Homeowner creates his own shaker-style kitchen using MDF and old scaffolding - you won't believe the result
All for just £235
If you are looking to give your kitchen a revamp, but can't afford to shell on a renovation, be inspired by this DIY shaker style kitchen.
Related: Easy makeovers with paint that anyone can do – from smartening up chairs to statement walls
Ben Wright from Torquay transformed this bland kitchen into an on-trend shaker kitchen, complete with a pantry! It might look fit for a country home, but the entire project cost just £235.
'After years of use, our kitchen had become tatty and boring. We decided the kitchen was next on the DIY hit list,' Ben told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk.
'The design of the kitchen needed to hit two major criteria - a classic design that would stand the test of time. And to do it as cheaply as possible while reclaiming some materials along the way.'
DIY shaker style kitchen
Ben started by giving the kitchen cabinets a shaker-style makeover using MDF. He finished them off with a few coats of B&Q cabinet paint in Toronto and some new handles from The Range.
'Storage had always been a bit of an issue in the kitchen with limited space. So I decided to build a food store and pantry where the fridge was,' explains Ben.
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'I built the pantry by making a stud wall and an MDF shaker style door for it.'
For the worktops, Danny used a few old scaffolding boards that he sanded down and joined together with wood glue and a pocket jig. To get a luxurious finish he used Wilko medium oak dye. Before finishing them off with Rustins Danish Oil.
'It was important that whatever I used on these benches need to be food-safe,' says Ben. 'I'm so happy with how they turned out, and really feel they're the star of the show!'
To complete the look Ben installed a new sink and a cooker hood he picked up from Facebook Marketplace. He then used a few leftover tiles to create a splashback.
He even installed a nifty bin drawer into the 'around the corner cupboard' that had previously been unused.
'My fridge freezer has been retired to the dining room where he'll live out the rest of his days,' Ben explains about his fridges new home. 'The plan is to convert the dining room into a kitchen slash diner to make him feel more comfortable.'
'I'm delighted with the fact that we have a classic-style kitchen with French country realness, as well as completing the whole project with just £235,' says Ben.
'A couple of tips would be: shop around! Look on preloved sites and Facebook Marketplace for things people have written off. I got the wood for my worktops for £30!' he adds.
'Sheer elbow grease and time went into making them usable but it saved me hundreds of pounds on solid wood worktops.'
Related: Homeowner makes DIY stencil to transform floor for under £50 – and what a difference!
We think they look amazing! have you been inspired by this shaker style kitchen makeover?
Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.
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