Kitchen renovations can transform your entire house if done correctly. Opening up your kitchen to the rest of your house by removing dividing walls is a wonderful way to radically improve the flow of your home. New furniture, floating floorboards, tiled feature walls or even just a fresh coat of paint can go a long way in making your home feel more bright, open and lived-in.
Minor kitchen renovations could be a great DIY project, particularly if you are thinking of projects like updating furniture, repainting, and installing shelves or floating floors.
However, an entire kitchen remodel may become quite complicated and difficult to DIY if you intend to make big changes. Things like moving power outlets or sinks will pose very challenging for the DIYer and you should have such tasks undertaken by professionals.
If you are determined to handle the majority of the remodel yourself, however, you may be able to hire a plumber/electrician for only this aspect of the remodel and undertaking everything else yourself. You will need to assess your own experience and skill level as well as your budget before deciding whether you will want a large scale remodel or DIY project.
Other things to consider before beginning your kitchen remodel are your goals: what do you want to get out of this renovation – functionality? Aesthetic appeal? More space? Try and prioritize these goals as you list them, so you know exactly which ones you want to focus on when planning the new kitchen layout. What sort of colour scheme do you like for a kitchen? Are there any kitchen remodel projects that you’ve come across which you found particularly appealing?
Taking note of other kitchens you see – both in person and online – will help you to discern the individual elements you might want to include (or exclude) in your future kitchen. The images of kitchen renovations before and after ideas below should help with this.
Kitchen renovations can improve the value of your house, so try not to be daunted by any estimated costs. The average kitchen remodel will cost approximately $17,000 in Australia (though for those in Sydney, the average is frighteningly higher at $23,000) which includes the pricing for new furniture, paint, wall embellishments and decorations as well as hiring the necessary contractors.
However, if this number is beyond your budget you can still undertake a kitchen remodel – try to research areas where you may be able to make conservative decisions, such as in benchtop materials (e.g. laminate is one of the cheapest materials available but can still be made to look like almost any other surface) furniture choices (perhaps try looking for second hand pieces) and hiring contractors (you may be able to avoid jobs that will require trained professionals and search how to DIY where possible).
Kitchen Makeovers: 4 before and after kitchen renovations
Find a list of the some of the best kitchen renovation before and after photos below.
4. Rini and Cuppett Austin home
Before
After
This 1,200 historical Austin home was filled with dated furniture and dark colour schemes. Homeowners Cuppett and Rini undertook some drastic changes in their kitchen renovation, opting for a much lighter and warmer colour palate.
They removed the upper cabinets and replaced them with freestanding furnishings and open shelving. Rini and Cuppett did not want to completely modernize the house and elements of its historical charm are kept intact by the hanging display of vintage pots, the pale colours, and the dark ladder.The renovation served a functional purpose as well, with the updated Aga gas stove (available here) a significant improvement compared to the previous electric model.
Overall, this small kitchen renovation could probably be recreated in your home for as little as a few thousand dollars, depending on the type of furniture you purchase and the difficulty of removing existing furniture (e.g. cabinets) from your original kitchen.
3. Aniko and Miki Levi Richmond Home
Before
After
Homeowners Aniko and Miki Levi bought their Richmond home with the intent to remodel the open-plan kitchen. The floor plans of the kitchen were already nice and spacious, attaching to the breakfast areas. However, the oak cabinets and laminate countertops were outdated and soon replaced. The Levi’s actually renovated their kitchen twice, finally settling on the bright and cozy design pictured above.
During the renovations they replaced the laminate floor with a unique, patterned porcelain tile and repainted all of the cabinets. They also made many subtle upgrades like additional shelves, wall tiling and a benchtop swap. While this renovation was likely on the expensive side, it may be possible to emulate the spirit of this design style on a budget. The cabinets were purchased from Ikea and then repainted to better suit the purpose; for an enthusiastic DIY-er, this could be a great opportunity for some creative problem solving.
2. Courtney Bishop
Before
After
Though the bright kitchen of designer Courtney Bishop was already a beautifully styled, she eventually decided that the layout was too small for their growing family. Instead, she transformed their kitchen into a hangout hub for the whole family, choosing an L-shaped design which leads directly into the sitting room, so that the whole family can comfortably share the space.
The furniture in this kitchen is incredibly personalized, with many of the pieces holding sentimental value for Bishop as she bought many of them – such as the Morocan tiles – during her travels. You could recreate this idea of personalized design in your home by repurposing items that you have collected over the years, whether family heirlooms, travel treasures, pieces of art or even just small things that you purchase specifically because they feel like an expression of your personality.
1. Mindy Laven
Before
After
This renovated kitchen in Southern California is almost unrecognizable. With hints of brass and nuanced textures, homeowner Mindy Laven lent into the contemporary elegance of a French Provincial kitchen. She updated the entire kitchen with herringbone floors, wooden ceiling beams, Venetian plaster walls and antique furniture pieces.
Much like the Bishop family, Laven was able to draw from an existing furniture repertoire. Many of the furniture pieces pictured were actually drawn from her mother-in-law’s antique collection. This adds a sentimentality and personality to an already gorgeous kitchen. Industrial chic is an ever-evolving style, but a renovation like this is sure to turn heads for decades to come.
This is likely the most expensive style of renovation on the list, but if you have your heart set on a similar transformation then you should definitely consider investing some money in renovating your kitchen. With an outcome like this, there is no chance for regret!
