Revamping my kitchen on a budget! (with pics)!

[FloraGreysteel]

Hello everyone. I have about £300 to revamp my kitchen. I can't do anything about the units or the worktop because that's not in my budget, but I can change the handles, add under-unit lighting (the lights I have got are broken), change the flooring, paint the walls and accessorise to my heart's content.

The colour of the kitchen cabinets is really revolting but I'm hoping that changing the flooring so that it's not a clashing brown laminate will help. The rest of the room is my living and dining room so I would rather not change the wall colour to keep the flow.

Has anyone got any ideas? The general mood of the rest of the room is industrial/mid century.

Could go up to 400 quid and I forgot to say all suggestions are very gratefully received. Thank you very much!

I've seen a lovely room a bit like this with turquoise, will try and find a pic

Could you paint the cupboards?
We inherited a yellow kitchen with black worktops and painted the units dark blue/ got a cheap white worktop fitted for £600. I know that is above your budget but we needed much more worktop so if you shop around it might be possible?

Hmm I know you said no money for work tops but rather than buying cheaper accessories/handles/flooring I think I would blow all the budget all on work tops as I think that would have the biggest impact and IMO it is the worktop that brings the kitchen down rather than the cabinets. Paint the walls a fresh white

[[https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=U0fClPa1&id=226E4E031FF1CAB6EFFAB2B237FB980D0D4986FF&thid=OIP.U0fClPa1-w-PQ_GQFivWzQHaFj&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2f3.bp.blogspot.com%2f-ZswPnN_4SCM%2fUiCPukIWrsI%2fAAAAAAAAFDw%2fng5D_NwjOmY%2fs640%2fBamboo-Kitchen-Cabinets1.jpg&exph=413&expw=550&q=Bamboo+Kitchen&simid=608005005884525262&selectedIndex=53&ajaxhist=0]]

Hopefully this link works

3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZswPnN_4SCM/UiCPukIWrsI/AAAAAAAAFDw/ng5D_NwjOmY/s640/Bamboo-Kitchen-Cabinets1.jpg

This is all very helpful. I see what you mean about the worktops. I will definitely look into the cost of changing those. Unfortunately the photographs are quite flattering. The units are much more orangey. What colour worktops and flooring would you recommend with this colour cabinet?

Could you get vinyl covers to change the colour of the cabinets. Also is the mug on the floor there to hold the cabinet up?

@NotMeNoNo thanks!

@Robs20 I don't think painting the cabinets will be successful, they are plastic not wood :-(

No, the mug is on the floor to stop my parrot sneaking into the tiny gap between the pelmet (is that the right word?) and the underside of the cabinet. Last time he did that he was stuck behind the oven for half a day. Fixing the gap is on my kitchen to do list

Open upper cabinets are very popular at the moment - could you take off the upper cabinet doors and set out pretty dishes, glasses etc there. Presume the inside of cupboards is white? That should dial down the brown!

Join 'DIY on a budget official' on face book. These people are experts and can transform amazing rooms. You can indeed paint your cabinets and they can tell you how.

Good luck

You can cover units in vinyl. It's a lot of work, but very cheap. Here's a link.

Personally, I’d be focusing my work on painting or swapping out the cabinet doors as they clash with everything. The floor and worktop would be fine with say white units.

I would go with white work tops
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but with a fleck of colour in it

kingfisher.scene7.com/is/image/Kingfisher/productTemplate?$baseImage=Kingfisher/Astral_White_Worktop

I’d spend the money on new worktops in a lighter colour and reflect that in the new flooring. Can you do it in two stages so you have a bit more time to save up?

Have a look at frenchic paint. You can paint your cupboards with it and it'd make a huge difference.

@rexcat looking!

@cowfacemonkey that would work quite well: thanks!

@Mistymonday unfortunately they are brown inside too.

You could replace the doors as I think kitchen cabinets are generally a standard size.Have a look at the Ikea website ,they have kitchen cabinets doors starting at £8.The floor is fine,would look nicer with lighter doors.

I definitely think it would give you the most bang for your buck and you might not need to change the flooring if it works ok with new work top or at least wait and save up at a later date. Even with painted doors that work top is pretty bleak (sorry and I only say that as after 13 years of waiting I have just ripped out the ugliest kitchen and it hideous work top! I feel your pain of trying to improve a kitchen you don't like on a budget)

Flooring and worktops would be the two most expensive aspects imo. If I were you I would possibly paint or vinyl the cupboards and put on new handles. Then I would paint the walls and buy some new accessories.

Would recommend painting / putting vinyl on the cupboards in dark blue / dark - Hague blue farrow and ball would look lovely - you could get it mixed in B&Q for much cheaper. Matt black handles would look great with the above colours too - ikea, b&q etc sell these.

You could get vinyl / lvt flooring - would suggest mid/dark oak herringbone pattern.

You can also get vinyl tile stickers online that look great!

I would remove everything from the work tops and then get some sample flooring to try out. I quite like the units and they do match with the stainless steel handles/washing machine/ cooker. Go and have a good look around kitchens on show and see what you like. make a mood board and decide which thing you hate most.If it is the worktops I think you can get thinner ones that can go over the top of your own.

Pick a contrast colour for accessories something like teal might work and buy several things. I think you can see it better when everything is cleared off. Then add back in. Trial and error. I agree the floor doesn't go with it. Something like slate coloured tiles/lino/vinyl. Get some samples.