I’ve been eager to share Teresa and Andrew’s kitchen makeover. They’re close friends who live just around the corner, and after filming a bookcase styling time-lapse video in their living room, I couldn’t wait for their new appliances to arrive so we could show off this kitchen transformation.
What makes this reno so inspiring is how many smart, budget-friendly choices they made. They avoided a full gut and instead updated key elements to create a fresh, high-impact result without replacing everything. I also share an easy trick to refresh worn wood cabinet surfaces for just a few dollars, and I captured the quick process on video for this post.
They made bold style choices—painted cabinets in a rich green and large brass pulls—while retaining many original features. That decision allowed them to save money and keep the kitchen’s character intact. Look at the photos and you might assume more was replaced than actually was.
The “before” photo from the listing when they bought the house six years ago already had many great assets: soapstone counters, a subway tile backsplash, the island, a large window over the sink, and even the same cabinet color. Many of those elements stayed exactly as they were.
With targeted upgrades—new appliances, updated lighting, fresh wall paint, and new inset cabinet doors while keeping the existing cabinet boxes—they achieved a dramatic “after” without a full remodel. Scroll between the before and after images and you’ll see the transformation is powerful precisely because so much original material was reused.
The smartest move was hiring a local cabinetmaker to build new inset doors to fit the existing cabinet boxes. Getting custom doors instead of full new cabinetry cut costs dramatically—Teresa and Andrew saved more than half the price of replacing everything—and allowed them to keep counters, sink, and backsplash in place.
Because they preserved the original soapstone counters and subway tile, they were able to direct funds to upgrades that mattered to them—like a new gas range and a pot filler—and to match and extend the original tile where the over-the-range microwave used to be. The small patch of new tile blends seamlessly with the original backsplash.
They did a lot of the work themselves to stretch the budget further. Teresa and Andrew painted the cabinet boxes and installed additional tile themselves, while their cabinetmaker sprayed the new doors for a factory finish. The color they landed on is Sherwin-Williams Halcyon Green—it has depth and reads beautifully in person.
One of my favorite parts of the renovation is the new pantry/coffee station and drop zone that replaced a laundry closet. They had their washer and dryer relocated upstairs, freeing this corner to become practical storage and a welcoming coffee nook. The new cabinetry in that area was built to match and blend seamlessly with the rest of the kitchen.
To keep costs down in the new pantry area, they used butcher block countertops instead of soapstone and DIYed the matching subway tile backsplash. Small resourceful choices like these made a big difference in the overall budget while delivering the look and function they wanted.
The wood island remained untouched, which worked in their favor since mixed-material kitchens are very on-trend—and a wood island is timeless. The island showed some wear, but a quick, inexpensive refresh made it look new again: a stain marker (also called a stain pen) used in the direction of the grain quickly disguised scratches and dry spots. It took about ten minutes total and required no sanding or sealing in this case. A close shade match and light application blend worn areas back into the finish.
About the soapstone counters: they’re softer than some other surfaces and can scratch more easily, but Teresa says the patina that develops becomes part of their charm. They oil the soapstone roughly once a month to help blend and fill small scratches, rotating between products designed for soapstone care.
This makeover is a great example of how thoughtful, budget-conscious decisions and a mix of DIY and skilled trades can deliver a stunning result without starting from scratch. They preserved quality materials, invested in the changes that mattered most, and ended up with a kitchen that feels custom, cohesive, and full of personality.
If you enjoyed this tour, consider exploring other budget-friendly kitchen and renovation posts in the same category for ideas and tutorials on painting cabinets and installing subway tile.
*This post contains affiliate links*