This was a kitchen renovation on a major budget. We managed it by leaving the existing cabinetry and adding to it instead of starting from scratch. Paint is cheap and can do a great deal to transform a space! Additionally, the appliances were sourced at an extreme discount. We had to drive five hours away to get them, but we saved several thousand dollars doing so! With appliances, marble tile, new 2" butcherblock countertop, and marble island, this kitchen came in at just under 10K! A budget miracle! Here is the stunning before and after evidence:
The best thing about this layout is convenience. All of the pans are right under the stove in deep drawers. Pull out spice racks and oil and vinegar racks are on either side above the stove. The marble backsplash tile completely covers the wall behind the stove, but only goes up one foot around the backsplash for the counters. This was a purposeful decision for two reasons. One: completing one row of one-foot tile repeats was very cost effective, and two: leaving a small area of wall for the backsplash allowed us to bring the bright spring green color throughout the kitchen.
There was only room for a small kitchen island, but it is maximally useful with a built in cutting board with a hole in its back edge which sweeps straight into the waste bin. I cannot emphasize enough how useful this is, especially for those who chop vegetables everyday!
All the bakeware is in deep drawers under the oven, and the deep pull out pantry to the left of the oven holds a ton of food! Above the pantry is a little door holding a cabinet the perfect size to keep a small liquor collection out of reach of children. The ceiling is beaverboard, and instead of tearing it down we created a custom metallic finish to make it appear to be a tin ceiling. The effect is remarkable and nobody has ever suspected that it is not tin since the paint was applied.
Overall the project went very quickly. We found a miller locally who happened to have a couple of weeks free and created the custom add-ons and butcher block to fit. Because his mill was the source for the material, he was able to do the entire project for less. We found a local stone countertop maker who sold remnants at a discount, and scored the Carrara marble for the island at the low cost of just $200. The knobs and pulls were ordered online at a discount. The overhead light is a mid-century Austrian design, and brings a historical but modern touch. The countertop tins and wall sign came from a local French antiques spot. You can afford to splurge on some decorative accents which bring interest and history to a space if you do not bring in too many elements. The Jasper Conran Wedgewood plates on display above the sink are part of the homeowner's collection and were the palette inspiration for the room. Ultimately the goal with this kitchen was to increase the storage, update the look, and increase the useful space. We succeeded beautifully in hitting all of these needs while creating a space that looks as if it was always a part of this 1920's home!