I’m excited to share Teresa and Andrew’s kitchen makeover. They’re close friends who live around the corner, and after filming a bookshelf styling time-lapse in their living room, I couldn’t wait for their new appliances to arrive so we could show this kitchen transformation.
They made many budget-friendly choices in this renovation that show you don’t always have to gut a space to get a dramatic result. You can save a lot by reusing and updating what’s already there. I’ll also share a quick, inexpensive trick for refreshing worn wood cabinet doors that makes them look new in minutes.
What I love most is how many bold choices they made—painted cabinets in a deep green and large brass pulls—while still keeping much of the original kitchen as a foundation. The result feels fresh and intentional, not like a room that was completely rebuilt.
Take a close look at the photos and you might mistake several original elements for new additions. The truth is, many key pieces remained the same, but clever updates made the whole room read as a complete refresh.
The “before” listing photo from six years ago already showed great bones: soapstone counters, a subway tile backsplash, a well-positioned island, and a large window over the sink. Even the cabinet color was in place. Those elements stayed exactly the same, which made it possible to focus the budget on high-impact upgrades.
With new appliances, updated lighting, fresh wall paint, and new cabinet doors—rather than entire cabinet boxes—the kitchen now reads as a cohesive, modern space. Scroll between the before and after photos and you’ll see how much changed without gutting the room.
One smart decision was hiring a local cabinetmaker to create new inset doors for the existing cabinet boxes. That saved them the cost of replacing entire cabinets—quotes for new cabinetry were substantially higher—while allowing them to keep the counters, sink, and backsplash intact. Reusing those quality materials was a huge budget win.
By avoiding new cabinet boxes, countertops, and a full backsplash replacement, they were able to allocate funds toward priorities like a new gas range and a pot filler. They even matched new tile and grout to the existing subway tile so the small area above the range looks seamless with the original backsplash.
Teresa and Andrew also saved money by doing much of the cabinet box painting and tile installation themselves. That do-it-yourself approach allowed them to invest in custom parts where it mattered most while keeping labor costs in check.
My favorite part of the transformation is the new pantry/coffee station/drop zone that replaced the former laundry closet on the left side of the kitchen. What used to house the washer and dryer is now a beautifully detailed, functional area that blends perfectly with the rest of the room.
They moved the laundry upstairs earlier this year, which freed up space in the kitchen. A talented local cabinetmaker built new tall pantry cabinets and matching fronts for that corner and replaced the doors on the rest of the kitchen, so everything looks unified—even though much of it is original.
To avoid buying new soapstone counters for the new corner, they installed butcher block and installed a matching subway tile backsplash by hand. They also scored a secondhand high-end coffee maker and repaired it themselves, which speaks to the thoughtful, creative approach they took to the renovation.
This path wasn’t instant or free—they hired a cabinetmaker and had some mechanical work done to relocate the laundry—but they spent roughly half of what a full cabinet replacement would have cost. Reusing the existing island, counters, sink, floors, and backsplash let them redirect funds to appliances and new custom cabinetry where it mattered most.
A quick note about the cabinet color: after moving in, the previous owner had paired the original cabinets with bright red walls. When Teresa and Andrew painted the walls a subtle gray (Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter), the green cabinets truly came to life. The green they chose—Sherwin-Williams Halcyon Green—has depth and dimension that photos can’t fully capture.
Let’s revisit the island: they left it in place and refreshed the finish instead of replacing it. The wood island adds a classic contrast to the painted cabinets, and a quick, inexpensive refresh using a stain marker made it look new again without sanding or refinishing.
I used a stain marker in a close-matching tone to color over worn spots, working with the grain and wiping any excess if needed. The whole island took about ten minutes to refresh. This quick technique is an affordable way to revive wood cabinets, drawers, and furniture without a full refinish.
A final word on the soapstone counters: they are softer than many other surfaces and can scratch, but Teresa and Andrew have learned to embrace the patina. They oil the stone about once a month, which helps minimize the appearance of scratches and keeps the surface looking rich. Simple maintenance and acceptance of natural wear have worked well for them.
This kitchen makeover is a great example of thoughtful renovation: keep what’s working, invest where it counts, and use a mix of DIY and professionals to stretch your budget. The result is a stylish, functional kitchen that feels thoroughly updated without losing the home’s original character.
If you enjoyed this tour, consider exploring other budget-friendly renovations and cabinet-painting projects for ideas on how to update your own kitchen without a full gut remodel.
- Our friend Carey and Jordan’s rental renovation
- How To Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets
- How To Install A Subway Tile Backsplash
- Tips For Installing Your Own Ikea Cabinets
- Carey and Jordan’s whole house makeover
- This jaw-dropping historic house renovation
- More projects in the House Crashing category
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