The $500 Kitchen Makeover

MyHomeIdeas.com was given the challenge to dress up our studio kitchen, and we were only given $500 to get the job done. See how our editors made big impact for small change.

Bare bones

The studio kitchen is like the chemistry lab in my high school: stark white walls and cabinets, slick black countertops, zero personality. It lacks only the smell of formaldehyde to take me back to 10th grade.

Inspiration with a twist

We decide on a citrus palette, inspired by all the kitchen gadgets we see in hues of lime, orange, and lemon yellow. This citrus juicer is our first purchase.

$20
Available atWilliams-Sonoma

Basket case

Because there are miles of countertop to fill, we choose large items, like this seagrass basket which we place next to the fridge to hold drinks, which we choose for the color of the bottles, to go with our color scheme.

Basket, $24.99
Available atTarget

Jar heads

We loved these jars with chalkboard panels on the front, so you can identify the contents and then change the labels when necessary. Again, we chose the food items just for their colors: wasabi peas, pasta and split peas are staples in no one’s kitchen.

A cup of sunshine

We thought that adding some live plants would animate the kitchen, and Kim potted them in this cute trio of butter yellow mugs, for a little touch of whimsy. Try using mismatched china cups as containers for your kitchen herbs.

Mr. Personality

Every room needs something entirely unexpected. We were so charmed by this owl cookie jar, and delighted that he suited our palette. He also fits with our Spring Trend update on the popularity of bird motifs.

Sitting pretty

A stool offered us the opportunity to paint something, since we weren’t allowed to paint the cabinets. We also like a place to perch while we watch other people cook. This great rug gave us a chance to introduce pattern into the room, and add a little ethic spice.

Stool, $39
Available atUnfinished Furniture

Mission Accomplished

We came in pretty close to budget, and were mighty pleased with the results. It’s a fresh, modern space that’s friendly and cheerful. And we proved you don’t have to spend a fortune to update your kitchen.

For more great kitchen ideas:
Check out our shopping list.