No wonder you're so giddy!

Love the backsplash! Love the cookbook stash!

DivaMum, it looks so priddy!

Sorry, but if the finished kitchen people can have a song...

Truly a challenge to make a tiny, messy space into such a beautiful kitchen. I love it!

We'll be planning my mom's kitchen remodel (a little smaller than your "after" I think) and I think you'll be our inspiration of the great things that can be done.

Is that a fuzzy pooch hiding under the table? :D

I think it looks great. Please dispense with the disclaimers and just stand proud for the wonderful job you have done with remodeling your kitchen. You have truly earned your congratulations!

Looks great!! Fabulous job, lots of storage and counter space and SOOOOO pretty!

Very inviting! Your backsplash is sooo nice!

I love the bookshelf over the pantry!

But there appears to be a big pile of lint or something under your table. Better get out the Swiffer...

Divamum - it looks FANTASTIC! You did an amazing job with your space and budget, and now everything is in its place (including your adorable pile of lint!) - you must be THRILLED!

I, too, really like your bookshelf over the pantry and the baskets you added to the uppers. I also like that you moved the cooktop away from the window - if I'm interpreting the old pictures correctly that is. I like the range's new location better, definitely. It's nice to have a view when you're washing dishes too.

GREAT JOB!!!!

Very nice! I love your backsplash, too, and your paint choice is really great. Congrats! Enjoy your new kitchen.

Beautiful! Congratualtions, you have every reason to be very proud of your kitchen. It's lovely, and OMG, I envy your bottom line!

Emmie

On my word, divamum, if your kitchen isn't just a thing of beauty .... Seriously -- I remember your posts trying to figure out the layout and holy cow, it looks so fantastic! I just love how open your kitchen is to your dining room and stair (and that stair is beautiful -- seriously, it makes me all nostalgic!).

You may have had budgetary constraints but no one can say that yours is not a beautiful kitchen. As I scrolled down, looking at your pictures they made me feel all warm and cosy, like a good friend's home. I bet every single person who enters your home just immediately feels relaxed and welcome. That's what you've created.

Your kitchen looks like the sort of person I want to be.

I am so proud of and happy for you!!!

-Brooke

The transformation is just stunning. Great job! I love your counters, your undermount SS sink and faucet, love the glass doors on the corner upper cabinets, and I love that the color you chose for your walls (after your long search) turned out so beautifully. I love your stairs and banisters. I'm sure your new kitchen makes you very happy. Enjoy!

You did a lot with $15K!! Congratulations!! I'm loving the warmth. It's brighter too. Good job.

Wow, you got THAT right it's "ultrabudget" for what you ended up with, you should get some kind of award. I'm jealous! I love the backsplash too, and nice ideas everywhere. Well done!

Wow a great transformation and a pretty new space!
Congratulations!

That is simply outstanding! As I wrote my last big check to my contractor today, I am especially envious of your budget. You are proof positive that, with a lot of energy and determination, a fabulous kitchen can be had for a reasonable sum.

You and your kitchen are an inspiration!

Congrats!

Wow! Looks fantastic! That space just cries out for lots of wonderful cooking!

Colors, flow, BRIGHT!!!

I like the storage in the pantry especially - where did you get the containers? They look angled and like something very useful.

Enjoy - you have earned it.

It came out great! Very warm and inviting! Your backsplash is truly gorgeous! Your pantry was very tidy and the space was well used. I couldn't believe how amazingly the whole space was transformed! Especially the staircase. No more disclaimers - you did an amazing job! Enjoy!

Since finishing our kitchen two years ago, I don't participate here as often as I used to, though I do read through the posts quite frequently and chime in if I have something valuable to add. But I did read all of the posts for your kitchen and your layout dilemmas, and I am so unbelievably blown away by the final result - it's absolutely stunning and you should be soooo proud of what you have accomplished and how well it turned out. Congratulations on one of the most impressive remodels I've seen in a long time, and enjoy it!!!!

