DIY-savvy woman transforms kitchen from dark and dated to bright and modern for just £100
When Becky Lane moved from London to Surrey, the kitchen in her new home was dark and dated.
While traditional kitchen upgrades can cost an average of £5000, the 34-year-old mum, who is behind DIY interiors Instagram @21oakham, was able to dramatically transform her space for just £100.
“The kitchen was dark pine and not to our taste," she tells Tap Warehouse. "But also made the space feel very dark and depressing when we wanted a lighter airy, modern feel."
According to Lane, paint was one of the fundamental aspects of the impressive makeover.
“It was mainly all paint that the money was spent on," she reveals. "I bought four pots of Wilkinson chalk furniture paint (£10 each) as I wanted a matt finish instead of satin or gloss.
"I painted the tiles in Ronseal for £10 tile paint and then used a varnish over the top for £9. For the floor, I used an extreme power cleaner with a drill brush scrubbing set which I already own from another project. Then for finishing touches, I used door handles which are £14 from eBay and spray paint costing £15.”
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To keep costs low, Lane decided to get creative, opting to carry out a lot of the work herself.
“To begin, I sanded and cleaned all the units, panelling and tiles," she explains. "Then I painted tiles first after preparing the area and masking up the switches and sockets. I did three coats on the tiles."
Next, Lane did all the wall panelling and units.
"The first coat took the longest as my unit doors had grooves," she continues. "I found this was the longest part of the job with the wall panelling, which soaked up the paint quicker than expected.
"If others were doing this project without panelling, we would have only needed two paint pots which would also save even more money," she adds.
Next the family painted two coats all over and added varnish to the tiles to harden the finish.
"While everything was drying, I started the project to clean the tiles," Lane continues. "I spent about four hours straight on them and could have easily spent days on them, but I got them to a clean level."
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Though the project was starting to come together, there was one further aspect the couple were keen to tackle - the sink.
“Once all the paint was set, we were left with a silver steel sink which didn’t go at all with the gold fixtures," Lane explains.
"However, as I’ve never seen a sink spray painted before, I was worried the paint may chip away due to use.
"We decided to leave the basin as it gets the most amount of wear but spray the sideboard and the surround. We feel it’s really set off the kitchen and love it. Then the final job was adding the new gold handles which also help with finishing the full look."
Watch: Dream Home Makeover's Syd and Shea McGee reveal they nearly went broke before finding fame.
For anyone wanting to take on a similar kitchen project, Lane suggests making a mood-board from favourite Instagram or Pinterest accounts.
"Pinterest is a great starting point for any DIY room transformation," she says.
If there’s something in your kitchen which you know you can’t afford to change - in Lane’s case this was the flooring - she suggests looking for themes that match with the element you can’t change and use that as your starting point.
Lane found the best theme to match her kitchen floor tiles was a white Mediterranean theme with gold accessories.
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If you're keen to transform your kitchen on a budget, Tap Warehouse and Lane have some other insider tips on how to create an Insta-worthy space without the spenny price tag.
Transform kitchen cupboards with paint and new door handles
One of the main things that prevents people from tackling a kitchen makeover is the cost of new cupboards. But a lick of paint can leave the most unsavoury of kitchen cupboards looking picture-proud.
Replacing the door handles will also add a wow. Gold and brass handles are particularly popular right now, and have really set off the look in Lane's incredible new kitchen.
Use plants and accessories to add a luxury feel
Accessorising your kitchen can easily be done on a budget, but can make a huge difference. Lane recommends adding houseplants to brighten up the space. You can also accessories with kitchen appliances that match your kitchen aesthetic such as a brass kettle and matching tea and coffee pots.
Add cute storage baskets for on-display shelves
Shelves overflowing with clutter? Cute storage baskets are a great way to hide away unsightly bits and bobs, giving your kitchen space an on-trend overhaul.
This isn't the first time Lane has impressed with a purse-friendly home makeover. Earlier this year, she completely transformed her garden, turning her crazy paving-covered courtyard into a stylish sun-trap for just £100.
