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Keen to totally overhaul your dated kitchen but not sure if you’ve got the funds to take it on? Take a leaf out of The Block:Glasshouse winner, Shannon Vos’ book.
He recently spent just shy of $5000 on a budget kitchen renovation in his apartment – and the results, which you can see in our exclusive web series, speak for themselves.
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His secret? Shannon says there’s no need to spend up big replacing cabinetry, redesigning your space and paying huge amounts for tradies to come in and install everything – just work with what you’ve got and have a go at doing some of the work yourself!
You’ll be surprised at how easy it all is.
Tiling your splashback
“I think tiling is a good one you can do yourself,” says Shannon, who opted to use a lovely textured subway tile as a splashback in his beautiful monochromatic kitchen makeover.
“People can tile themselves – YouTube is there to show you how!”
That said, it’s a job you shouldn’t rush. And if you’re working with difficult, intricate tiles, or a very large surface, it goes without saying you’re better off paying a professional. But if it’s just a case of replacing a few tiles behind your stove, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t give it a red hot go.
“Over order your tiles by 20 per cent so you give yourself a bit of a buffer for stuff-up cuts and things like that. And just take your time,” says Shannon.
You don’t have to do it all in one day – you can just chip away at it.”
Tiling your own splashback will save you money in a kitchen renovation.
Overhaul your cabinets
Forget about spending thousands commissioning new cabinetry – work with what you’ve got and do it yourself, says Shannon.
“I took all the doors and handles off and painted them myself,” says Shannon. “Specific kitchen paint is a bit of a marketing ploy – you just have to use your hard-wearing trim paint. Talk to your paint shop and find out what is a suitable product.”
As long as the hinges on your cupboards are in good knick, you’ll be amazed at the difference a new colour scheme can make.
“Preparation is key – you have got to have a good undercoat on there so the paint will bind to the previous surface,” says Shannon, who removed his cupboard doors, scrubbed with sugar soap, sanded, primed and painted them all himself before affixing them back on.
“Kitchens can get quite greasy, and dirty, so it’s also a good idea to wash everything really well first,” he explains. “Take them to a dust-free environment.”
Painting
Why pay professionals big bucks when you can make like those sleepless Block contestants…and do it yourself! They’re up till all-hours painting their rooms each week, and – real talk – you should be too.
Not sure how? Head to your local hardware store and they’ll walk you through the process, suggesting the right paint for the job.
LED strip lighting
“You legally need an electrician to do electrical work, but if you’re installing plug-and-play LED strips that’s fine [to do yourself],” says Shannon, who installed these below his cabinets to provide extra ‘task lighting’ in his kitchen.
These are surprisingly effective, and super easy to install – just peel off the adhesive, pop them on and away you go!
LED lights installed under the overhead cabinets add warmth to the space.
Replace your sink and taps yourself
This might seem hard, but so long as you’re replacing like-for-like, it’s easier than you might think to replace sinks and taps. And remember, if you don’t have the tools for the job, you can always get them from your local hire company.
“You can hire most things from Kennards, or any hire company, really,” says Shannon.
As long as it’s a relatively easy swap, there’s no need to call out the professionals – just log onto YouTube and you’ll find plenty of tutorials showing you how to do it.
Sinks and tapware can be replaced with like-for-like sized fittings.
Replace your handles
This is probably the easiest job of all – especially if the new handles you’re replacing have the same configuration as your existing ones.
“A new handle will totally change the look of your cabinetry,” says Shannon. “If you have got a 15-year-old kitchen, chances are you’ve got a stainless steel handle that’s not really shiny and maybe a bit greased-up and tarnished. If you find a handle with the same set-out, which is usually the same holes, it’s an easy Saturday morning fix – you can smash it out in a day.”
Shannon opted for a lovely timber handle from local company, Kethy.
“They’re a solid timber handle and they just look beautiful,” he explains. “Plus, they give it a little bit of a seventies vibe!”
The post What to DIY in a kitchen makeover appeared first on realestate.com.au.
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