Kitchen Makeovers

Transform your kitchen with big and small ideas from across our network.

a renovated kitchen with natural wood breakfast table with two chairs, creamy kitchen cabinets with glass panels and copper countertops

Kitchen Makeover on a Budget

Learn how one homeowner and a creative friend completely transformed this kitchen for $2,300.

outdated kitchen with a l-shaped cabinet layout that divides the breakfast room from the kitchen

Bright Kitchen (before)

This kitchen had assets -- well-made cabinets, vintage tile countertops, and a generous layout -- but they were hidden by layers of aged grout, worn paint, scuffed linoleum, and cutesy detailing.

a bright, orange, modern kitchen island with a steel countertop sits in the middle of this updated, vintage style kitchen

Bright Kitchen (after)

A new island, covered in stainless steel and painted with bright orange auto body paint, makes all the difference. Other fixes included removing the wooden window scallop, replacing the knobs with metal handles, and covering the cabinetry with white marine paint.

screwing in a door hinge inside a kitchen cabinet

Cabinet Face-lift (before)

Got kitchen cabinets that are in good condition but are boring? Here's a way to refresh your room's look.

country kitchen with a white wood cabinets and silver door handles

Cabinet Face-lift (after)

See the refreshing results of the cabinet makeovers.

oversized kitchen island with brown cabinets with an old oven and old florescent lighting in the ceiling

Best Kitchen Remodel (before)

The tragic flaw in this big kitchen was the lighting -- fluorescents set in a dropped ceiling.

creamy kitchen cabinets that also covered the front of the refrigerator, dish washer, and a granite kitchen island countertop and copper-lined stove hood above the island

Best Kitchen Remodel (after)

Recessed lighting and a new, 9-foot gypsum drywall ceiling was just the start. New tiles, flooring, and paint complete the picture.

 

original photo of an old kitchen in a beach shack with cramped space

Beach Kitchen (before)

The original kitchen in this condemned beach shack in Venice, California, was a cramped, haphazard jumble. The young owners had major budget constraints but believed in finding creative ways to make the most of what they had.

modern, beach kitchen with an island in the middle, warm wood cabinets that have slide out shelving and a stainless steel refrigerator

Beach Kitchen (after)

Out went the old mold -- and fire-damaged interior walls -- and in came space-saving wood cabinets, contemporary fixtures, and lightweight concrete countertops. The owners did most of the work themselves, turning a ruin into a neighborhood showpiece.

stainless steel gas stove range in a kitchen with creamy, subway tiles as the backsplash behind the stove and light, tan kitchen cabinetry to the left and right of it

Get a Head Start

Research is the first major step in remodeling your kitchen. Gather ideas from your favorite magazines, books, Web sites, and dealer showrooms. Once you have a folder of ideas, it’s time to do a reality check on needs versus desires.

outdated kitchen with a u-shaped layout and tile countertop

Fresh, Colorful Kitchen (before)

The goal of this remodel was to transform a bland, U-shaped space into a brighter, more contemporary kitchen where the family could gather and entertain without going beyond the room’s footprint.

bright, blue, yellow, blue and brown tile splash gives the kitchen remodel a vivid design and makes the modern, white cabinets pop against the stainless steel refrigerator, stove and microwave

Fresh, Colorful Kitchen (after)

White Shaker-style cabinet fronts are a bright foil for the vibrant glass-tile backsplash. New niches display cobalt bowls. A two-toned, two-tiered concrete counter -- pale green above and charcoal gray below -- adds sleek style to the work and serving spaces.

outdated kitchen with dark wooden cabinets, red tile floors and old kitchen appliances

Tuscan Kitchen Makeover (before)

This kitchen was dingy and dark; its wood cabinets were equally matched by surrounding brown (brown!) appliances that barely worked and plain-Jane linoleum floors. And then there was the red floral wallpaper.