Lucy

Thanks everybody! I can't deny that I get a WAY bigger thrill out of all the oohs and ahhs than I expected - I'm as proud of that kitchen as if it were a CHILD, I think!

Yes, the hairy mop under the table is Beau the Bearded Collie (in dire need of a grooming at the moment) - I didn't realise he was there until I was uploading the picture and it cracked me up to see the big black nose hidden among the fur.

For those who weren't around when we launched this project, the challenge was getting from this:

To what we now have, which is DD's bedroom and our office moved upstairs, and the kitchen/diner combo as one big room, giving the whole house more airspace.

The budget nature of this project was a requirement. The main thrust of what we were doing was opening up the attic as much-needed living space but, because of where the original access stairs were located, we had no choice but to do "something" with the kitchen. Given how small and poorly laid out it was, it seemed obvious simply to cut our losses and move it, but we had to ensure funds for the labour portion of the job, and thus wound up doing the bargain and secondhand route to trim materials costs and bring it in for what we had, which was $40k for the entire project... including some significant structural work in the attic. 15k was allocated to the kitchen portion.

I want to sincerely thank all the wonderful GWers who slaved over the layout with me - figuring out how to maximise space in an awkward 9'7"x9ish shape with too many doors and windows in all the wrong places was a big challenge! Moving the office upstairs and losing that wall between the original rooms were the best things that could have happened, and they both came about thanks to the brainstorming on this forum. We had never "planned" an open kitchen - I've always preferred them separated in the past - but with a young family, in this house, in this context... it just works. We're thrilled. And the new kitchen is so easy to keep clean that it's no hardship to live with the open space! I think I'll be acquiring a new table, too - this one's ok, but I've found one that's a little narrower to aid clearance but extends larger when we need it, and it has pretty turned farmhouse legs too. And it's on sale ;)

The stairs are entirely the design and work of my wonderful GC/carpenter - they are gorgeous. The stain job is nothing short of miraculous, since the banister is oak, the steps pine and the newel post birch - somehow he made them all look the same and work together! He chose just the right proportions on everything and it really looks as though it has always been there, which is what I wanted. We didn't strive to recreate the house's 1928 period - we definitely weren't going for true "vintage" - but we didn't want anything to look too new or as though it had been dropped in from a show home - it just wouldn't fit with our casual, ecclectic style.

The pantry is only 10" deep - we knew we had to maximise every bit of storage possible, plus I had always planned on re-using the original attic door there to tie it all to the rest of the house. But with the narrow shelves, we couldn't reach ABOVE the door on the inside - I suggested keeping it open as a cookbook shelf, and it works nicely.

Mommycooks, those are indeed angled storage containers. They were acquired at Dollar General 8 years ago and are made of that cheap SOFT plastic... the kind that doesn't break if it gets dropped! They were very mucky from having been on an open shelf in the old kitchen and I thought they were going to need replacing, but I ran them through the (oh how I love it) dishwasher and they came out like new, fit perfectly, and will continue to serve us very well! I've never seen anything like them since and they are GREAT, so I'm pleased we can still use them :)

Anyway, thanks again to everybody for all the wonderful help and guidance. I owe the success of this space to GWers and my wonderful GC and I'm very grateful to all of you!

WOW! Your new kitchen is lovely and charming. I love the new stairs and the pantry (especially the transom and the glass door knob!) - very cottagey. Congratulations and enjoy your new space!

Great decisions, Diva. Your pictures show just why you made the ones you did. Brava, brava!! Wave of applause...

Congratulations! What a stunning transformation!

WOW Divamum, everything is perfect.

Sky

Wow!

My very favorite part is the cookbook storage over the pantry door -- so cool!

I also love your stairs. I'm about to re-do our hall (now that the kitchen's done!) & I've been debating whether to replace the carpet stair runner or just re-finish the floors. I think you've made the decision for me.

Your kitchen looks soooo wonderful. It's pictures like this that make me motivated to keep going on my planning for my perfect kitchen. You should also be very proud of your budget. It looks like you did everything wisely and it is very cool that you used things that were 2nd hand (did Mother Earth give you her hug yet?) Congrats!

