Hey all! My name is Julia, former college student and a home decor enthusiast who loves DIY home improvement projects and finding creative ways to decorate any living spaces on a budget. Recently moved from my dorm to my new apartment which I renovated from scratch and I am here to help you with tips & tricks about home decor/college and more 🙂
It’s the first Sunday of December as I’m writing this, the kind of grey cozy day where I absolutely should be doing life admin… and instead I’m deep in a rabbit hole of before and after kitchen makeovers.
There’s something weirdly comforting about seeing totally normal “before” kitchens – orange cabinets, bad lighting, chaos on the counters – turn into spaces that feel calm, bright, and actually functional.
In this little tour you’ll see everything from full-on kitchen renovations to renter-friendly DIY tweaks: smart layout fixes, brave paint jobs, better kitchen lighting, storage hacks, and a few big swoony designer moments.
My job is to show you what’s possible; your job is to steal the ideas that fit your home, budget, and current energy levels.
Layout Improvements: From Carpeted Dining Nook to Island Dream
This one starts with a yellowed, slightly sad kitchen-diner situation: carpet under the table, dated cabinets, and that “we just shoved the furniture where it fit” feeling. The “after” I first saw on Lauren & James Instagram, they add a big central kitchen island, clearer walkways, and a long run of cabinetry that finally makes the room feel like one big, functional kitchen layout instead of two awkward halves. Herringbone floors now connect the eating and cooking zones so the kitchen flow feels natural, not forced. It’s such a good reminder that you can massively maximize kitchen space just by rethinking where the big pieces live, not necessarily by knocking down every wall.
Color and Finish Updates: Deep Green with Checkered Floors
The “before” here is that classic all-white box: white cabinets, grey-ish floor, technically fine but the kind of kitchen you’d forget five minutes after leaving. Then Abby paints the cabinets a rich, moody green (Benjamin Moore Midnight, if you’re paint-stalking), keeps the layout exactly the same, and suddenly the whole room has a very opinionated kitchen style. A black-and-white checkered floor and warm wooden worktops make it feel like a cool little European café instead of a builder-basic space. Nothing structural changed, but the new palette and finishes give serious kitchen aesthetics and make it look like custom cabinetry.
Lighting transformations: bye fluorescent box, hello warm glow
You know those giant fluorescent ceiling boxes that make you feel like you’re chopping onions in a hospital corridor? That’s where this long galley kitchen started. In the “after,” which I spotted on DeLancey profile, the ceiling is smoothed out, the box is gone, and layered kitchen lighting steps in: recessed spots, a pretty pendant, and even an arched doorway that pulls your eye toward the dining space beyond. The cabinets, counters, and floors are all lovely, but what really changes the mood is the light bouncing around instead of being trapped in that sad plastic panel. It proves you can get a huge kitchen transformation just by dealing with the stuff on the ceiling.
Storage enhancements: the open-shelf coffee wall
In the before shot from @thepotthouseno60, you’ve got a row of glossy grey upper cabinets doing a perfectly adequate but deeply joyless job. The after rips those uppers out and replaces them with warm wood open shelves against a wall of glossy black tile, turning one corner into a tiny coffee bar that pulls double duty as storage and kitchen decor. Everyday mugs, canisters, and the coffee machine now live out in the open, styled but genuinely used every single day. It’s basically a little masterclass in turning kitchen storage solutions into something pretty instead of just more boxes on the wall.
Visual impact changes: same cabinets, totally new kitchen
This kitchen by @averagebutinspired is one of my favourite “wait, that’s the same room?” moments. The 2020 version is peak builder-grade: honey oak, busy backsplash, dark counters… you know the look. In the updated photos, the exact same cabinet boxes are still there, but they’re painted, re-hardwared, topped with pale counters, and paired with a simple herringbone subway tile backsplash behind the range. The island stays put, but now it’s bright and inviting with stools that match the new kitchen design instead of fighting it.
Soft-blue budget refresh – Liza’s family kitchen
Liza Prideaux’s kitchen started as a very relatable mix of orangey floor tiles, wood cabinets, and that “we’ll renovate one day” energy. She first went light and neutral, then circled back and repainted the cabinets a soft blue (Porcelain V) with simple black hardware, which suddenly makes the whole space feel calm and considered. Paired with pale floors and a little round table tucked into the corner, it reads as a bright kitchen that still feels like a real family home where cereal happens at 7 a.m. and craft projects mysteriously appear on the counters. It’s such a nice example of a slow, layered home improvement where a kitchen renovation happens in stages, not in one terrifying weekend.
