Kitchen Makeover: Before & After

Jenny Gericke
Feb 19, 2019
2 min read

When I first moved into the 90s Catmom Chic Home, I thought my rental Kitchen was a lost cause. As newlyweds, we had a tiny budget for home furnishings and decor. As renters, we couldn't exactly renovate. But as a Designer, I really longed to breathe new life into this Kitchen.

After I did my Living Room Makeover, I knew the colors that I wanted to bring into the Kitchen area - mint, navy, and a little touch of coral. (Check out my Kitchen Design Ideas Here!) I started with small changes like updating the window coverings and replacing the cat decor with things that were more my style. But the walls were a yellowed wallpaper that no amount of art could detract from.

Instead of removing the wallpaper (and the multiple layers underneath!) we decided it would be best just to add a new layer of peel-and-stick wallpaper. Yes, that is a real thing and its super easy to hang! I really recommend it for renters because you can use it to add some style to your space without damaging your walls. The wallpaper made a HUGE impact in our space! Our Kitchen feels so fresh, clean, and modern that the makeover is complete.

One of the other design challenges we had in the Kitchen is that, even though the space is quite large, it is limited on storage. We have no pantry and have to use multiple cupboards as well as the countertops to store staple food items. This can bug me sometimes because its such a cluttered look. I really wanted to add an island for more countertop space and cabinet space, but the Kitchen was too small to have an island and too big not to have an island. That's when I got the idea to repurpose an old desk into a Kitchen Island! It worked out beautifully in the Kitchen and my husband and I both love it!

So without further to do, let's get to the beautiful before and after pictures of my Kitchen Makeover! Keep reading to see how much I spent total on the makeover (its less than you'd think!)

Kitchen Eat-In Area Before

Kitchen Eat-In Area After

Kitchen Range Area Before

Kitchen Range Area After

Kitchen Entry Area Before

Kitchen Entry Area After

Kitchen Sink Area Before

Kitchen Sink Area After

Kitchen Island Before

Kitchen Island After

Kitchen Wallpaper Before

Kitchen Wallpaper After

In total, I spent less than $800 on this Kitchen Makeover! That total included new wallpaper (a ton of new wallpaper!), new window coverings, some accessories and decor, and a new Kitchen Island! Since the typical cost of a kitchen remodel is between 12k-35k, I think I did pretty good for updating my rental Kitchen on a budget.

Here are a few more After Pictures for you to take a complete tour around my Kitchen. Enjoy!