Budget-friendly kitchen reno
Mellissa Kenny and her husband Mark transformed this kitchen from dated and disintegrating to fresh and functional.
Photography + Design Mellissa Kenny / Words Nichola Davies
It’s hard to believe that this bright and breezy Hamptons-style kitchen was once home to cracked floors, purple cabinetry and a laminate benchtop that would lift off the base cabinetry. But interior designer Mellissa Kenny of My Kind of Bliss, alongside her husband Mark, did it all for under $15,000, without having ever renovated before – and with a baby on the way!
The couple kicked off the project by ripping out the old kitchen and extending it along the entire far wall, which maximised storage space and functionality. Melissa says they managed to keep costs down by doing everything except plumbing and electrical work themselves, and by making some clever product swaps.
BEFORE
AFTER
“I would have loved a stone bench top but budget wouldn’t allow it, so we went with a laminate,” says Melissa. “I was worried at first using a laminate but the range available now is incredible. I found a beautiful laminate from Polytec called Carrara Matt.”
For cabinetry, the couple chose Kaboodle based on the cost and the DIY factor. “Choosing the raw doors saved us so much money and meant that we could fully customise them,” says Mellissa. “I also loved the classic Shaker-style profiles.”
“I’m a pro with the spray gun now,” she jokes.
“I would have loved a stone bench top but
budget wouldn’t allow it, so we went with a laminate.”
MELLISSA’S TOP 3 BUDGET-FRIENDLY
TIPS FOR RENOVATING A KITCHEN
1. Plan and educate yourself before you start.
Research and understand the process and order of doing things. Watch a million YouTube videos and follow renovators on Instagram. Chat with a builder or structural engineer about your plans to see if they are possible. Get multiple quotes and write a timeline to help stay on track.2. Be flexible and compromise.
Research how you can get the look for less. If you are prepared to put in the time you can save a lot of money by researching products that can give you a similar result for a fraction of the price (eg, laminate vs stone and painting our cabinets).3. Save money where you can.
Do what you can yourself - don’t be scared to give it a go. Try to keep your plumbing and electrical where it is if possible. Spend money in the right places, we invested money in good quality appliances and hybrid floors (which we installed ourselves).
