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You are here: Home / STYLE / Our DIY kitchen makeover reveal – before and after

Our DIY kitchen makeover reveal – before and after

December 20, 2016 by Molly 18 Comments

DIY kitchen makeover meal planner

This week marks exactly three years since we moved into our very first home. It’s the fourth house we’ve lived in as a couple, the third we’ve lived in as a family, the second we’ve lived in in Devon but the first – the very first – that we’ve actually owned. This house is special, in all sorts of ways. However, despite the love we have for the house, there’s one thing we’ve always hated: the kitchen. We didn’t have the cash to splash on a completely new kitchen, ripping out the old units and replacing the worktops with sleek new ones. So instead we had to get a bit creative and do a major DIY kitchen makeover ourselves.

Here are the results…

BEFORE:

DIY kitchen makeover BEFORE

AFTER:

DIY kitchen makeover AFTER

The kitchen we have dates back to around 1993. The units were covered in a scratched blue laminate, with glass fronted cabinets meaning everything was on show. This forced us to keep our food in the larder, which meant everything else – plates, microwave, glasses etc – were crammed into the cupboards. Practically speaking, it didn’t work. The cupboards didn’t shut properly, there was barely any worktop space, and I was forever having to empty out full cupboards to find exactly the saucepan or bowl I needed.

The only window into the room is overlooked by the side of the house next door (we live in a terraced house), so there’s barely any light in the kitchen. At some point, a former owner had put in an interior window along one wall, but the glass was covered in fake faux Tudor style fretwork which looked dated and kept the kitchen feeling completely cut-off from the rest of the open-plan downstairs. I hated it.

BEFORE:

DIY kitchen makeover breakfast bar BEFORE

AFTER:

DIY kitchen makeover breakfast bar

Taking out pane of glass in that space instantly opened it up, gave us more light into the room and made it feel a whole lot more sociable. My dad came over for the weekend while my mum looked after the girls, and we smashed the glass (a strangely satisfying yet incredibly messy job) because it had been glued in and refused to budge. The NLM and my dad then built a breakfast bar on the other side and put new wood panelling around the inside edge of the window.

The new breakfast bar instantly makes the kitchen feel a part of the rest of the downstairs space, and the kids love eating their breakfast there in the mornings. It’s a lovely space to sit and chat to whoever’s cooking, with or without a large G&T. (See the product listings below for details of the chairs – a steal at £40 each.)

DIY kitchen makeover bar chairs for breakfast bar

While they were busy with the breakfast bar and window, I got to work painting the walls in Ronseal’s anti-mould paint in white matt. It’s a one-coat paint but I did two just to be on the safe side (and also because we had a rather gross old red wine stain up one side of the wall which proved to be stubborn to cover).

I also painted the cupboards with Ronseal cupboard paint. We’d already stripped off the laminate plastic (top tip: iron the cupboards first to melt the glue, then the plastic simply peels off in seconds) and swapped out the glass fronts for sheets of MDF. Later, Dad and the NLM put new handles on them – ones I picked out from Homebase.

BEFORE:

DIY kitchen makeover halfway through

AFTER:

DIY kitchen makeover hanging planters

I also painted the dark blue, yellow and red tiles in the white tile paint by Ronseal. This is a one-coat paint, but I ended up using three coats because the old tiles were so dark and the black grout proved to be a bugger to cover. We had a party at the weekend and no one could believe the tiles were painted – everyone assumed we’d ripped out the old ones and put in new ones (a job we didn’t have the time or energy for!) so I reckon the effect is pretty successful.

Once we were done with the painting, we hung a large piece of driftwood which we’d found at the beach, along the top of the window. This is where we used to have a sticky old rollerblind – which was long since broken! With a few hooks from IKEA, the driftwood made the perfect place to hang a couple of hanging planters (Macrame Ceramic Hanging Planter Set – Green) along with space for three saucepans. This gives us a bit of privacy without blocking the light AND provides extra storage – triple win.

