9 hours ago 3

This $400 Kitchen Makeover Keeps the Brown Cabinets and Counters — and Adds Style Points

ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER

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HOME TYPE: Apartment

PROJECT TYPE: Kitchen

STYLE: Bohemian, Eclectic

SKILL LEVEL: DIY

RENTAL FRIENDLY: Yes

Kitchen with wooden cabinets, white refrigerator, sink, and countertop clutter including a glass and a bag.

Two years ago, the kitchen in Marisa’s (@artbymarxa) 350-square-foot NYC rental apartment underwent a bit of a facelift: The white floor tiles were swapped out for laminate wood flooring to match the rest of the space.

But Marisa knew she planned to be there for a while, and the simple change wasn’t exactly what she wanted long term. “The kitchen before was plain and got the job done,” she says. But she “wanted to make every inch of my home feel like my own.”

Compact kitchen with wooden cabinets, stainless steel sink, white refrigerator, and dark countertop.

It took a trip to Morocco to really solidify Marisa’s dream for her new kitchen. Before her adventure, she wasn’t a huge fan of patterns, although she always appreciated color. “During my visit, I saw how much character and energy patterns can give a space, so I decided to try incorporating patterns without making the space feel too small,” she explains.

Kitchen area with wooden cabinets, white appliances, and a pair of black shoes on the hardwood floor.

The biggest difference maker was the peel-and-stick tile backsplash that adds vintage vibes. “Since the pattern I ended up picking was predominantly blue, I included green with appliances like the air fryer and microwave,” Marisa says.

Cozy kitchen with wooden cabinets, patterned tile backsplash, white appliances, and a green countertop appliance.

She also installed new cabinet knobs for a pop of color(s). “The cabinet knobs felt like a tiebreaker given how strong the blues and greens were on the tiles and appliances, so I mixed both blue and green knobs,” she explains.

Additionally, Marisa wasn’t a fan of the ceiling light in her kitchen, so she opted for LED lights that she installed below the cabinets. It ended up being a double win, because the strand was so long that she hung some above the cupboards, too.

Cozy kitchen corner with wooden cabinets, colorful tiled backsplash, granite countertop, and a mint green microwave.

A kitchen cart from IKEA helped make all of Marisa’s tools accessible while dividing the space between the living room and kitchen. She broke the makeover up into small projects that she did entirely by herself, and the whole refresh cost only about $400.

“I love how functional and cozy the kitchen is,” Marisa says. “I can make coffee efficiently in the morning while cherishing the memories I have with my friends on the fridge and admiring my favorite color blue.” To see more of her stunning apartment, visit the full house tour on Apartment Therapy.

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Before & After: This Vibrant $400 Makeover Added Instant Drama to a Tiny “Plain” Kitchen