldn't be easy. I also don't think painting that kind of surface would hold up to the wear and tear they will receive. the counter top is laminate and has chips out of it.
I like the side of the kitchen with the built in cabinets they are solid wood so we were able to paint them white. and I would love the rest of the kitchen to match that look a bit more.
the appliances are about 10 years old but still going strong, when they break I would like to replace them with white or stainless steel ones.
We have put in a track light in the center of the kitchen based on the suggestions from Houzz, I wouldn't have considered track lighting but it blends in really well and we don't even notice the them. But now I need a light fitting for above the sink. Should it match the track lighting???? or should I try a school house light or something simple and spherical?
putting in a brand new kitchen isn't going to happen right now and maybe not in the next 5-7yrs, but maybe we could replace the counter top or put in a back splash.
I would LOVE to hear some suggestions! Thanks
Comments (11)
jhmarie
5 years agoIf you tried to load pictures, they didn't load - so load them into the comments. It will be hard to advise you without some.
I did a budget kitchen for my basement - so I will pull some ideas from that. I used older cabinets I had stored in the garage. I refinished them, but I only had lowers so I built shelves out of fir joist. You can try looking at ReStore for some gently used cabinets or do open shelving - keeping in mind open shelving can be extra work keeping clean and neat. I used stock laminate counters. These come pre-mitered and need to be trimmed to the correct length. Stock laminate comes in limited colors - but I believe many home center stores carry black which would look good on the white cabinets. They are very inexpensive. It is easier to do this sort of budget kitchen if you like a cottage or vintage style - lends itself to the open shelves and use of older cabinets.
Here is my basement kitchenette which cost me about $1000 - electrical and plumbing were already present. Most of the cost - about $600 was the install of cabinets, counter and sink:https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~65270573
This is a guest cottage kitchen that can be found at French Country Cottage blog. They used an unfinished home center sink base cabinet and then built shelves for lower cabinets. Crates, baskets and curtains replace cabinet doors. The upper cabinets were salvaged from someplace. More pictures and what they did here:https://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/2012/08/petite-cottage-kitchen.html
This kitchen inspired my kitchenette even though it has a very different look in white:
Beadboard makes an excellent temporary backsplash. I used the beadboard textured paintable wallpaper for my kitchenette. Butcher block also is an inexpensive countertop as in the pic above. I had one on my island for many years and it held up really well.fininigin thanked jhmarieRelated Discussions
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Comments (15)Looking at your layout, I don't think you have the room for a 36" range. You will need a filler between the blind corner and any adjacent cabinet. That nixes your pullout that you have there. And you have minimal landing space on the other side next to a major traffic route. That will leave you with a 30" range fitting MUCH better. You could do a 30" induction range and separate wall oven elsewhere, or something like the GE Cafe with the griddle and double ovens below. That would give you the maximum versatility in the smallest space. If you want to grill, use a grill pan or do it outside. It doubles your requirements for ventilation, which you haven't discussed at all. That will get pretty expensive as you will be required to have makeup air for the CFM that you would need to have for a grill. In your situation, I'd put a separate under counter oven in place of the under counter MW. Maybe a speed oven, but the best place for the MW is next to the fridge as that's the logical flow of snackers and reheaters. I'd also really revisit having the work table as island. You could make the island work a lot harder by having a small prep sink on it and putting the trash there as well. That would give you a better prep zone with less walking. I'd suggest swapping the pantry and fridge. You need a straight shot from the fridge to the sink to make the prep zone work best. And that involves water access. So, you need the fridge at the bottom of that aisle, or a prep sink on the island. Or both. Otherwise, you're adding a lot of roadwork to making dinner....See MoreHow can I improve on my kitchen design?
Comments (15)If that's a major walkway from the garage/mudroom/laundry I'd keep the fridge as originally drawn. You can move the stub wall back 12", and the pantry's front wall back a few more, to gain aisle space, and make the island 102" rather than 106" to gain 4" more, then have seating on three sides. The art niche would be narrower, so if you already own a special piece for that space, this suggestion might not work: If the goal of moving the fridge to the top wall is so that you won't see it from the great room, then buehl's suggestion would work much better than that option. I like the extra storage she has under the island, but I forgot to include it in my drawing. If you want to keep the extra oven, I'd still suggest tucking it in the top corner, invisible from the great room. You'll probably just use it for the side dishes while the turkey is in the range oven (or vice versa), so I'd put in on the periphery. And BTW, I'd love to have an extra oven, so I vote to keep it. ETA, and unless you have a really unpleasant view from the window, I'd suggest making it larger. I missed the window and seating questions the first time. : /...See MoreHow to decorate and improve my living room and kitchen.