BEFORE:

DIY kitchen makeover cupboards

AFTER:

DIY kitchen makeover new cupboards

We’re a colour-loving family and I was keen for the kitchen to feel like a cohesive part of the rest of the downstairs, where we have yellow feature walls with bright pops of colour scattered throughout (turquoise and pink feature heavily) along with eclectic accessories. Luckily the new kitchen gave us the perfect blank canvas to play with, and with a few additions there’s plenty of colour in there now.

teatowelkitchen-after-mar-tinskitchen-after-mar-5

I love the new kitchen and the fact that the whole makeover cost us less than £330. It’s made the room feel a part of the rest of our home and is now so much more of a practical and sociable a space.

kitchen-after-mar-4

PRODUCT DETAILS:

Paint:

Ronseal one coat tile paint, brilliant white, satin (covers 8m² per litre), £21.99 for 750ml tin  | Ronseal anti mould paint for walls and ceilings, white, matt (covers 12m² per litre), £19.99 for 750ml tin |Ronseal one coat cupboard and melamine paint, brilliant white, satin (covers 8m² per litre), £21.99

Materials:

MDF for cupboards (B&Q), £15 | Wood for breakfast bar (B&Q), £20 | Strips of wood for interior window (B&Q), £10

Furniture:

Butcher’s block, Gumtree, £30 | Bar chairs, Premier Housewares on Amazon, £40 – currently sold out but  Eiffel Style Designer Bar Stool Dining Chair- Black are similar, as are the SoBuy® White ABS Plastic Bar Stool, Kitchen Breakfast Barstool with Wooden Legs, FST34-W.

Accessories:

Natalie Lea Owen teatowel, Roost shop, £12.99 (buy directly from the shoppable edit at the bottom of this post here). | Macrame ceramic hanging planter by Temerity Jones at Amazon, £26.95 (turquoise is sold out but still available in Macrame Ceramic Hanging Planter Set – Green. | Storage tins, Cooksmart Seville Storage Tins, Set of 3, £9.99 | Flour tins, Trago Mills, £3.50 each. | Turquoise saucepans, Trago Mills, £14.99 for set of three. | Banana leaf, banana and grapefruit posters (30 x 40cm), Desenio, £9.99 each. | Chalkboard, Home Bargains, 99p (stuck with white sugru mouldable glue, £6.99).

TOTAL SPEND: £328.84

 

**

Thanks to Ronseal for working with me on this post. Also contains some affiliate links. For more details of how I work with brands, check out my Work With Me page.

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Filed Under: Interiors, STYLE Tagged With: DIY, family interiors, interiors ideas, kitchen makeover, my home

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Comments

  1. Lotte Brouwer says

    December 23, 2016 at 9:03 pm

    Wow! What a fabulous kitchen makeover, and I love those Eames chairs by the kitchen peep hole! xx Lotte (http://yespleaseblog.co/)

    Reply
  2. Becky at PinksCharming says

    December 23, 2016 at 7:45 pm

    Wow this is amazing, what a transformation! I have always been a bit wary of painting tiles and cupboards, so it’s good to see how well yours have turned out. We are saving for a new kitchen but I’m wondering about giving this a go short term xx

    Reply
  3. Sarah Rooftops says

    December 21, 2016 at 9:08 pm

    I love it! We’re currently figuring out how to make our cramped kitchen more usable – I’ve got a few more ideas now!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:00 am

      I think the thing that’s made the biggest difference for us is the storage issue. Just moving around things and reorganising our cupboard space made a huge difference!

      Reply
  4. Donna says

    December 21, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    That looks amazing, especially for the overall cost. A great transformation! x

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:00 am

      Thanks Donna! We’re really pleased with it. And with the money we saved!

      Reply
  5. Claire Evans says

    December 21, 2016 at 2:54 pm

    Oh Molly, it’s an amazing makeover for that budget! I’m going to use lots of these tips when sprucing up our kitchen next year. I wish we had a similar layout with the breakfast bar too. Well done! x

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:00 am

      Thanks Claire! So easy to make some big changes on a budget – just need a little bit of time to put them in place!

