DIYer gave a dated kitchen a dreamy sage green makeover for under £200

A kitchen makeover for less than £200? It’s almost unheard of, but with some clever ideas and bargain buys, this clever homeowner brought new life to an out-of-fashion scheme.

Faced with a clunky, outdated kitchen from her new home, Sophie Hill from Wirral, Merseyside, decided to give it a much-needed facelift, but was determined to make it affordable with some budget kitchen ideas. She set about transforming it, documenting the makeover at @sophiesgaff on Instagram.

Sage green kitchen makeover

Before

Cheap-looking cabinets, ill-fitting appliances and a dated worktop were just a few of Sophie’s bugbears, and despite her best attempts, it was never going to be the kitchen of her dreams.

Talking to My Local Toolbox, Sophie describes her style as ‘eclectic boho’. ‘I’ve always loved using natural materials and lots of house plants, as well as hunting around charity shops for stuff, whether it’s furniture or accessories,’ she says. ‘It’s absolutely crazy what some people give away.’

After

What a difference! The cabinets were painted, a new blind sits at the window and, best of all, the washing machine has been hidden. 

‘I made the little curtain to hide the washing machine and it cost me just £1.99 from a charity shop,’ says Sophie. ‘Actually, a lot of the accessories in here are from charity shops and car boot sales. You can find lovely pieces for less than half the price.’

We particularly like the open shelving on the wall, which replaced the cabinets that were there before. ‘I wanted open shelves, but couldn’t find any that I liked and that were within budget,’ says Sophie. 

‘Instead, I took the doors off the cabinets, painted the insides and then backed them with leftover wallpaper. It’s a great way to give something a totally different look using what you already have.’

To keep costs down, Sophie wrapped the existing worktops in a wood-look vinyl rather than replacing them all, and used stick-on tiles for the walls. 

‘We couldn’t afford a splashback,’ she says, ‘so we used stick-on tiles from Home Bargains, which were just £3.99 a pack. They had really good reviews and we managed to “tile” the kitchen for about £40 in total. We used extra adhesive to stick the down and they haven’t budged.’

On the other side of the room, a pretty botanical kitchen wallpaper idea works with the soft green cabinetry, while Sophie’s love of natural materials shows with the woven mirror and jute rug.

‘In total, the makeover came in at under £200, which included vinyl for the worktops, cabinet paint, stick-on tiles for the walls, a new blind and sealant,’ says Sophie. ‘My advice is to research the cheapest product but make sure you take a look at the reviews before you buy.’