This Kitchen Makeover Cost Less Than a New Refrigerator

Squirrelly Minds

The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it can feel more like a headache if the space is cramped, outdated — or both. Usually, if you don't have the money for a full renovation, you have to adapt to the limitations. (We could write a book on the many ways to lead a full life despite not having any counter space.) Not so for Tan of the blog Squirrelly Minds. She transformed her kitchen for less than the cost of refrigerator. Heck, the project was less than many people's monthly grocery bills.

In this case, removing a few cabinet doors did wonders to make the kitchen feel more open. (This also created display space for her adorable dishware collection.) Another feature that immediately went into '80s kitchen decor heaven was the over-the-sink light fixtures.

But what really got us talking was the way she crafted her own cabinet pulls from copper piping. She even coordinated the old hinges to the new hardware with the help of a copper leafing pen, which is something that needed to be in our decorating arsenal, like, yesterday.

Squirrelly Minds

Squirrelly Minds

If you've noticed that the laminate counters look a lot different, your eyes are not fooling you. Tan was able to give the surface a new look without replacing it entirely, with a little help from copper contact paper. The temporary covering has, so far, endured for eight months thanks to careful use.

We're left with only one question: Can she transform our kitchen next?

To read more about Tan's clever makeover, visit Squirrelly Minds, and follow the blog on Facebook to see more of her interesting projects.

By Brie Dyas