A minimalist kitchen makeover on a budget | The reveal

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It seems like ages since I first shared our kitchen makeover plans, but we’ve finally finished and I’m very excited to able to reveal the results! It’s been a long time in the planning – and even longer in the doing thanks to a few issues (more on those later) – but it’s definitely been worth the effort.

You can see the ‘before’ photos and read more about our vision for the makeover here, but in short we wanted to replace the high-gloss units and overly chunky worktops that we’d inherited from the previous owners with something that’s a better reflection of us. We also wanted to continue the soft, minimalist vibe that we’re gradually establishing throughout the house, using a combination of muted grey, pale oak and white marble. We did have a couple of major constraints, though. The first was the fact that our kitchen is a narrow, galley-style space and we weren’t in a position to embark on any big structural works to open it up. The second was our relatively small budget of around £2,000. Luckily the layout already worked well, so our solution was to reuse the existing units and appliances, but transform the look and feel of the kitchen with new door and drawer fronts, worktops and tiles.

The fronts

There are all sorts of companies that make stylish door and drawer fronts (you can see my pick of the best here), and after a bit of deliberation we settled on Bristol-based HUSK. They normally work with IKEA’s ‘METOD’ system but were happy to create custom-made sizes to fit our B&Q units on request. We also loved their designs, which consist of an FSC-certified plywood core covered in a sleek matte laminate called Fenix NTM. We opted for a mid-grey colour called ‘Grigio Efeso’ and installed the fronts ourselves (a surprisingly easy process that took less than a day). We finished them off with understated finger-pull handles in brushed chrome, and we’re delighted with the way they look. What’s more, they’ve turned out to be incredibly durable – not only are they water-repellent, meaning any marks can be wiped off in seconds, they’re also scratch-resistant and easily withstand attention from our cat, who likes to claw at the cupboard where he knows his food is stored!

The worktops

To add a bit of warmth and texture to the kitchen, we offset the grey fronts with oak worktops from Worktop Express. They specialise in solid-wood worktops and have a great-value range; they can also deliver in as little as two days, and offer a bespoke cutting service on request. We actually had oak worktops in the previous kitchen but they were very dark and jutted out quite far beyond the edge of the units, making the narrow space look even smaller. We therefore replaced them with thinner versions (22mm thickness rather than the previous 40mm), and installed them so that they sit flush with the cupboards.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: wooden worktops aren’t very practical. But, having already lived with them for four years, I can assure you that they’re actually a lot easier to care for than you might think. You just need to make sure you treat them with a good-quality oil to protect them from water and stains (we used Osmo Top Oil in ‘Natural 3068’, as it had the added benefit of whitening the wood), and redo it once or twice a year. If you want to know more, I’m actually going to do a full post on this in the next few weeks, so watch this space.

The tiles

The previous kitchen had no splash backs, and although we liked the understated look this created, we were fed up of having to scrub food and water splatters off the walls! We therefore decided to install a few rows of simple white metro tiles above the worktops, extending them all the way up to the extractor fan behind the hob. I wanted flat ones rather than bevelled-edge versions, as they’re a little more contemporary and easier to keep clean, and I eventually found a few boxes being sold very cheaply on eBay from someone who had a surplus left over from their own kitchen. For the layout, we chose a horizontal stack rather than the more usual brick pattern, as it fits better with the minimalist scheme.

It was during this bit of the makeover that we encountered the problems I mentioned at the start of the post, as our tiler soon realised the units had been fitted so wonkily by the previous owners that creating a straight line was impossible. On top of that, loosening the plug sockets to tile around them revealed some very dodgy wiring – in fact one socket went bang on me, scaring me silly and taking out the entire kitchen circuit in the process! We had no choice but to pay extra to sort everything out – a big overspend that we hadn’t budgeted for at all. We’ve managed to offset the additional cost a little by selling the old fronts and worktops (much better than sending them to landfill in any case), but if you’re planning to make-over your own kitchen in the same way, I’d definitely recommend leaving a contingency for any issues that might be lurking out of sight! The plug sockets, by the way, will be changed to white to blend in with the tiles as soon as our finances recover.

