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© Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn


© Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

© Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

© Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

© Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Before (inset) and after. // © Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn
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The $967 kitchen remodel
By Natalie Rodriguez of This Old House
Looks like a million bucks
With kitchens, simple does not necessarily equal streamlined. For homeowners Eduardo Perez and Moo Sirikittisup, the kitchen that came with their Atlanta condo fell short on both frills and function. Builder-grade cabinets and white laminate counters set a cheerless, monotonous tone in an open space that can be seen from the front door. And washing dishes meant looking at a worn wood cabinet, as the window didn't line up over the sink. Opening the dishwasher blocked the oven door and vice versa.
"It was a sad-looking space," Perez says.
Shown here: The green walls of the adjacent dining room inspired the kitchen's new backsplash.
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The $967 kitchen remodel
Sad-looking space
A bland color scheme and an awkward layout made this kitchen boring and inconvenient. So after a year — and with some DIY know-how passed down from his contractor dad — Perez spent two weeks removing the oak cabinets, refinishing and reinstalling them, then putting in new counters. The sink and the dishwasher swapped places, improving the room's flow, and Perez added sleek new hardware and fixtures to update the space.
Slide show: 9 inspiring kitchen makeovers
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![]() | Design center Get ideas for your remodel from our inspirational kitchens. Click here to begin exploring. |
The $967 kitchen remodel
Beautiful backsplash
The new faucet (Delta) is classic and functional, with a graceful shape. The priciest splurge was the colorful mosaic tile (Casa Italia, Green Mix Mosaic Glass from Floor and Decor Outlets of America), but the green-and-white glass-tile backsplash brought in a finishing touch of color. Says Perez, "Now, when I walk in and see the kitchen, it makes me smile."
Homeowner tip: Perez picked up a small wet saw for just $59: "It cut the glass tiles like they were cookies. It was so easy."
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The $967 kitchen remodel
Dynamite details: cabinet pulls
The removed-and-reinstalled cabinets look like completely new boxes, thanks to a DIY paint job. Rectangular bar pulls (Ikea) updated the cabinets and complemented their new modern chocolate-colored finish.
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The $967 kitchen remodel
Let there be light
An inexpensive home-center find, the spotlight fixture (Home Depot) targets its beams on the kitchen's separate workstations. And the brushed-nickel finish matches the new cabinet pulls beautifully.
Slide show: 9 inspiring kitchen makeovers
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![]() | Design center Get ideas for your remodel from our inspirational kitchens. Click here to begin exploring. |
The $967 kitchen remodel
Finding storage in small spaces
Because the kitchen is on the small side, the homeowners added shelves underneath the breakfast-bar area to hold the microwave and other appliances when not in use. This smart use of space clears the countertop for food prep and other everyday uses.
Perez and Sirikittisup are saving for the next phase of the makeover: new appliances. But for now, chocolate-colored paint (Behr) on the cabinets and a countertop swap (Ikea), along with nickel-finish fixtures and cool green mosaic tiles, complete the contemporary makeover.
- MSN Lifestyle: Kitchen gadgets that will change your life
- On our blog, 'Listed': Granite trend has cost more than first Gulf War
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The $967 kitchen remodel
Project tally
- Removed and reinstalled original cabinets in a slightly new configuration, $0
- Replaced old laminate counters with new ones that have stainless-steel edge banding, $300
- Put a fresh coat of paint on walls and ceiling, $34
- Sanded original oak cabinets and brushed on a gallon of new chocolate-brown paint, $28
- Added a brushed nickel, three-light ceiling fixture, $35
- Swapped in nickel-finish cabinet pulls, $80
- Upgraded the kitchen faucet, $45
- Added undercabinet pucks for task lighting, $45
- Installed new glass tile mosaic backsplash, $400
- Total: $967
Slide show: 9 inspiring kitchen makeovers
- This Old House: How to afford the kitchen you want