Italian-inspired kitchen with stucco walls, new cabinets and windows with diamond panes reminiscent of Tuscany

Tuscan Kitchen Makeover (after)

See this homeowner's great choices, from an aged stucco treatment on the walls to alder wood cabinets and porcelain floors.

classic, white kitchen cabinets with gray marble countertops and glass panes in the upper cabinets

Classic Redone

Custom cabinetry with fine detailing gives the new kitchen architectural "bones" and traditional charm. White ceramic subway tile on the backsplash and an ogee edging on the solid-surface countertops are classic; stainless steel appliances are a nod to the new.

 

Light and bright airy kitchen with windows along the left side, over the sink area and in the middle of the kitchen, a long prep table with room for storage underneath. Also a stainless steel gas/oven range is a the far end of the kitchen.

Invest In Your Kitchen

Every kitchen needs an occasional update. Maybe the space isn’t working for a changing family. Perhaps you’re tired of the noisy dishwasher or the oven that heats unevenly. But, before you proceed consider these planning checklists for the best return on your dollars and your dreams.

wood paneling in a carpeted room with a round white table and a sliding glass door to the left side

Airy Kitchen-Living Space (before)

Before the remodel, this circa-1900 San Francisco home had little connection with the outdoors. Most prospective buyers had walked in, looked around in disbelief, and left.

light breakfast bay space to the left of the renovated, contemporary kitchen

Airy Kitchen-Living Space (after)

Light-reflecting flat white paint now covers old paneling. Floor-to-ceiling French doors open an entire wall to the small deck. A wood table and benches mixed with metal dining chairs create a relaxed look. A marble backsplash and wood display shelf make the kitchen handsome enough to entertain in. And the breakfast bay acts as a daylight-catcher that brightens the rest of the kitchen.

 

kitchen with peach cupboards above the sink and white cupboards below with white tile backsplash and tile counters

7 Sensational Kitchen Remodels

See these inspiring makeovers that take place within each home’s existing floor plan. The creative repurposing of space transforms these rooms from dull and outdated to just like new.

outdated kitchen with a white kitchen island and a bar stool pulled up to it

$400 Kitchen Renovation (before)

See how we took on the challenge of transforming an outdated kitchen from cluttered to classic -- with less than $400 to spend.

 

white kitchen cabinets, microwave, and kitchen island with neutral colored accents in the kitchen accessories

$400 Kitchen Renovation (after)

The homeowners were so happy with the finished project that they bought a new dishwasher and microwave to complete the new look. Mission accomplished!

dated kitchen with white cabinets, wooden countertops in a u-shape with a window over the sink

Interior Decorator’s Kitchen (before)

Food tastes better when it’s made in a pretty space. Now there’s no official study backing that statement, so you’re just going to have to trust us. But have no fear: You, too, can get a gorgeous look. Kitchen designer Cyndy Cantley of Birmingham shows us a makeover project that’s near and dear to her heart -- her very own kitchen.

/in the remodeled kitchen, a white farmers sink with creamy marble countertops and a stainless steel refrigerator

Interior Decorator’s Kitchen (after)

Cyndy Cantley’s design secrets transform this kitchen into a showstopping space. Follow her helpful hints to take your kitchen from dated to dazzling.

turn of the century stove in an outdated kitchen with a tall cabinet

Great Results (before)

As is typical of turn-of-the-century Victorian homes, the original kitchen was just an empty room, with the sink relegated to a separate annex. Needless to say, it was an inconvenient setup. A tall cabinet was the only built-in.

retro mint green kitchen classic cabinets and a kitchen island with a white marble countertop

Great Results (after)

To achieve vintage charm with modern function, the homeowners chose state-of-the-art components designed, whenever possible, in turn-of-the-century style.

 

outdated kitchen with plain white cabinets, dark floors and an old white stove

A Kitchen for Entertaining (before)

This 12- x 13-foot kitchen was walled off from the adjacent dining room, which had a beautiful view of the San Francisco Bay. A jumble of work surfaces made cooking prep and socializing difficult.

contemporary kitchen with avocado green walls, warm oak cabinets and a kitchen island in the middle with a wooden countertop and black painted underneath

A Kitchen for Entertaining (after)

Now it’s a warm and inviting place to cook and hang out with friends. A bigger opening and hardwood floors connect the room with the rest of the house.

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