      Reply
  6. Jem says

    December 21, 2016 at 7:46 am

    My kitchen needs an upgrade from its current 90s homebase look (v similar to your old one) and as I’ll likely be selling in the next 12 months this post is perfect. Even covering our manky tiles would be a good start.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:01 am

      Definitely recommend the tile paint option. So much quicker (and cheaper) than taking off old tiles and putting in new ones!

      Reply
    • Molly says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:01 am

      Definitely recommend the tile paint option. So much quicker (and cheaper) than taking off old tiles and putting in new ones!

      Reply
  7. Emma says

    December 20, 2016 at 6:24 pm

    Looks fantastic Molly, and what a great price too!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:02 am

      Thanks Emma! x

      Reply
  8. Alison says

    December 20, 2016 at 6:15 pm

    Molly it looks ACE! Really love it. The breakfast bar is a stroke of genius. Love the splashes of colour and the white tiles/cupboards.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:02 am

      Ah thanks Ali – we’re so pleased with it. You just need to come visit so we can drink gin and tonics at the breakfast bar while the NLM and Mr P do the cooking! x

      Reply
  9. Anna International says

    December 20, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    Oh wow! Looks absolutely amazing and so hard to believe such a difference can be achieved on such a tiny budget! Love the new breakfast bar, such a great idea. You must be thrilled! And now you can relax and enjoy it! Happy Christmas! X

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:03 am

      Thanks Anna! We’re so pleased – especially as it’s been done before Christmas. Didn’t realise what a huge difference it would make!

      Reply

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  1. 15 Best DIY Home Refurbishment Projects - Saxton Blades Blog says:
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Hello and welcome! I'm Molly Forbes - podcaster, presenter and blogger with a passion for positivity, confidence and body image chat. Regularly writing and vlogging about empowering female issues from a motherhood angle, I also cover lifestyle and fashion topics for like-minded mums who want to rediscover themselves after having children. Thanks for stopping by! Read More…