The sink 

Bristol has very hard water, so the main factor when selecting our new sink was to minimise areas where limescale could accumulate. We therefore chose the GoodHome ‘Romesco’ sink from B&Q, which has a reversible drying rack instead of a built-in draining board. It also comes with a raft of other space-saving accessories, including a colander and chopping board, which make it ideal for small kitchens such as ours. I never thought I’d get as excited about a sink as I have about this one, but it really has turned out to be useful –  it’s made our workflow when it comes to things like preparing vegetables much more efficient, and we can use it as additional worktop space when needed. What’s more, wet dishes drip straight into the sink, reducing the amount of limescale that needs to be scrubbed away.

The lighting

We have two sets of lights in the kitchen. On one side are three recessed spotlights, which provide bright task lighting when needed; on the other is a trio of dimmable pendant lights, which form a statement feature along an otherwise blank swathe of wall and can be used to create a much softer mood. Both were actually in place before the makeover, as we realised soon after moving into the house that the single overhead light that was there before didn’t provide enough illumination. That said, I’ve changed the look of the pendants by swapping the previous squirrel-cage bulbs for sustainable LED globes from Tala, and I’m pleased with the way they now echo the opal glass of the lighting elsewhere in the house.

The shelves

We could have installed wall-hung units to create some extra storage in the kitchen, but it would have overwhelmed the narrow space and made it look very cramped. We therefore opted for open shelving, providing a place to display a few favourite ceramics and keep everyday items such as coffee mugs and tumblers to hand. We actually had some open shelves beforehand but they were short and not very strong, so as part of the makeover we commissioned sturdy floating shelves that run the length of the wall to either side of the extractor fan. They were installed by Durkan Design & Build (who also designed the alcove cupboards in our living room), and we then painted them to match the wall.

Source list

Here’s a full list of everything we used for the makeover (items marked * were kindly gifted by the brands concerned):

Door and drawer fronts in ‘Grigio Efeso’, from £56 each, HUSK
Solid-oak worktops*, from £100, Worktop Express
Metro tiles, £60 for 4sqm, eBay
GoodHome ‘Romesco’ stainless-steel 1.5-bowl sink with accessories, £160, B&Q
Cooke & Lewis ‘Katiki’ mixer tap, £47, B&Q
Bespoke shelves, £90, Durkan Design & Build
Hettich ‘Empoli’ cupboard and drawer handles, £2.51 each, Morehandles.co.uk
Dulux ‘White Chiffon’ matte emulsion paint (used on the walls and shelves), £12, B&Q
Osmo Top Oil in ‘Natural 3068’, £17.33, Morehandles.co.uk
‘Porcelain III’ LED bulbs, £35 each, Tala

And although we already owned most of them, the accessories came from the following places (again, those marked * were kindly gifted):

Grey ‘Emma’ kettle*, £144.95, Stelton
Black terracotta canisters*, £17 each, ARKET
White ‘Nordic’ 1L jug, £49, Skagerak
‘Theo’ slow-brew coffee maker, £62.95, Stelton
Ferm Living ‘Ripple’ carafe, £29, Cloudberry Living
Ferm Living ‘Ripple’ tumblers, £35 for a set of four, Cloudberry Living
Ferm Living ‘Ripple’ long cocktail glasses*, £46 for a set of four, Rose & Grey
Green ‘Raami’ tumblers*, £19 for a set of two, Iittala
Black and grey stoneware coffee cups*, £6 each, ARKET
‘STORSINT’ wine glasses, £9 for six, IKEA
Grey ‘Puritan’ mugs, £7 each, John Lewis & Partners
‘Soft’ serving board*, £77, Skagerak
Handmade ‘Smör’ butter knife*, £10, Brüün
RIG-TIG butter box*, £28, White Black Grey
White ‘Kubus 14’ flowerpot*, €160, By Lassen
Kitchen utensils, cloths and brushes*, all ARKET
Black and white speckled plates, no longer available, H&M Home
Marble chopping boards and tray, sources unknown (gifts from family)

So, there you go – a minimalist kitchen makeover on a budget! It really has transformed the space, and despite the room’s small dimensions it’s now a joy to use. What’s more, I think we’ve managed to create a timeless look that fits seamlessly with the rest of the house, and which is unlikely to date anytime soon. I’d love to know what you think, and I hope it’s given you some useful ideas if you want to spruce up your own kitchen without spending a fortune.

All photography by Abi Dare