After being quoted $50,000, this mum transformed her kitchen herself for just $1,000: "It was well worth the effort!"
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After receiving a $50,000 estimate from professionals, an Australian mother has revealed how she completely overhauled her kitchen for just $1,000 using only products from Kmart.
Nga Yeung, who lives in Forest Hill, Victoria, updated her old and drab kitchen by installing grey countertops and white tiles. The end result is a glitzy, modern space that you wouldn't believe wasn't done by a pro!
Using only $1,000 worth of Kmart supplies, an Aussie mum completely renovated her kitchen. Credit: Facebook.
Sharing on the popular home renovation Facebook group Kmart Hacks & Decor, the mum-of-two said that her old kitchen felt 'outdated' with its birch cupboard doors and a white counter.
That's why Mrs Yeung made the decision to give it a fresh start by updating its appearance, choosing trendy patterned walls and a more modern style.
But when she sought advice from design and renovation experts, she was given a $50,000 renovation estimate for the kitchen area.
Since Ms Yeung was already somewhat experienced in the realm of home improvements and she had some spare time on her hands, she "had nothing to lose" by attempting to DIY some updates to her kitchen space.
"Ended up costing me a little over 1k, but I think it was well worth the effort!" she said in her Facebook post. "Amazing what a lick of paint and Kmart herringbone stick on tiles can do! P.S. the herringbone was a b**** to lay, not gonna lie," she added.
She also mentioned that she had the assistance of her husband in order to finish the project and that both of them had taken two weeks off work during the school holidays in order to complete the whole thing.
Nga Yeung from Forest Hill turned her boring kitchen into a modern masterpiece. Credit: Facebook.
Mrs Yeung explained that the original plan for the $50,000 quote was to tear out the old kitchen and knock down the wall between the stove and the dining room. Then, all the cabinets would be replaced, an island, a stone top, and tiles would be added, and the kitchen would have a completely different layout.
But because the price was so much more than they could afford, she decided to keep the current layout and give the entire kitchen area a fresh new look instead.
Along with the photos of her renovation project, she also gave a full breakdown of everything she bought which is listed below:
Mrs Yeung even revealed that she was the one who cut around the power points herself, but also admitted that there were a lot of "measuring and mistakes" involved in the process.
"My tip would be to remove the power caps, cut 3mm less, place it back on and trim any excess as you go to get a close fit," she wrote in her Facebook post.
She also said that she was pleased with the tiles, but she mentioned that they were "very sticky," meaning that they could adhere to the silicone or grout that was already there.
"The whole sheets stick fine over these areas, but I had to use some super glue for extra adhesion on the small triangles, and I'll be putting silicone along the edges of the benchtop and cabinets where the tiles meet to hopefully keep them from peeling off."
The mum-of-two posted pictures of her kitchen's new look, and many people were impressed. Credit: Facebook.
Hundreds of Mrs Yeung's fellow members on the Facebook group made comments about the new kitchen, all of which praised her for the incredible work that she had done.
"This looks amazing, well done!" wrote one user in the comments. A second one agreed and added, "What a change, it looks great!"
A third user chimed in and wrote, "Well done, what an amazing transformation!"
What do you all think? If you didn't know better, you might assume that a seasoned kitchen remodeler was responsible for the transformation, but it seems like that wasn't the case here!
Nga Yeung, who lives in Forest Hill, Victoria, updated her old and drab kitchen by installing grey countertops and white tiles. The end result is a glitzy, modern space that you wouldn't believe wasn't done by a pro!
Using only $1,000 worth of Kmart supplies, an Aussie mum completely renovated her kitchen. Credit: Facebook.
Sharing on the popular home renovation Facebook group Kmart Hacks & Decor, the mum-of-two said that her old kitchen felt 'outdated' with its birch cupboard doors and a white counter.
That's why Mrs Yeung made the decision to give it a fresh start by updating its appearance, choosing trendy patterned walls and a more modern style.
But when she sought advice from design and renovation experts, she was given a $50,000 renovation estimate for the kitchen area.
Since Ms Yeung was already somewhat experienced in the realm of home improvements and she had some spare time on her hands, she "had nothing to lose" by attempting to DIY some updates to her kitchen space.
"Ended up costing me a little over 1k, but I think it was well worth the effort!" she said in her Facebook post. "Amazing what a lick of paint and Kmart herringbone stick on tiles can do! P.S. the herringbone was a b**** to lay, not gonna lie," she added.
She also mentioned that she had the assistance of her husband in order to finish the project and that both of them had taken two weeks off work during the school holidays in order to complete the whole thing.
Nga Yeung from Forest Hill turned her boring kitchen into a modern masterpiece. Credit: Facebook.
Mrs Yeung explained that the original plan for the $50,000 quote was to tear out the old kitchen and knock down the wall between the stove and the dining room. Then, all the cabinets would be replaced, an island, a stone top, and tiles would be added, and the kitchen would have a completely different layout.
But because the price was so much more than they could afford, she decided to keep the current layout and give the entire kitchen area a fresh new look instead.
Along with the photos of her renovation project, she also gave a full breakdown of everything she bought which is listed below:
- 1x Ozito pxc orbital sander
- 2x 180 grit sanding discs for cabinets
- 2x Medium sanding blocks
- 2x Fine sanding blocks
- 1x 240 grit sanding discs for benchtop
- 1x Zinsser cover stain primer sealer stain killer (2 coats for cabinets)
- Dulux renovators cabinet paint white satin 3L (none tinted, 3-4 coats as needed for cabinets)
- 1x White Knight renew tile and laminate primer (1 coat for benchtop)
- Paint trays, mineral turps, paint stirrers, Stanley knife, ruler
- 1x White Knight tile and laminate paint satin (silk wort tint colour, 2 coats for benchtop)
- 2x 4mm nap microfibre rollers
- 2x 38mm and 2x 50mm Angle sash cutter brushes
- 22x Oliver 37mm door knobs from Highgrove Bathrooms
- Stainless steel splashback (custom size from Control Fab Kilsyth)
- 9x 5 Pack Self Adhesive 3D Tiles - Herringbone
- Miscellaneous items extra roller refills, paint
- Drop sheets, painters tap, silicone, caulking gun
Mrs Yeung even revealed that she was the one who cut around the power points herself, but also admitted that there were a lot of "measuring and mistakes" involved in the process.
"My tip would be to remove the power caps, cut 3mm less, place it back on and trim any excess as you go to get a close fit," she wrote in her Facebook post.
She also said that she was pleased with the tiles, but she mentioned that they were "very sticky," meaning that they could adhere to the silicone or grout that was already there.
"The whole sheets stick fine over these areas, but I had to use some super glue for extra adhesion on the small triangles, and I'll be putting silicone along the edges of the benchtop and cabinets where the tiles meet to hopefully keep them from peeling off."
The mum-of-two posted pictures of her kitchen's new look, and many people were impressed. Credit: Facebook.
Hundreds of Mrs Yeung's fellow members on the Facebook group made comments about the new kitchen, all of which praised her for the incredible work that she had done.
"This looks amazing, well done!" wrote one user in the comments. A second one agreed and added, "What a change, it looks great!"
A third user chimed in and wrote, "Well done, what an amazing transformation!"
What do you all think? If you didn't know better, you might assume that a seasoned kitchen remodeler was responsible for the transformation, but it seems like that wasn't the case here!
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