Remodelling your kitchen is a challenging project to take on. There are a lot of factors to consider if you’re planning to do yours. You have to think of the cost, the design, and the functionality of the space, among many others.
To make your life a little easier, we’ve compiled 50 kitchen remodel projects to draw inspiration from. Whether you’re planning for a minor makeover or a complete renovation, we have some examples for you with its respective cost.
The following projects are professionally done as well as DIY projects. So, if you’re still undecided on who you want to remodel your kitchen, maybe this can be an eye opener. Without further ado, let’s get right into it!
The quick disclaimer: We have no first hand knowledge of these projects, but instead rely on our expertise to make assumptions from what we can visibly see and estimate costs to be for a similar project. All pictures are the right of their respective owner, and used by us for the purpose of comment, critique, or criticism (Fair Use). We have tried to link to the original source when applicable.
1. Fixer Upper Kitchen In
The old kitchen was part of a fixer upper house bought by the owner. The house, along with the kitchen and its appliances were about 40 years old. The old cabinetry had a terrible musty smell and the whole kitchen space was closed off from the rest of the house, cramped and dark.
So for the remodel, they decided to remove the wall between the kitchen and the stairs and made what had been a U shaped into an L shape kitchen and added an 8 by 3 island with drawers. They installed new cabinets, backsplash and brand new appliances. They also added under-cabinet lighting and cabinet interior lighting which upgraded the look even more.
This was a rather comprehensive project as it appears that they had to remove an upper knee wall that was probably in place to accommodate some recessed lighting. Beyond that, this project was a 'full gut' removing all the flooring and cabinetry. The appliances and sink were left in the same place which saved some money running plumbing and electrical.
Estimated Cost: $55,000 - $65,000
Location: San Antonio Texas
2. Couple’s Dream Renovation
Just like with any other, for this remodel, the biggest expense was on the cabinets which totaled $13,309. The rest was spent on preparing the space for the new kitchenware such as the demolition of the old kitchen, drywall installation, electrical and plumbing work, flooring and adding a window.
Noticeably a prior wall was removed opening the area area up with the dining room. With that the sink and dishwasher was relocated which would add roughly $1,250 in plumbing cost as opposed to leaving those fixtures in place.
For the kitchen proper, they painted the kitchen and installed granite countertops. They also installed new backsplash and lighting. Lastly, they bought new kitchen appliances to complete the space. This kitchen was reported to cost $34,069.10 in 2014. With inflation since then, that number is now much higher.
Estimated Cost: $45,000 - $55,000
Location: Annapolis Maryland
3. Kitchen Reveal
For this kitchen remodel, the married couple brainstormed ideas and their creativity shows. A simple update, transformed this kitchen from the 90s to today. They recycled their old cabinets, added some bread board, framed the doors, and added some white tiles. This process is called refacing cabinets, although simply repainting the cabinets white would make a good transformation. The counter tops were upgraded to what appears to be a would finish laminate. A single basin sink that is a couple inches larger than the counter was installed -- really a sharp idea for a unique feature. Finally a white tile backsplash was installed.
Estimated Cost: $6,000 - $8,000
Located: Unknown
4. Economical but Quality Makeover
This kitchen remodeling project was initially set out with 5 goals in mind:
- Minimal cost, without sacrificing quality
- Save money as much as possible, and learn about the process
- No waste. Nothing to end up in the landfill
- A look and functional utility that makes the homeowner happy for many years to come (and would be looked at as an asset by any potential homebuyer, should we move at some point)
- Efficiency
With the rustic pine look– an attractive, low-maintenance stone countertop was selected to complement the aesthetic accordingly. Since stone isn’t cheap, it’s ideal to do careful research on the available options before making a purchase.
Pro tip: Crushed quartz countertop is preferred (rather than granite) because of its finish and durability.
Additionally, the over-mount composite granite sink (priced at $300) is one of our favorite additions. For your reference, the material effectively resists visible scratches and has low operation noises.
The addition of a stainless steel faucet (no more than $200) also gave a nice contrast with the black granite sink. For the new appliances, a dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, and stove were installed which cost a total of $2,500.
