I can barely get my words out, I have so much I want to tell you about this colorful, eclectic kitchen!  But let me start here: The entire kitchen “remodel” cost less than $85!

The painted and repurposed chandelier might just take the cake on this one. Or the glossy gray painted backsplash. Or the chalkboard wall… Or the teapot collection, or the Parks & Rec artwork… Okay, it’s ALL pretty charming!  It was so much fun getting to work on this quaint and colorful historic charmer!!

The kitchen renovation was originally planned for another phase of the project.  But with the living room and dining room spaces coming together so beautifully, the kitchen stood out like a sore thumb.   So one night we sat down to tea (seriously, Audrey can make a good cup of tea!).  We started talking about the possibilities of doing a light update to the kitchen so it blended well with the other newly designed spaces.

Then I started one of my most important steps in the design process: I stared at the kitchen for a good long time — Ben calls it “standing around.”  I call it the design process. Sometimes I need to sit with a room and let the ideas start bouncing around…I adored Dave + Audrey’s beautiful collection of things: their collection of tea pots, their colorful dishes, the pop of color in their dining stool (a gift from Audrey’s mother).  The kitchen had great bones. And Dave + Audrey had an eclectic collection of beautiful things…And so with Dave + Audrey’s help, we updated the kitchen for less than $85!  (See the budget breakdown after the photos.)

BEFORE

AFTER

CHANDELIER BEFORE

CHANDELIER AFTER

THE $85 KITCHEN REMODEL BUDGET BREAKDOWN:

• Lamp Wire ($1.40) & Teal Spray Paint ($3.98) & Metal Hook ($1.98) – This chandelier came from the old dining space.  We took off the gaudy not-quite-Craftsman glass shades, rewired the lamp so it could “swag” from the lightbox to hang centered over the kitchen island, and gave the chandelier three coats of Valspar teal spray paint.  And presto!  It became a colorful chandelier with classic lines (the perfect blend of Dave + Audrey).  And the exposed bulbs provide much more light than that old flush mount fixture, and a whole lot more charm!
• Wall Paint ($0) – Leftover from the dining room and living room.
• High Adhesion Primer ($20.88) – Updating the backsplash was one of the most dramatic changes to this kitchen.  And proper prep of the ceramic tile and use of a high adhesion primer improve the longevity.
• Quart Gray Semi-Gloss Paint ($14.95) – Updating the tile color from terra-cotta-esque to stylish high gloss gray immediately updated the entire kitchen!  Furthermore, the monochromatic color palette (light gray walls, dark gray tile)  helped to visually enlarge the small kitchen.
• Gray Silicone Caulk ($4.16) – Once the tile was painted gray, the old dingy caulk just wasn’t cutting it.  The new, gray silicone caulk is waterproof — it’s a kitchen after all! — and matches the backsplash tile.
• Chalkboard Paint ($9.77) – The chair rail molding and unused expanse of wall were absolutely prime chalkboard territory!  And there’s plenty leftover for the homeowners to use for future projects.
• The Abstract Art ($11.98) – Seriously, only $11.98.  (From Lowes, who knew to look for art at Lowes?) The abstract art brings a modern touch to the kitchen and incorporates the accent colors from the rest of the home.
• The Liquor Crate ($12.99) – The wood crate serves both practical and aesthetic purpose.  First, it spotlights their collection of whiskey jugs — the homeowners are Irish, after all.  Second, the crate’s weathered, blue-green wood plays to the “curated” vibe and accent colors present throughout the home.  Finally, there’s a lot of open storage in this kitchen; it could easily tip to looking plain old messy rather than charming & eclectic.  By providing a corralled spot (a fridge-top vignette of sorts), these whiskey jugs and collectible liquors remain a show piece of the design rather than a messy distraction.
• Colorful Dishes & Furnishings (FREE!) – The homeowners had a stunning collection of tea pots, colorful dishware, collected glassware, and meaningful artwork — it was design meets function in the most colorful of ways!  We reframed a print the homeowners picked up in Korea in a colorful frame they already had on hand.  The framed patchwork is a cherished memento from Audrey’s sisters’ weddings.  The bacon and eggs picture is a cheeky gift from Audrey’s sister, referencing their love for Parks & Rec.  (Many of the photos and pieces of artwork in this space are propped amongst the dishes on the open kitchen shelving, a perfect showcase!)  And the cookbooks are all gifts from friends and family.  These pieces all bring a sense of color and life to this charming kitchen, and for a very attractive price: $0.

TOTAL: $82.09!!
(Okay, with tax we hit $86.59.)
I am so thrilled we were able to bring this space up to par with the living room and dining room, and even more importantly, we were able to do so without breaking the budget!

If you missed the dining room reveal on Friday, you can see it here!