See how interior designer Jana Bek completed her gorgeous kitchen renovation with these budget-friendly hacks.
By Tamara Kraus, Real Simple
Nothing delights us quite like a tastefully done renovation. But what’s even better? When it’s done with some serious money and time-saving kitchen-renovation hacks. Interior Designer Jana Bek recently transformed her dated kitchen without having to gut the entire room. Check out her bright and airy kitchen makeover below, and her genius tips for getting the job done without busting your budget.
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Nothing delights us quite like a tastefully done renovation. But what’s even better? When it’s done with some serious money and time-saving kitchen-renovation hacks. Interior Designer Jana Bek recently transformed her dated kitchen without having to gut the entire room. Check out her bright and airy kitchen makeover below, and her genius tips for getting the job done without busting your budget.
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Kitchen Cabinet Renovation (Before)
Before you scroll to see this breathtaking kitchen renovation, check out the before shot to see just how much of an impact the changes made to this space. One of Bek's best-kept tips to saving cash is to do as much of the work yourself and leave more difficult projects, like honing the counters, to the pros.
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Extend the Kitchen Cabinet Height (After)
If your cabinets are old, chances are that they are on the shorter end. Instead of stripping them, save them and simply extend them upward like Bek did. Now the cabinets are more substantial—and have more room for pantry essentials. Check out Bek's Pinterest for more info on how she renovated the cabinets.
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Work With What You Have (After)
Bek’s kitchen once had dark, dated, glossy granite counters. Replacing them would have cost around $12,000, which was out of the question. Instead, Bek perused Pinterest for kitchens with similar counters for inspiration. After an exhaustive search, she discovered a creative solution for her counters—honing them on-site. This process involves a master craftsman wet sanding down the granite in layers. So after two days, for just under $2,000, her counters turned into beautiful matte granite that looks like soapstone.
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Play with Open Shelving
While Bek didn't replace her existing cabinets—she advises to simply paint and extend them to stretch your dollar. Mix it up and add a wall or two of open shelves. Display your prettiest dishes, pieces of art to add pops of color, and create visual interest vertically.
See more at: Real Simple
