Kitchen

Annie and Matt wanted to save for a bit to get the kitchen of their dreams, but when a plumbing problem in the upstairs bath created problems in the kitchen, they had to tear out half the room. This compelled them to move forward with their renovation on a shoestring budget. “Thus all the fillers from IKEA!” Annie says. No matter the budget, the result is fabulous.

Annie and Matt decided the one splurge they weren’t willing to give up was white marble countertops, and they adjusted everything else around those. Vinyl flooring with the look of bleached elm has gray undertones that complement other kitchen materials.

Annie says the higher-end countertop material, sink, and faucet make the less expensive cabinets look more important and substantial. “It’s like pairing designer shoes with jeans from Gap and accessorizing with great jewelry.” The kitchen is Annie’s favorite room in the house. “We spend so much time in here,” she says, “and, most importantly, we have a lot of fun too.”