This before shot from Carrie (acarriedaffairdesigns) is the most “this could be my house in 2012” thing: standard wood cabinets, beige tile, a curvy window valance trying its best. Painting the cabinets a deep, inky navy and swapping in lighter counters instantly shifts the whole room into modern kitchen territory without touching the footprint. New flooring, a simple Roman shade, and warm brass hardware keep it from feeling cold or too showroom-perfect. If you’ve been quietly craving dark cabinets but you’re worried about losing light, this is the mood-board you show your nervous brain.
Sleek & streamlined – cramped white box to modern showpiece
The original kitchen I saw from @collectedinteriorsperth is narrow, very white, and just a bit awkward – everything fits, but it doesn’t really sing. In the after, a long island, full-height storage, and a black feature wall turn it into a proper modern kitchen with gallery vibes. Marble-look worktops, integrated appliances, and pale timber floors keep things feeling airy, not clinical. It’s a masterclass in kitchen layout design and proportion: same basic footprint, but the lines and volumes are so much better that the whole room looks twice as big.
DIY door-off, paint-on – light & airy U-shape
When I say Natalie’s “before” from Natalie (everythingnatalie_) is familiar, I mean it in my soul: orangey oak, dark laminate worktops, and a U-shape that feels boxy rather than cosy. She takes all the doors off, lines them up on cardboard in the garden, and slowly paints them a soft, warm neutral – peak diy kitchen remodel energy. New wood-look worktops and matte black handles pull everything together so the original U-shape suddenly feels intentional and efficient. It’s such a good example of improving kitchen functionality without changing a single cabinet location.
Botanical green on a budget – under-£200 transformation
This kitchen from @lifewithmolly__ started as a very plain maple-and-mosaic-tile scenario, the kind you scroll past in estate agent photos. With a few tins of Constance Moss green paint from Frenchic Paint, new handles, a vinyl-wrapped worktop, and fresh grout, it turns into a tiny botanical café of a room. The layout, appliances, and even some of the finishes stay the same, but the new green plus textures completely shift the kitchen aesthetics. It’s the makeover I want to text to anyone who tells me they “need full custom or nothing.” You don’t. You need a free weekend, a plan, and maybe some cardboard boxes in the garden.
Sage green fresh start – from “blah kitchen” to cosy classic
The original caption on this one (another @delancey.diy gem, this time in her cousin’s house) literally says “blah kitchen ready for a fresh start,” and honestly, fair. Wall-to-wall orange cabinets, black counters, beige tile laid on the diagonal… it’s a lot. Painting the cabinets a soft sage, swapping the hardware to matte black, and adding a creamy subway tile backsplash instantly makes everything feel calmer and more intentional. The same dark counters suddenly look chic and grounding instead of harsh, which is such a useful trick if new worktops aren’t in the remodeling budget this year.
Charcoal & copper comfort – painting instead of replacing
This is the story of Danie Berger and her very red wood cabinets with a glossy stone island that dominated the room. Instead of gutting everything, she paints the cabinetry a deep charcoal and swaps in warm wood worktops, letting the existing copper pendants finally shine as the jewellery of the space. The island suddenly feels like the coziest pub table, especially with those wood stools tucked in. It’s a great reminder that a targeted set of kitchen upgrades – paint, counters, hardware – can be enough to fall in love with your kitchen again without a full tear-out.
White & wood farmhouse classic – biggest reno yet
Before Karan got her hands on it, this kitchen was a tunnel of dark cherry cabinets and beige tile that made the whole room feel narrow. The renovation brings in white shaker fronts, pale wood floors, a big island, and black fixtures for just the right amount of contrast. A glass-front hutch holds everyday dishes and mixes storage with display in that really satisfying way. It’s one of those timeless kitchen design moments that could easily handle Christmas dinner and a Tuesday night nugget emergency.
Burgundy cabinets & checkerboard confidence
This one by Ola Zwolenik starts with knotty pine cabinets, green tile, and (the true villain) carpet in the kitchen plus a heavy ceiling fan trying its best. The “after” leans all the way into charm: rich burgundy cabinets, the original green tiles and oven kept on purpose, and new black-and-white checkered floors tying it all together. The layout is mostly the same, but the attitude is completely different – it feels like a playful, lived-in period kitchen where someone is always baking something. It’s such a bold but smart example of using colour and pattern instead of chasing a fully neutral, Pinterest-safe kitchen.