That backsplash seals the deal for me! Wonderful feel to the whole kitchen. Nothing "second-hand" about this design. Kudos to your family and GC for this amazing transformation!

If there is an award for making a gorgeous kitchen on a shoestring budget you win it! It's easy to spend 100k and have a gorgeous kitchen, it's a greater challenge to have an equally as nice kitchen (and it IS as equally as nice, even nicer than some I've seen) while trying to fit it all into a tight budget. Don't put your kitchen down! You've done a phenomenal job AND you didn't put yourself in the poor house.

you pulled off something totally amazing! incredible job on finding everything to fit so well! hope you are feeling proud.

Wow. That is remarkable. Irrespective of the price, you now have a beautiful, workable kitchen, that fits wonderfully into the space you have to work with. However when you take the budget into account, it becomes simply astounding. If you then factor in that, for that price, it wasn't just materials, with all the labor done by extremely skilled DIY's, but rather that it was for materials and labor by a GC and his crew, it borders on the unbelievable.

Congratulations, you have achieved shopping enlightenment, and kitchen nirvana. :-)

divamum-- I'm truly blown away by what you have done. The design alone deserves an award, as you had such a tiny, awkward space to begin with. Every iota of this remodel is fantastic and beautiful to boot. I too find the shelf over the pantry unique; never saw another like it. I find it hard to believe that you did all of this on 15k. And where did you find your contractor? He is certainly a gem. Many, many congratulations!!

Now that is a terrific transformation! Congratulations on a superb job - I can't add any better words than what has already been said! May you and your family have many well-deserved years of enjoyment from your remodel.

It's a beautiful testimonial to thinking smart, very, very, smart.
It is a warm, comfortable, joy to cook in, easy to maintain, delicious space.
Wouldn't it be great if all your gw friends/fans came over for a cuppa?
Bev

Congratulations on your lovely new kitchen! You can surely take pride at having created such a cozy but efficient space!

Much as the high-end kitchens we see here inspire and delight, I think they may also make some readers with budget constraints feel they have to dismiss or delay redoing theirs. I think you will inspire many people to do some homework and take the plunge. I love seeing all the kitchens people have worked on regardless of style, size or budget.

Thanks so much for sharing yours! Enjoy!!

Looks great. An amazing transformation. Love the backsplash and the book shelve over the pantry

Wow! Beautiful maple shade and it goes really well with the counter color. Very cheerful!

I'm so happy for you! What a wonderful transformation. But I have to tell you, there's a HUGE dust bunny under your table!

Enjoy your fabulous new kitchen!
Robin

Wow, it looks fantastic! You really did an amazing job! Congratulations!

I don't know what to say that hasn't been said already. Truly a great job in the planning, finding the materials and a great GC. It is fantastic!! Your kitchen I think is my all time favorite because it looks great and is functional and done with so many constraints and keeping it with the old house style. Truly fab!

So how are the other areas going are they finished too? I would love to see if you don't mind sharing the other changes ya'll made. I do remember you talking about wanting the dressing room and I'm curious what you ended up with.

BTW All the work you've done on a budget of 40K total is simply amazing. Kitchen itself is too, but overall you have got to be the best shopper I've ever met (although it is just online - not sure how to put it otherwise).

Awww.. thanks, Lyfia (and everybody). It's funny in that I don't "need" validation of how successful it's been because the improved quality of life every single day demonstrates to me how well it's come out, but it feels sooooooo good to have everybody's compliments! Silly, I know, but I can't deny it - I just find myself basking in everybody's approval like a little kid. So thank you all for putting me on cloud 9!