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I am not “bossing” it. Or “slaying”. Or “hustling”. Or “smashing” it. I’m not even juggling or spinning plates or doing any of the other words we use as a glossy, marketable, Instagram friendly way to package up burnout culture, under the guise of “empowering” women (💪🤢). 
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What I have been doing, though, is working too hard. Call a spade a spade. I’ve been working too hard, neglecting my health, my relationships, my life away from my laptop. I can not be everything to everyone AND work at the level I’ve been working at BECAUSE I AM A HUMAN BEING. And you are too. We are not robots.
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I care deeply about all my work, and things aren’t always this intense, but I wanted to sprinkle some reality into the Gram because I am so over this lie that *any* type of success or achievement doesn’t come at a cost, or involve many failures in the background, or require many other people to help make things happen. 
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I guess what I’m saying is, let’s be real about all that, as well as showing the achievements. I’m bloody proud of my book. And I’m so excited to launch the social enterprise @bodyhappyorg properly next month. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy, and that there isn’t a price. 
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And with that, I’m taking the weekend off. See you on the other side 🥰🥰🥰
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[Image description: Molly sits in her office with her hands covering her mouth. On the back of one hand is written “Not bossing it”. She is wearing a pink boiler suit with a black and white top underneath. She has pink leopard print earrings on and her hair is tied back.]
This was taken at the start of half term, when the This was taken at the start of half term, when the kids were still enthusiastic about going for a walk. 1,705 walks around the same bit of countryside later... not so much 😬 
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If you’re struggling to get your kids motivated to move their body at the moment, go gentle. You’re not alone. Bad weather coupled with boredom coupled with the lure of screens is a heady recipe for lethargy - and that’s just me! 
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Seriously though, remember: all movement is valid. Even if it’s just a ten minute @cosmickids sesh or a little kitchen disco, it all counts. And if it comes from a place of enjoyment and fun, kids (and adults!) are going to be far more likely to want to get involved.
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What joyful movement activities are your kids enjoying right now (if any?!)?
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[Image description: Molly and her two daughters are standing in a field. They’re wearing colourful wellies, holding hands and smiling.]
I founded a social enterprise 😵 . Introducing: I founded a social enterprise 😵
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Introducing: @bodyhappyorg 🎉
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We are a Community Interest Company dedicated to promoting positive body image in children. We help adults help the kids in their care be friends with their bodies 🥰. 
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Through workshops and classes, digital and physical resources (both free and paid) we help parents, carers, teachers, youth leaders - and any adults who are ever around children - create body happy settings for kids to thrive in. 
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We launch officially next month with a beautiful new website and lots of resources which we’ll continually be adding to. In the meantime give us a follow at @bodyhappyorg - we start posting from today and our page has been designed as a free resource on its own! 
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I’m privileged to work alongside an incredible team of people on this. Shout-out to the original dream team @chelseacoxstrategist @amysnellingpt @effinitupfaye @lottie_storey @bodyconfidencecards_db @rachel_hobnobs & @aceandping 💕 LOVE YOU ALL! 💕
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[Image description: A blue square with yellow and white text which reads “the body happy org”. This is the logo for The Body Happy Organisation CIC]
Proof that I did wear clothes other than a tea-sta Proof that I did wear clothes other than a tea-stained hoodie and tracksuit bottoms at least once in the past month 😐
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[Image description: Molly is wearing pink dungarees with yellow buttons over a black rollneck long-sleeved top. She has a monochrome striped hairband on and her hair is pink. She is also wearing earrings with boobs on them. She looks very pleased, both with her earrings, the pink hair and the fact she’s not wearing sleepwear, for a change.]
A new report from the Education Policy Institute h A new report from the Education Policy Institute has concluded an obvious gender divide in the well-being of young adults. If you’d like to read more check out this article by Eleanor Peake in @newstatesman (I’ve linked to it in my Stories).
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Every week I get messages from parents and teachers concerned about the impact of social media on their kids’ body image. And of course, I couldn’t write a book about body image in kids and teens without covering social media - there’s a whole chapter in Body Happy Kids dedicated to the subject. 
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The thing is, social media isn’t going anywhere. And just like it can be a force for anxiety, shame and general angst it can be a force for good too. The trick is in knowing how to use it positively (and in holding the platforms to account for not moderating the spread of harmful viral trends and online abuse, and creating algorithms that deliberately create division and harm mental health... but that’s a story for another day). 
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But how can we expect our kids to have a handle on it when we, as adults, don’t ourselves? 
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I don’t believe the answer is to ban social media, but I don’t think kids should be given unfettered access to it either. 
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They need help navigating this stuff, learning about boundaries, developing media literacy skills so they can think critically about the content they’re consuming (just like many adults).
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And we also need to explore how we might be inadvertently contributing to the problem, perpetuating appearance ideals and creating a culture where kids learn it’s ok to body shame under the guise of health and to value each other based on the way they look.
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As ever, it’s complicated. I’d love to know what you think? What are some of the boundaries you have around social media in your house - both for yourself and your kids?
#BodyHappyKids 
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[Full text in Alt Text]
When I was pregnant with Effie I went to a pregnan When I was pregnant with Effie I went to a pregnancy yoga class every week. It was the highlight of my week. I left each session feeling like I was floating on a cloud, and I used the poses and breath work to guide me through labour too. But then I had my baby and found that, as a knackered new mum of two, I couldn’t find the time for yoga. I no longer had the excuse of doing it “for the bump” or “to prepare for labour”, so what was the point?
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It wasn’t until I started reinvesting in myself and unravelling the diet culture perspective on exercise that I found it again, along with running, which turned to hiking, and swimming. 
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It wasn’t about preparing my body for someone or something else. It was about the process itself, the time to unwind my mind and move my body for joy, just for me. I’ve lost a bit of that this past year with lockdowns, and I feel it.
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I recently signed up to @theunderbellyyoga with @mynameisjessamyn and feel like I’m finding it again. I love that my kids can see me taking time for myself, and enjoying movement, and that they sometimes want to join in too. Even if it is a bit annoying sometimes (swipe 👀). 
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#BodyHappyMum 
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[Image description: Molly and her 6 year old daughter Effie sit on yoga and gymnastics mats with their legs crossed and arms in the air. They have their backs to the camera. In the second image they are sitting crossed legged while twisting round to the side, and in the third image Molly is lying on the mat with her eyes closed while Effie leans over her, being a bit annoying.]
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