Adding the stainless steel island really works well here.

The white front on the dishwasher was just taking off the side chrome and flipping the panel :)

I think I'll try the stainless steel film on the dishwasher. At least it will go with the cart :)

I think houzz buzz should have a section specifically on budget ideas, because I love this line of conversation, and don't we all want to save some $$? Good job!

Great work on a tight budget! Congratulations!

Thanks everyone. Just posted an update also on my $750 bedroom too. Please check it out. I think you can find it by my alias.

Very impressive transformation. Well done!

Really well done!

Wow! Amazing job with what you've spent! Gorgeous island. What a difference that made in your kitchen. Very nice!

Mbouse, can you post a link to your bedroom upgrade? I'm on my iphone and can't go through your profile. You've done a great job with the kitchen! Your so creative!

Here's a link. I'm trying this from my iPad. Let me know if it doesn't work. http://houzz.com/discussions/621105. :)

here is another one. That's the way to do it ,good work it looks very nice.

$350?! That's a lot of bang for you buck. congrats to you.

For $350 dollars, you did amazing! Congrats!

Thanks everybody. Still at a loss for my first question which was some way to treat the shop lights that are in there. Who puts shop lights in kitchens??????.....

Really sweet budget makeover!

Great job!!

Shop lights? put them in the garage. Then, go to your discount building store, or online, and buy some nice pendants.... Lowe's has them for under $25. some with the shades.... easy to install on existing wire where the shop lights were.

Lol I thought the first pic was your re-do and thought..what am I missing...I really like your re-do...love the colors! Great job!

I have no clue how to do wiring... Is it hard????

Your faux bamboo counters are spectacular. I can see you're a perfectionist! But how does the paint hold up to the wear & tear a counter receives? What kind of paint did you use?

Kitchen looks great! Great idea keeping those cabinets!

Ikea has some $20 hanging pendants in stainless steel that complement your island. Changing out the hard wired fixture is easy, my husband (who has no electrical expertise) did it recently.

Love what you did. You are obviously a very talented artist.

I found two pendants for 8.95 each in a markdown....I've been asked if they're from pottery barn a few times...I smile and smile :-) wiring isn't hard at ALL....you tube it though or get a guy friend who has already done it....you don't want a shock or worse!

Beerpocketbook.. I used a primer...then acrylic paint... Then a foodsafe sealer from home depot. The sealer took longer than I wanted to dry.... About 4 days. But it was probably because I put it on too thick. (4 coats all together) I didn't want to have to do the counters again. You can't cut on them or put hot dishes on them, but other than that they are great and clean up in a snap!

You are right. Pendant lights would make it look more contemporary.

jkflag. I agree. A great many people must achieve renovation on a very strict budget and I'm inspired when I see the amazing things being done here with just a little money!

At first I thought you were going to paint the blue cupboards for sure. Wow...I'm glad you didn't! Those 2 shades look great together. Love the wall color you chose. That room looks so much warmer...more homey!

Really nice job!

Good job. And good ideas i got from you readers above. @mbouse: Thanks, now i know what acrylic paint is good for...had no clue before. A food safe sealer? Didn't know there was such an animal, and frankly, i probaly wouldn't even thought of it. Thanks

Thanks guys. I loved the project. Still not done. Scared to try to rewire the lights. :D and thinking about putting in a copper penny floor and maybe some cobalt glass. >>> . Here is a link to a foodsafe sealer >>> http://generalfinishes.com/retail-products/oil-base-top-coats/salad-bowl-finish

Oh, and regarding the choice of colors... I'm an artist and blue and orange are in the color wheel as going well together. Normally they would be of the same value/intensity, but this was still strong. It's the artist in me that allowed me to do something insane like putting reflective copper paint on the wall. ;) I think it paid off. Somewhere I also posted the master bedroom which is inexpensive as well. Guest room next.

I've come back to this several times & the more I look at it the more I like it! I didn't realize you had used reflective paint on the walls :0) Where did you get it?

The thing I really like is that (even without knowing you) it's YOU. I bet that's what your friends said when they saw it. No baby poo tan tile...too boring! haha

I'm painting my dining room soon & it's going to be a very saturated chrysanthemum. I have always loved a red dining room & I can't wait to do it!

You did really good !

I like this very much!

Thanks everyone! I got the paint at Home Depot. It's a Martha Stewart paint. Expensive! Took many coats and roller brushes didn't work. I painted it by hand with a 4 inch brush. It goes on thin and also pushes around too easily. This was on a flat white surface. Satin or semigloss as the base would not have worked. One of my close ups in the comments shows the sheen. :)

Martha Stewart Precious Metals paint. I think it was the sherbet color... Not the one called copper. But it looked more copper-ish.

So what did you use as the base/primer? Just curious.

I also noticed in the close up pic...are your walls plaster? I see a texture to it.

I couldn't imagine doing all that by hand! Now that is the epitome of dedication!

The walls were white flat paint. One spray coat from when the house was built. On top of a skim coat. Basically they spray the walls with this goopy stuff and then after a few mins they come back around and skim the tops off any bumps. Not plaster but kinda sorta looks like it. Cheap. About as low end as you can get. But... With this paint on it, it looks rich!

Oh, and to give you all a point of reference... We bought this house in 2010 for $61k. Our house in MA is half as nice and over $600k. So it's kinda funny. But you can see why we are doing this on the cheap.

Thats pretty impressive

There are some awesome paints you can find at Home Depot or Lowes for appliances!

In replacing the fluorescent shop lights, I would suggest a pair of suspended, black-finished coach style lights to contrast from the light blue, copper, and white in the room. However, please be sure these lights will provide enough illumination. I am not sure if Edison-type bulbs would fit the fixtures, but you might ask a lighting expert about them.

You did great!!!

So... my kitchen re-do lasted just short of 10 years. Such a fun design and a happy place to make meals with the fam and to show people the hand-painted walls and faux-panted bamboo counters, etc.. Unfortunately, our house flooded for hurricane Ian and the entire kitchen, both bathrooms, and every room in the house has to be gutted. Thank you for a great experience and 70 comments with this discussion. The new kitchen will cost far more than $350.00. Perhaps I will post here with an update.

I’m so sorry mbouse that you have lost so much. Please post your progress. I know dealing with insurance and rebuilding can be difficult.

mbouse,

My thoughts are with you. We, too, have been affected by Ian but only some damage to our sea wall and dock. We were lucky. So many lost so much. Your new kitchen (and house) will be even more beautiful. Having seen your pictures, I have confidence in you!

I’m so sorry to hear you experienced so much loss from Ian. I’m confident you will create a gorgeous new kitchen. I hope all of you are safe.

Such a shame! But on the bright side, at least you spent a minimal amount the first time, and next time you can still use those same great ideas.

Thoughts are with you in this time. From what you've accomplished before, we can see that you will create something amazing in your new home!