A “Hideous, Moldy” White Kitchen Now Looks Unrecognizable (for Under $16K!)
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: Townhouse
PROJECT TYPE: Kitchen
STYLE: Bohemian, Organic Modern
SKILL LEVEL: DIY, Professional
RENTAL FRIENDLY: No
Older homes have a certain magic, but when they’re not maintained properly, it can curtail that charm in a serious way — especially in the kitchen.
Because it’s a high-functioning space space in the home, modern amenities and functional flow in a kitchen can make cooking and cleaning easier, so it can help to update an older cook space — at least that was the case with the kitchen in Emily’s Brighton, U.K. townhouse.
Emily describes the original kitchen as “beyond hideous.” But that’s not all: “It was at least 20 years old, I believe,” she says. “I had to test it for asbestos, although luckily none was found. It was an odd shape … There was one tiny window that got almost no direct light, so I was desperate to get a new window in. It was gray and cream with some really awkward-shaped cupboards, and anything you put in them went moldy. I cannot describe the mold when I pulled all the cupboards off!”
She knew she wanted an airy kitchen with green cabinets and a light-colored countertop. She also wanted a mix of professional help and DIY — and she even sought feedback from her social media followers along the way.
“I asked my Instagram community what they thought of [the company] DIY Kitchens and had so many positive responses, I decided to go with them — I’m very happy I did,” Emily says. In addition, builders constructed a new ceiling, removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room, demolished an outdoor toilet, and put in a new window, which took around two months.
At first, Emily visited a large kitchen supplier, hoping to develop a layout, which ended up coming in way over what she had planned to spend. Instead, she used the plan to purchase units from DIY Kitchens in a sage color.
Emily went to a few countertop showrooms to find a solid white marble laminate option for her kitchen. (She was excited about getting the “marble effect without the cost.”)
Surprisingly, one of the most challenging parts of the kitchen transformation was finding matching brass taps, handles, and sockets. A whole year later, she found laminate vinyl tiling for the floors.
One of Emily’s favorite DIY projects in the space is the scaffolding boards she snagged from a local wood reclamation store that she used to create open shelving, a design element she carried over from her previous flat. “I know I’d have a little more space if I’d done more cupboards, but they would have blocked the light, and I love the rustic look,” she shares.
The kitchen looks much brighter thanks to two windows above the kitchen sink. Emily opted for windows she could open completely to talk to folks sitting in the garden, and even helped to construct the windowsills. A disco ball sits next to the windows now, reflecting even more light around the room.
Overall, the kitchen renovation cost just under $16,000 (around £12,000). What was once a dark, outdated space has been reinvented as an airy, functional, gorgeous kitchen. The spirit and flair of this room is reflective of the entire home — to see more, visit the full home tour on Apartment Therapy.
This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Before & After: A “Hideous, Moldy” White Kitchen Gets a Cozy Green Makeover (It’s Unrecognizable!)
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