Lyfia, below are pictures of my daughter's room in the attic. We still haven't moved the office upstairs yet, thus freeing up the space for the dressing room in that "walkthrough" attached to the master br. Sadly, we don't have quite enough money left for the biiiggg closet I want to frame in there so I think in the short term we'll have to resort to the Ikea Pax wardrobe system as a diy, but it's still going to be way better than it was and I think I can make it pretty nice. It's just going to take a while longer ;)

Moving the office upstairs was supposed to be our big project the last two weekends, but then I got sick and had to abandon ship for the time being. It's a big job because of all the computer/network cabling etc that we need to move in addition to the furniture - we're all prepped for it now, but just have to DO it. I feel kind of funny bumping my own thread, but I'll gladly post pix of the other rooms once they're organised if people won't think it horribly self-indulgent!

Anyway, here's the attic:
Before

During

After

divamum - thanks for sharing and that is soo cute, love the colors and I like the angled ceilings. Makes it interesting. Did ya'll finish out the whole attic or just part?. Is that the door to the stairs in the left of the last pic? Did you make the shades for the room?

I understand about the budget and not getting things done yet. I personally don't think it is self-indulgent to share it at all. We all love to see transformations here and I think yours are great so I'd say post 'em. I'll bookmark this thread so I can check back.

BTW doing the big closet vs. PAX as a cost comparison. Unless you can find the PAX for a really good deal I found it cheaper to frame a closet than the wardrobes when looking at it for my old house.

Well, my hunch is that my wonderful GC realises he somewhat gave us an awful lot for our agreement and his prices for extras are a bit higher! (I can't blame him, given how much amazing work he gave us for our fixed budget agreement!) At the moment, a couple of Pax units will be significantly less than framing and fitting-out a built-in, although I may see if I can negotiate or, alternatively, just install the "built in" portion and then frame the walls around it in due course. We'll see (this part's taking me longer - I can't seem to find as much energy for this as for the kitchen!)

We finished the entire attic (we need EVERY square inch of space in this house - which, I'm happy to say, at about 1150sf is now just the right size for us - it's made exactly the difference I hoped!). Here's a picture which gives the orientation a bit. The stairs are just to the left, and if I turned the camera to the right I'd be taking the shot from the angle in the before/during/after pictures above. The angled doorway you can see to the right of the wall is a big closet framed under the eaves. The office will be an L-shaped setup essentially under that window.

Wow! It looks great. And that little bookshelf over the pantry? Awesome!

bump

Wow! You had so many limitations to start with. But you overcame them all!! That is simply an amazing improvement in function and looks. I love looking at ALL the finished kitchens here but yours is really instructive and inspiring as to what can be done with not a lot. I can imagine how much you're loving the new space.

The looks amazing! What a great job! How wonderful to find all these deals!

divamum: I don't read kitchens too much anymore. These days you are more likely to find me on the decorating forum. I am glad I checked in today and saw your amazing results! Yours and buehls's kitchen are about the only ones I am still following--as both have such challenging obsticles to overcome. Yours turned out wonderful! I love the cabinets, counters, backspash and most particularly the pantry and stairway. I'm glad you kept it open between kitchen and dining and your DD's room is just charming.

Good for you for sticking to your budget! Sometimes it is so easy to get carried away--esp. when everyone presents you with so many different options, that had higher price tags. You made it work with those cabinets and it looks much more functional as well as beautiful.

Enjoy!

It's beautiful!!!! You have every reason to be hugely proud of your new kitchen! Not only is it good looking, but the storage you've added in there is fantastic! Congrats on a really cool redo!
P.S. This does NOT mean that you're let off the hook on posting more pics as you finish everything up ;~P

Well, it's all been said . . . but I just have to add my kudos to the above. You've done a remarkable job, and ended up with a kitchen to love on many levels. Bask in the afterglow! I, too, love the open cookbook shelf -- I particularly admire problem solving that uses those non-useful spaces, and you really scored on that one.

Congratulations, enjoy, and thanks for the inspiration!

Your kitchen wonderful! And the changed floor plan looks so useful now!

It's amazing what you were able to do w/your limited budget...a cozy place to cook. The pantry w/the shelf above it is great! You really do use every inch of space!

Congratulations on a job well done!

BTW...I envy you your wonderful GC! I could use him right about now :-\