Woman transforms bland kitchen into super-chic space for under £200
Kitchen renovations can be expensive, but one thrifty woman has offered proof you don't have to fork out thousands making over your existing space.
Laura Hammerton, 32, from Grimsby, who is an advanced healthcare assistant at a neonatal unit, was desperate to spruce up her kitchen, but didn't want to have to pay thousands to do so.
But by taking on the work herself, painting her existing cupboards and seeking out bargains on fixtures and fittings, Hammerton was able to stick to an incredible £200 budget.
"I’d recently joined some DIY groups on Facebook," she told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk. "I saw lots of amazing transformations including kitchens, so I decided to go for it."
Read more: The £8.99 product that can transform your kitchen in 30 minutes
The mum of one began by sourcing materials locally.
"The paint I used was Frenchic, so I found my local stockist and purchased a tin in 'Hornblower' blue, and one of their brushes," she explains.
"I then purchased more materials from my local Wilko, including foam rollers, masking tape, sugar soap and sanding paper."
She used the sugar soap to clean all the cupboards and surfaces before allowing them to dry.
“All cupboards and drawers were then removed and lightly sanded down," she continues.
Read more: Savvy woman builds entirely new bathroom for just £200
Hammerton did two coats of paint on each drawer and cupboard using the brush she'd purchased and a further one or two coats with the foam roller for a smoother finish.
"I then came up with the idea to use my clothes airer to lay the cupboard doors on to dry," she continues.
The next step was painting the tiles in the kitchen, which she did using a roller and white tile paint from Wilko.
"The walls I painted in Grey Whisper Johnstone paint also from Amazon," she says.
"Our floor lino was replaced with a grey laminate wood effect lino purchased from eBay."
Another change that had a big impact was using an adhesive film to transform the work tops.
"The work surfaces were revamped using DC Fix also from Wilko," Hammerton continues.
“This wasn’t the easiest to apply and took a lot of patience especially when cutting and sticking around the cooker hob and sink."
Once she had completed the painting, Hammerton turned her attention to the finishing touches, purchasing shelves, artificial plants and photos and rose gold handles for the cupboards and drawers.
In terms of any hurdles she had to overcome, the mum says the main thing was overcoming doubts after giving the cupboards their first coat.
“When you apply the first coat, you get something which is called the ‘first coat fear’," she explains. "But it works out well in the end."
Watch: DIY: How to make a TV mount at home
Hammerton is keen to highlight that it is possible to take on a kitchen renovation on a tight budget, with her impressive makeover coming in at just £197 in total.
"The lino cost £100 with fitting, the Frenchic paint and brush cost £30, the Johnstone paint cost £16, the tile paint cost £10, the rose gold handles from Amazon cost £23 and the DC Fix cost £18," she says.
Read more: Couple save £5000 by creating incredible DIY walk-in wardrobe using an IKEA hack
All in all the work took around two weeks to complete and Hammerton says she is thrilled with the outcome.
"I posted before and after pictures on social media and the feedback was amazing,” she adds.
"I couldn’t believe the comments and likes I was receiving."
Her advice for anyone debating whether to take on a similar project is to go for it.
“As long as you take your time and don’t rush you will be happy with your result and the money you will save," she says.
"It would have cost hundreds, maybe thousands, if I’d have bought a whole new kitchen instead of painting it myself," she adds.
"It could have cost up to £2,000!"
"With my partner being furloughed, we had to cut some corners to save the pennies, so this way was the best, and it meant we had some money left over for any more projects I plan to do."
Commenting on the impressive transformation, Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk says: “Kitchen renovations can be one of the priciest aspects of doing up a house.
“However, as Hammerton has expertly shown with her budget renovation, there’s really no need to splurge on fancy materials or professional builders.
“Using budget supplies and a lot of hard work, she’s totally transformed her kitchen - and all for under £200!”