Modern cottage deep grey – CLJ’s evolved island kitchen
Chris and Julia from ChrislovesJulia (blog we all know) had a very pretty kitchen to begin with: minty-green uppers, wood accents, an arched window, and a big island. But over time they nudged it toward a more modern cottage vibe with deeper cabinet colours, more panelling, and that gorgeous dark glass hutch anchoring one side. The granite that once felt a bit “early 2000s” now looks super deliberate against the cooler, moodier cabinetry. It’s a nice reminder that kitchen inspiration doesn’t have to start from a blank slate – sometimes it’s just about evolving what you already have so it feels more like you now.
Layered modern country – six years of tweaks
Emma from @pagesofemma is the queen of the slow burn. Her home’s kitchen started out totally standard, then moved through a darker brick-and-black-cabinet phase before finally landing in this soft, layered modern country moment. There’s vertical panelling, a skirted sink, a peek into the dining nook, and about nine million plants and textiles making everything feel soo cosy and lived in. Watching that whole journey unfold over six years is such a good antidote to “we renovated our entire house in eight days” content – real kitchen design is often just one thoughtful change after another.
High-end city drama – brick loft to luxe marble & bronze
This last one is the fancy inspo shot I keep open when I’m staring at my own wall..: a long, narrow space transformed by @dartstudioinc into something very grown-up. Dark cabinetry, a bronze hood, and tall storage play against a long fluted island in warm wood, all wrapped in veiny marble on the walls and counters. Slim white pendants and brass details add just enough glam without shouting over the architecture. It’s the kind of kitchen renovation that makes you want to redo your entire life, but even if that’s not remotely in the cards, it’s full of those little kitchen decor details you can borrow at any budget.
FAQ
How can I make a rental kitchen look nicer without breaking the rules?
Start with what you can take with you: rugs to hide sad floors, art propped on counters, pretty canisters, and a lamp for that instant cosy glow. Removable things like peel-and-stick tile, vinyl floor squares, and contact paper on tired counters can make a huge difference if you test them first and remove them carefully. Swapping hardware to something you love is usually allowed if you keep and label the originals. And if you’re unsure, it’s always worth politely emailing your landlord first with a couple of photos or moodboard-style kitchen inspiration so they can see you’re aiming for a neat upgrade, not chaos.
Is $10,000 enough for a kitchen remodel?
It definitely can be, as long as you’re realistic about the scope. Ten thousand is usually a “refresh” budget: painting cabinets, new worktops, better kitchen lighting, a few new fixtures or mid-range appliances, and maybe new flooring if you’re clever. If you want to move plumbing, knock down walls for an open concept kitchen, or go all-in on custom cabinetry, that number can disappear very fast. My general rule is: keep your existing layout and focus on the big visual surfaces if you’re working with a tighter remodeling budget.
How can I cover kitchen cabinets in a renter-friendly way?
Look for anything removable and non-damaging. Peel-and-stick vinyl, wood-look films, and even fabric panels on glass fronts can change the look without committing your landlord to your colour choices forever. Inside the cabinets, lining shelves with nice contact paper helps hide stains and makes cleaning easier. Avoid sanding, heavy deglossing, or anything that permanently changes the finish, and always get written permission if you’re unsure. Worst case, you focus on everything around the cabinets – hardware, styling, and lighting – and accept the doors as a neutral backdrop.
Will landlords let you paint cabinets?
Some will happily say yes (especially if the current kitchen looks rough), and others have a firm no-painting policy. When you ask, it helps to show photo examples or a little moodboard so they can see you’re going for a calm, tasteful kitchen style and not neon stripes. Offer to use a neutral colour and a decent primer so the finish actually lasts, and get their “yes” in writing. And if they say no? You still have plenty of tricks: new knobs, renter-friendly wraps, better kitchen organization, and cute styling can carry a lot of the visual weight.
Which cabinets should not be painted?
In general, skip painting cabinets that are badly damaged, peeling, or covered in waxy/oily finishes that won’t hold on to primer no matter how hard you sand. Very special or historic timber (think original 100-year-old oak in a period home) might be worth preserving as wood if you love that character. And if your doors are warped, crumbling, or swollen from water damage, even the best paint job won’t fix the underlying problem. In those cases, new doors – or honestly a proper replacement – will give you better long-term kitchen functionality than fighting with what’s already there.
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