Before & After: A “Dull, Basic” Kitchen Gets a $500 Dramatic Cabinet Makeover
When artist and photographer Cass Danson and her family (including her husband, Matt; two children; and pup, Juno) bought a new-build home in West Melbourne, Australia, she wanted to make the space feel more reflective of their personalities — aka infused with vibrant color, similar to her painting style.
One room in particular that needed a little zhuzhing was the kitchen. Danson appreciated most things in the kitchen, but wanted the space to feel less sterile. Originally, it had laminate wood upper cabinets and white laminate cupboards below. The kitchen faces the living and dining rooms, which are both clad in color, so naturally they wanted the space to have that same aesthetic too.
“We wanted the kitchen to feel softer in color,” Danson shares. “We liked the tiles, so we wanted to do something to complement them. The aim was for it to feel more inviting.”
It was also important for Danson to keep the renovation costs low. “When it comes to making changes in my home, my number-one go-to is paint,” Danson shares. “I don’t have a big budget, as I’m a stay-at-home mom, and the cost of living right now is wild! So anything we do in the house has to be super low-budget.”
But Danson managed to make big changes on a smaller budget — the whole transformation was under $500. Paint was the main tool used to reimagine the room; they started by painting the cabinets in Dulux’s “Pancake Mix,” a light blush color. Next, they swapped out their existing hardware for brushed brass pull handles and replaced the silver faucet with a matching light pink option to complement the cabinets.
Danson’s kitchen is proof that paint can make a huge difference in refreshing a room — and that you don’t have to spend top dollar to see gorgeous results.
“The kitchen was functional beforehand, but it was just dull and needed some love,” Danson explains. “I love how warm and inviting the kitchen feels now! It really complements the rest of the dining room and living room in our open floor plan.”
Even though this kitchen is full of chic pastels, it’s surprisingly not the most colorful room in the home. To see more of the color-drenched walls in their space, visit the full home tour on Apartment Therapy.