Comments (11)The pics come off a bit dark, so yes, taking pictures with lights on/hutters open would be helpful I wouldn't add anything now until I decide what I want..in fact i'd take small things. put them somewhere else for now, and look at the space so I see it better and with a fresh eye (I also like your china cabinet and curio where they are btw) One thing I want to mention though before I see some more and think some more-I don't know where the house is but it's clearly inspired by forest. Woods. What usually goes on in forests-they're full of colors. they have leaves(or needles:) or both) The leaves might change their colors with seasons. They have flowers. Mushrooms. Berries. Grasses. They have a lot going on.. So if your house takes a lot of clues from forest-adding colors and textures will enhance it a lot. It's a perfect interior to pile on all these things. It takes the idea of your house and develops it. Forests can be very calming and cozy places to be..well maybe not when it's night and winter and you're not sure who's behind that tree..:) But yes, as somebody who loves forests-I see a very big potential in your place, Don't try to convert it into what it's not(I don't think it's your intention anyway; just thinking out loud)..but go with it some more. Don't do a theme..I don't mean a theme at all. I mean inspiration. And yes I love the idea of art, because I ve never seen a place yet that I wouldn't love the adea of art)) Also plants..if there s enough light; but there are several that are very resilient and survive well almost anywhere....See MoreImproving Small Kitchen Function
Comments (24)"kats meow, I completely missed that bit of info about your husband using the dining room as the office." Well, actually I think you have it. I met today with a designer to discuss all the potential remodeling of the house. We had a lengthy discussion about the kitchen. Of course, we talked about opening the kitchen to the family room entirely or greatly expanding the pass through. The problem (even though all of that seemed awesome) is that it ate up the budget and I still have a master bath that needs to be redone (separate thread on that one). I wanted to preserve as much of the kitchen footprint as I could while improving storage and workspace. Having a more open kitchen was basically more of a want than a need. That is, I don't really need a fully open kitchen although I might like how that looks. So, what was proposed is something that I think I can make work with my budget and will meet my real needs. The first idea is, yes, to move the dining table and chairs to the formal dining room. Yes, DH has his office there. Basically, the suggestion is that we use the family room as an office. Make the formal living room the main living area for guests and use the family room mostly as an office with a sofa in there for talking/TV. DH would move to my current office and I would move to the family room. Probably put in French doors between the breakfast room and the family room. The pantry would be moved to the bottom left hand corner of the breakfast room and would go from the corner to the window. New cabinets/counters in the kitchen. The new cabinets with adjustable shelves and drawers on the bottom would improve storage. For my workspace, basically extend the countertop that the cooktop is on make it deeper. it would go into what is now the breakfast room and could have countertop seating there. The counter and cabinets would extend to where the pantry is now giving me more counter and storage space. An alternative that I would like to find a way to work would be to move the refrigerator down to that area (probably to where the breakfast room opening starts) and then extend the counter/cabinets to where the refrigerator is now. The issue there would be to have enough clearance between the refrigerator and the peninsula with the cooktop since it would now be much larger and deeper. It might be better to leave the refrigerator where it is. There would be no table in the breakfast room but there would be counter seating at the peninsula. What I like about this idea is that it greatly increases my storage space and workspace. It also doesn't move around a lot of stuff in the kitchen. My house is on a slab so moving stuff around like water lines or vents can be expensive. This doesn't move around a lot of expensive stuff. We discussed the possibility of a range or moving the cooktop but those involve having to deal with venting. Of course, this means using the family room as an office. That is fine as I never felt we needed two living areas. And we move the dining to the dining room next to the kitchen. That looks better for people coming in than having people see DH's office. No one would really be going to the family room/office unless they were specifically being asked to go there....See More
fininigin
5 years ago
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years agofininigin
5 years agoraee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years agofininigin
5 years agoarcy_gw
5 years agofininigin
5 years agolisaam
5 years agothe cupboard over your kitchen table is charming. Spread some more charm around. A pendant over the sink that makes you smile is one option. If all the walls are truly white maybe paint the table or chairs or future bench to match chosen lamp color.
fininigin thanked lisaam
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio