Hold on to your jaws people because otherwise they’ll be on the floor in a few moments. Jordan and her husband have totally flipped their kitchen for just over a thousand dollars. And the result is nothing short of spectacular. Here’s Jordan’s letter:
I’ve been obsessed with y’alls blog for a while now. I check it every day! Me and the hubs finally bought a house this spring and just like you guys, we’re in love with it. We’re full time photographers (as opposed to designers or renovators) but I could paint and decorate for days without food or drink! I just love making things over!
We transformed the kitchen on a pretty tight budget. $1,207 to be exact!
But we definitely did our best to make our money go a loooong way. Just look at the difference:
Painting the cabinets and switching out the counters made for quite a change. And the stainless steel appliances that we already had definitely popped thanks to the change. Hanging a new light fixture above the sink also really changed the feeling of the room, and the new sink adds so much personality.
Here’s a little breakdown of everything that we used:
- $20 – Paint for the cabinets (Olympic Dogwood Blossom)
- $0 – Primer for the cabinets (we already had it)
- $0 – Paint for the walls (don’t remember the name, but we had it forever)
- $20 – Beadboard for the front of the peninsula (Home Depot)
- $620 – Oak Numerar countertops (Ikea)
- $185 – Sink (Ikea)
- $98 – Faucet (Home Depot)
- $86 – Knobs (Anthropologie)
- $100 – White subway tile backspash (Home Depot)
- $78 – Light fixture over sink (Ikea)
- $0 – Stools (we already had them in another room)
- TOTAL: $1,207
I’m so excited because I finally have a finished room to send y’all. Thanks so much Sherry and John! – Jordan at landonjacob.com
Isn’t it amazing? It’s just another example of how Ikea can come to the rescue when it comes to creating affordable room transformations – that and doing the work yourself to save some serious loot. We’re totally in love with what Jordan and her husband did that we’re just about ready to invite ourselves over for breakfast. Nice work guys! And what do you people at home think? Does it have you looking at your kitchen in a whole new way? What’s your favorite part?
Beth says
I had to do a double take over the appliances and floor. I love what they did, especially the sink. It’s gorgeous!
Amanda@Longroadset says
The house that we are now ‘flipping’ has a nice wood counter top, which is more market friendly in this area. I’m thinking this was a great makeover. :) We’ve been pondering how to update the kitchen without breaking our budget. This was a great inspiration.
Val says
Just curious about how y’all chose to seal your counter tops. We’ve been considering the Ikea butcher block counters, but I know we’re not always the tidiest and I don’t want to stain them.
Looks great!
Meghan says
I just bought the same counters and sink! How exciting to see pictures of somebody who already installed them. I am curious about how they drilled additional holes into the sink for their faucet- we need to do the same but have been warned against it. Also, did they seal or just treat the wood counters?
Shannon @ {aka} | design says
I love this!!!! My favourite part is the white! We just redid our entire kitchen (old, old, house = needed all new cabinets) in white, with subway tiles and white cupboards. We used beadboard…on the ceiling. Check out our white kitchen here:
http://akainteriordesign.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/kitchen-reno-part-5-the-reveal/
Kudos to a nice bright crisp kitchen on a budget.
Shannon
http://www.akadesign.ca
April in CT says
I just wanted to let Jordan know to expect company. I’ve packed my bags, just grabbed my car keys and I am MOVING INTO THAT KITCHEN!!! Gorgeous! My husband and I rarely agree on decorating, but we both LOVE that kitchen. I’ll have to make notes for our future home!
Sana says
it looks amazing! it’s so clean, airy and inviting. my favorite part is the paint on the walls above the cabinets: it goes so well with the ceiling and cabinets.
Meredith says
Love the updates! What color did you paint the side wall, the blueish color?
Caroline says
I heart the IKEA countertops. I wish I had known about them when I was remodeling my kitchen. We actually ended up just building our own counter tops.
Gretchen says
I am in love with the sink, but I’m not seeing it on the website. Does anyone know if it’s still available?
Jordan Thompson says
Hey Everyone! Im going to try and answer some questions! Lets see… The fixture above the sink is for show as of right now… I thought it just finished off the farm sink well! Lando is pretty handy and has picked up electrical work over the last few months, so he will definately wire it for us sometime! HE says its no biggie! Just running a few wires through the attic and installing a light switch!
As someone else said – the frames are from pier one. The shiny glass cilindars are from pier one as well ( 2 years ago on sale for like 3 and 4 bucks)
The floor is slate. It really is beautiful. We just sealed it.
and for the cabinets… I just sanded, primed and painted- 3 -4 coats… it took me 3 days :)
I think I have answered most of the questions! Just let me know!
Thank you everyone for the spelling check on our website! I will be fixing that! :)
Jordan Thompson says
I forgot to also answer how we finished the countertops – We just oil them every so often – when they look like they need it! Some people poly them… but I hate messing with that junk… it scares me! And the fact that we can’t open any of our windows really stops us from bringing any crazy chemical smelling products inside. Maybe one day… when we can open our windows! :)
Thresha says
LOVE this transformation!! It’s so clean and fresh now!
Meghan says
Gretchen- I couldn’t find the sink online either but they had it at our local Ikea.
Jordan- How did you guys drill the extra holes in the sink? The entire kitchen looks fantastic, good work!
Paige says
I seriously just yelled across the room to my husband to COME LOOK. That’s an incredible transformation! Excellent work!
Cassie says
This is by far one of the best reader redesigns ever! They did a great job!!!
Heather says
I love this kitchen, and have loved other white kitchens. My dream kitchen has white beadboard on the cupboards. However, we have three dirty dogs, plan to move to a dirty farm, and have some dirty kids. I don’t like to clean. Any suggestions for a non-white kitchen that still keeps a room looking bright?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Heather,
White cabinets are surprisingly easy to wipe down (they’re glossy so they don’t get stained or anything) but if you prefer not even to see any dirt we’d just suggest going with a medium toned wood or a medium toned paint color like mocha or gray or sage. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erin J says
I thought the before picture was the after picture. Aside from needing a new coat of paint, I liked the old kitchen. It looked warm and cozy. The new kitchen is beautiful and I do love the sink and the light over the sink, but it’s ALL white. Hmmm… maybe I just need more color in my home than that. My kitchen is butter yellow with pops of red, stainless steel appliances, dark countertops and natural maple cabinets. I don’t think I could do all white.
Tia says
Wow, is the first word I said when I read this! They did an amazing job and I am so looking forward to purchasing our first home re-modeling ourselves. What a great job!! I have to share this =)
arundati says
stunning makeover! what a pot of paint can do! am yo yoing about a makeover for my own kitchen… i have a question…can i paint over laminate? my cabinets are made of laminated particle board…. i live in india….
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Arundati,
Laminated particle board is tricky- we’d recommend asking for advice at your local hardware store to see what they recommend. We haven’t tackled that project and we worry about long-term durability but they might have a new product they could suggest. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ana says
Great job!! This goes to show that white kitchens are by far the best! :)
Denise says
the timing of this post couldn’t be better! I have been seeing so many bloggers repainting their cabinetry white, and I am so anxious to do the same. I am curious for those of you who have tackled it- how long for one person (my husband lets me do all the projects, ha!) to get everything sanded, primed, and painted. We have a slightly larger than average kitchen (not a 12×12, but not ginormous either…)
Am I looking at a week, or longer? I did just post pictures today on my blog of our kitchen so any suggestions would be great. I am going to YHL cabinet painting tutorial now! :)
Cara says
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!
Very well done.
erin says
great job! our kithen was butter yellow and sage green when we moved in, with lots of oak. the first thing we did was paint the cabinets white and the walls a slatey blue, so i know how great this must feel!
i love how the stainless steel feels so at home with these new colors. you guys did a great job!
Pam says
It’s very pretty but I do like the look of the first one better (you were among those lucky “can’t go wrong” folks!). Regardless of my tastes, your “new” kitchen looks very pretty and I hope you enjoy it for many years.
kim says
While I like the after, I agree with Erin above–the before picture is the kitchen I would probably end up with! Yellow walls, red accents, shaker style doors…hmmm, am I not keeping up with trends very well?
Lindsey R says
WOW!! Awesome job – so crisp, clean! Love it!
kait says
That kitchen is beautiful! We are looking to redo ours, and we will definitely be using yours as inspiration – Love it! :)
Julie says
Jordan, why can’t you open any of your windows? That sounds awful.
Snickrsnack Katie says
I love this kitchen! It is gorgeous! They did a terrific job on a great budget.
The only thing that ever irks me about some of your remodels and some of your guests’ remodels is – saying something cost $0 just because you already had it. It still cost something! Like saying that a remodel cost way less than it did because you already had the paint and stools already? Not very accurate. I like it better when there is an accurate assessment of how much something would cost for the rest of us – and that includes the price of all the paint, the accessories, etc. Just my own personal preference. :-)
Regardless, your site is my all time FAVE! :-) You guys rule.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Snickersnack Katie,
We totally understand your point of view! The reason many budget breakdowns from readers or ourselves say things like “$0, already had around” is because it reflects the true investment that the person who is being featured took when it came to tackling that specific project. So while others may need more money to recreate the room (since they might not have stools on hand) other readers might be able to accomplish the makeover for even less (if they already have butcher block counters or white cabinets for example). It’s kind of like any design show that incorporates items that are already around with an additional $1000 budget for the makeover.
Plus items like stools could have been free hand me downs (so assigning them a price for the breakdown would be awkward since it’s not based on actual buying experience). And the paint could have been left by previous homeowners (so it was never purchased at any time) which really does mean that the person didn’t dole out moolah for those things at any time. It just could get pretty complicated if we asked our readers to assign values to items that they never bought in the first place so they’re randomly pulled out of thin air. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Allison says
Wow, the before is almost a clone of my current kitchen. Love the after. Beautiful and bright.
Emily says
Absolutely gorgeous! My husband and I are renovating our 1890’s kitchen, painting cabinets white, etc… What a difference a little paint makes.
Jordan- how many square feet is your countertop? Love the Ikea wood!
Great job!
bridget b. says
i was JUST thinking this morning that i would love to see a reader redesign or design dilemma. looks like you guys read my mind again.
this is amazing! i always get such great ideas from this site.
Steph says
What an amazing transformation!!! I too would like to know the name of the blue paint color on the side wall. I love the mocha paint as well.
I also wanted to mention that when we pulled out our new refrigerator to have the plumber connect the water, it created huge dents on our brand-new maple floor, even though we rolled it onto very thick cardboard – it was just too heavy. I would definitely use a dolly to be safe.
Amanda says
Amazing and inspirational!! They did a truly great job all the way down to the accessories. I love seeing a beautiful *budget* kitchen makeover!
Amber says
I’m so inspired to paint my cabinets! My house is way to dark and “woody”. I have already started painting the trim in the house white. This may be next. I love this makeover, and the fact it was on the cheap doesn’t hurt.
Brittany S says
Love, love, love! What a great job. Can you tell me where your white roman shades are from? I am having trouble finding one for our kitchen window that won’t break the bank. Thanks!
Jessica Tenberge says
We are in the process of trying to decide on a paint for the cabinets my husband built. We aren’t sure which finish is best. Should I got with a flat enamal because it is easy to wipe down or should I go with a glossier finish? They are going to be white with a white granite countertop and oak wood floors, if that helps at all and there is only one window in the kitchen but there are two in the dining room which is now open to the kitchen so if they are glossy it will catch some rays from those windows. Anyway any suggestions or tips would be nice. THANKS!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Glossy is always easier to wipe down and also adds a nice luxe sheen to a room. We’d say semi-gloss or glossy paint is the way to go!
xo,
s
Katie says
This kitchen is beautiful!! its like it went from simple, pretty but simple to bright and welcoming! Good Job!
Annalea says
I would love to hear more about the Numerar countertops, since I’ve been planning on putting them in our new kitchen for just about ever. What treatment did they use on them? I’d love to know how they hold up, as well . . .
Michelle says
Love this kitchen. . .it is so close to what I have planned for our remodel. Thanks for the budget breakdown. . .it helps to show the hubs!
Yvette says
YOWZA!!! This kitchen is drop dead gorgeous and looks like a million bucks! I am looking to revamp our kitchen and this price motivates me to try and do some of it myself. I’m just scared to screw up. Maybe I’ll practice staining our oak cabinets in the bathroom, before I tackle the kitchen. Thanks for all the great inspiration.
Ariana B. says
This is a true inspiration, thank you for sharing!
Kyle says
I LOVE this!!!!! I’ve always wanted to try the wood/cutting block counters but I’m scared that after awhile they would look grimey and that they would be hard to clean/sterilize…is that the case?
Tasha says
That looks amazing!! That kitchen doesn’t even look like it’s in the same house!
sherry Hart says
Whoza! You are right….jaw dropping!
Jamie says
Beautiful! So much lighter, and I love breakfast bars. :)
Jordan Thompson says
The wall color in the dining room is Valspar (my fav) in Sage bud
MelissaOklahoma says
I really love this re-do! I’m really digging the wood countertops, but wonder how do you care/clean them? Of course you’d use a cutting board for prep, but it is the kitchen. Mess is bound to happen. How do you sterilize the chicken juice that leaks onto the counter or the other spills? Do you guys know and if so, please share!
YoungHouseLove says
Here’s hoping she stops in with that info for ya!
xo,
s
Carrie says
Wow! What a transformation! The end product is simply dreamy! I love it.