Paying out for a new kitchen can cost a small fortune, but there’s a couple of simple things you can do to cut the price down to something more reasonable.
DIY-savvy Lianne Davie did just that by shopping around and completing some of the smaller jobs herself after being quoted £1,700 to have her kitchen cupboards painted.
Instead, Lianne went back to the drawing board and looked for a more affordable alternative - using several hacks along the way.
Lianne told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk : “I bought the house a year ago and, although the kitchen was in brilliant condition, the white cabinets were boring and I could spot every bit of dirt on them. Plus, the little brown mosaic tiles just weren't my style.
“I thought I could have a whole new kitchen for that price, surely. Instead of spray-painting the cupboards, I found a local painter to do it by hand for £300.
“I have always liked darker colours, such as navy. I’d seen the shade used in lots of different interiors projects like living rooms and hallways and thought it would look nice in the kitchen.”
By choosing a cheaper option and trying her hand at some DIY jobs, Lianne managed to create her dream kitchen for £1,200, saving £500 on the original quote.
She added: “I was worried that it may darken the room and make it appear smaller, as it's typically a shade that works well in big kitchens in large houses. However, my kitchen window is pretty large and lets in lots of natural daylight, so I thought it would work out ok.
“I had already removed the old handles, filled the holes and sanded them down ready for painting.”
Lianne found the perfect paint shade, named Antibes, from the range of GoodHome Durable Matt Emulsion paints available at B&Q , priced at £16 for 2.5L.
She said: “Deciding what to do with the wall tiles was the hardest part of the process but, after some advice, I decided to keep them white. I used the same type of multi-purpose paint for the tiles, but in a brilliant white gloss.
"I’d seen people using tile stickers for stairways so I decided to use them for a dedicated feature area behind the cooker. This saved me £50 compared to buying a piece of glass splashback.”
Lianne gave the walls a lick of paint and sourced all the accessories, including the brushed gold cup style cupboard handles and black kitchen appliances, on a budget too.
She added: “The handles were £10 from Amazon. They were classed as secondhand, but they were actually brand new.
“I think this is the case when people buy them and open the packets but don’t end up using them. It was great news for me, as I got them much cheaper than they would have cost new.”
Next came the flooring, with Lianne settling on a concrete tile effect vinyl floor, fitted by a local handyman, which cost her £54. In total, the project took about two weeks to complete from start to finish.
Lianne said she loves the “warm and lovely” final result and has offered some advice for anyone wanting to follow in her footsteps.
She said: “I absolutely love the end result, it’s so warm and lovely.I hadn't seen many completed kitchens combining all of my favourite colours and accessories before, but I knew it would be lovely.
“Everyone is all about grey and blush pinks at the moment and most people want to brighten their kitchen, but I prefer the homely cottage style. It’s exactly what I wanted to recreate.
“My advice to others doing their own kitchen revamp is to shop about.“Get a load of quotes. Look at reviews. And remember, secondhand isn't a bad thing. Take your time and enjoy it.”
