If you’ve ever felt that little voice telling you, “A kitchen makeover? You can’t afford that,” let Erin’s budget-friendly transformation inspire you. Her story shows how thoughtful choices and a willingness to do some hands-on work can completely refresh a space without a full renovation.

I wanted to share my blog post on our kitchen remodel. It’s a temporary remodel, done as inexpensively as possible until we can afford to gut the kitchen and install a brand-new one in a few years (hopefully!).

The biggest purchase was new appliances. Aside from that, we spent at most $100 on paint, stenciling supplies, and a simple shelf above the microwave.

I also finished the floor by stenciling it, and I absolutely love the results. I’m not sure I would have attempted a floor stencil if this were our forever kitchen, but because this is a short-term solution until we do a full renovation, I went for it — and I’m so glad I did.

The floor was probably the most tedious part of the entire update. We started by removing old linoleum down to the plywood subfloor, then filled gaps with wood putty, sanded, primed, and painted. That phase was completed earlier, but we held off on the final painting and stenciling until the rest of the room was ready. It was a good call: moving appliances and cabinets around had left the floor scratched and splattered with paint drips, so finishing the floor last prevented damage to the final stencil work.

This kind of project is a great example of what paint and creativity can do. Fresh paint on cabinets, a painted brick backsplash, and a stenciled floor together transformed the kitchen from tired to bright and welcoming. These changes show that you don’t need to replace everything to dramatically improve the look and feel of a room. Smart updates focused on surfaces and accents can have a big impact.

Erin’s approach highlights a few practical lessons for anyone planning a budget remodel:

• Prioritize what will give the most visual impact — appliances, cabinet paint, and a refreshed backsplash were key here.
• Save money with DIY techniques like painting and stenciling when you have the time and patience.
• Sequence the work thoughtfully. Finish heavy-duty tasks like scraping and moving appliances before completing delicate finishes such as stenciling.
• Accept that a temporary, affordable update can be a smart stepping stone toward a full renovation later.

We love how bright and fresh Erin’s kitchen looks now. The painted brick backsplash is a cozy, modern touch, and the cabinets really change the room’s character. The stenciled floor draws the eye and ties everything together — it’s easy to see why it would be a favorite detail.

If you want more insight into Erin’s process and detailed photos of each stage, you can find her full makeover post under the title “The Kitchen Finale, Finally” on her blog.

Psst — they also announced a winner for a recent giveaway. Check the giveaway post to see if you won.