Estimated Cost: $11,500 - $15,000
5. Thrifty but Tasteful Remodel
This kitchen remodeling project was initially set out with 5 goals in mind:
- Minimal cost, without sacrificing quality
- Save money as much as possible, and learn about the process
- No waste. Nothing to end up in the landfill
- A look and functional utility that makes the homeowner happy for many years to come (and would be looked at as an asset by any potential homebuyer, should we move at some point)
- Efficiency
With the rustic pine look– an attractive, low-maintenance stone countertop was selected to complement the aesthetic accordingly. Since stone isn’t cheap, it’s ideal to do careful research on the available options before making a purchase.
Pro tip: Crushed quartz countertop is preferred (rather than granite) because of its finish and durability.
Additionally, the over-mount composite granite sink (priced at $300) is one of our favorite additions. For your reference, the material effectively resists visible scratches and has low operation noises.
The addition of a stainless steel faucet (no more than $200) also gave a nice contrast with the black granite sink. For the new appliances, a dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, and stove were installed which cost a total of $2,500.
Estimated Cost: $11,500 - $15,000
6. Smart Kitchen Renovation
One trend in kitchen remodeling projects is improved functionality into a “smart” kitchen, which goes beyond purely aesthetic or visual improvements.
Take for example this standard 1,000-square foot condominium unit in L.A., which took a boring, plain kitchen onto the next level. Notable environment-friendly additions included the likes of cork flooring courtesy of Home Depot’s Athena Sorrel Cork ($7 per square foot).
Additionally, Energy Star-rated appliances also graced the kitchen. This included the likes of a Samsung counter depth refrigerator, a Maytag dishwasher and microwave, and the N’Finity Wine Enthusiast Wine Fridge.
Given how the homeowners can’t exactly take down walls or add windows to this galley kitchen– it didn’t hinder them from lightening it up in an eco-friendly, cost-effective way.
The result? A fabulous, uplifting galley kitchen. They seem to be pretty happy and proud with the improvements. To think they successfully managed to cover all bases at a $20,000 base budget, including the appliances– that’s a feat in itself.
Estimated cost $20,000 - $30,000
7. Farmhouse Kitchen
This lovely little lake house from the 60s desperately needed a timely kitchen makeover.
The focus was a total shelf reorganization; grouping the similar items and reassessing (or creating) zones while keeping the color palette as simple as possible.
Fortunately, the organizational efforts were not in vain as is evident in the result. Clearing the counters made the kitchen look so spacious– like never before.
Recent additions included the open shelves, with the dishes and glassware thrown above to keep them from creating clutter on the counter.
The sink and window placement stayed but are looking so much brighter with the removal of the upper cabinets (and wall oven).
IKEA-bought cabinets ($300 each) were also added, since the panels give off a warm, welcoming feel.
Counters were made of quartz, starting at $85 per square foot. The Floorte flooring was taken care of by Shaw Floors, a considerably mid-range luxury vinyl flooring option starting at $6 per square foot for this line.
Homeowners can take a page out of their book by optimizing the current kitchen layout to make the most out of the space!
Estimated Cost: $23,000 - $25,000
8. The Wonders of Repainting
In an attempt to give this kitchen a timely makeover, the homeowner bid farewell to the old, dark cabinets and hardware and aimed for a brighter, lighter look instead.
One glance at the old kitchen is enough to warrant a timely update, especially if you compare it with other rooms in the house. The cabinets were from years ago, but they weren’t replaced as they were still in proper shape.
A quick way to give old hardware a facelift is by painting it over with beautiful colors– such as classic white. It’s a visually striking comparison to the previous dreary vibes of the space.
The old fluorescent lights were also replaced with an antique schoolhouse pendant. To add a modern touch, they went with stainless steel appliances.
The final touch was the glass and marble backsplash– that's both striking and visually appealing. Luckily, the homeowner scored a great deal at $5 per square foot. (It pays to shop around!)
One golden nugget to take out of this project is if you have a tight budget, you can turn to family and friends (who work as contractors, electricians, and painters) to cut labor costs.
Estimated Cost: $10,000 - $15,000
9. Plush Pastel Blue Kitchen
Here’s a total kitchen remodel example– with new everything, from cabinetry to fixtures!
Note that the given space was a decent-sized room, under 200 square feet. The homeowner wanted to maximize the kitchen space with three walls and a kitchen island.
The cabinets cost the most out of all the new fixtures. To be exact, it costs $25,000 and for justifiable reasons. Just look how the custom unit cabinetry completes the kitchen’s aesthetic!
Besides the cabinets, the pop of gold accessories made the blue pop and tied the whole look altogether.
New lights were also a fresh addition, costing a total of $3,500. The countertops were AAA Carrara marble counters, 2 slabs (with fabrication) which accounted for $8,300 of the budget.
Meanwhile, tile backsplash cost $2,500. Another substantial budget factor was the appliances– roughly adding up to $3,500. This included a new fridge, dishwasher, and even a beverage fridge because drinks are the best when perfectly chilled.
Well, if you desire the finer things life has to offer, you have to prepare yourself to dish out a little more dough.
Suppose you don’t want to be in a situation where you’re torn between making an upgrade or settling for less (in both appliances and material quality). As much as possible, talk to your contractor about the specific materials you want to get a realistic budget estimate.
Cost: $50,000 - $70,000
10. New and Improved Kitchen Under $2,000
What started as a minor kitchen improvement project (we’re talking about tearing the worn-out ceilings and painting it in white due to leaks) turned out to be an accidental remodel for one homeowner as one thing led to another.
See, that’s the thing about most home improvement projects– once you begin, it’s hard not to stop!
Key features: dark floors, new beautiful light fixtures with antique trouble light cages… They had to replace the center room light fixture with new beautiful lights for $15 each and paired them with antique trouble light cages which only cost $5.
For the flooring, they decided to tear up multiple layers and eventually stumbled across wooden floors. It’d be a shame to rip it off, so they went to sand, stain, and have it polyurethaned instead. If you want to upcycle old parts, it’s a great way to add character to any living space!
Many continue to wonder why it costs so cheap. Another reason is that some leftover paint from a recent bathroom remodel was used for this kitchen project. A kitchen remodel doesn't necessarily mean spending thousands of dollars or breaking the bank.
Here’s another notable change: the addition of silver knobs (with inviting, warm brass pin pulls) which didn’t cost more than $10 each at your nearest Home Depot.
Given the total project cost is at $2,000 (more or less), the result maintains its old feel, with a new finesse and personality.
Estimated cost: $2,000
11. Pink Kitchen Remodel
This pink-themed kitchen remodel project is for you, ladies! With a minimum budget of $40,000 – the most significant item in this project falls under white cabinetry (at $11,500). These beautiful cabinets were from Fabuwood, a famous mid-range cabinet maker for many homeowners.
Expect the bulk of your kitchen remodeling budget to be spent on cabinets, which are very important additions. If the homeowner went with more top-of-the-line choices, such as recessed cabinets, that would easily cost double.
Given that we had to replace many appliance units, it cost another $8,000 to buy Kitchen Aid’s double oven, refrigerator, panel-ready dishwasher, and cooktop. Aside from the cost-effective pricing, the items also provided the aesthetic or look they wanted to go for.
The white quartz countertops cost $5,500, which is a bit pricier than choosing granite material. Note that kitchen countertop materials are sold per square foot, so the bigger the countertop– the higher the cost.
With the remaining budget, the homeowner carefully picked complementary fixtures such as knobs, farmhouse sink, pendant lights, kitchen island.
They also needed to spend around $1,000 for the kitchen’s molding installation. Miscellaneous items including paint, plumbing, and Home Depot trips cost about $5,000.
If you plan to stay in your home for a long time, consider the little splurges for your kitchen a worthy investment! Who are we kidding? The result looks undoubtedly what a girl wants for a dream kitchen!
Estimated Cost: $60,000 - $80,000