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This relatively low-cost kitchen update brings a light, bright modern look to an Queenslander-style home.
The project
We recently purchased an old-style Queenslander in need of a makeover. We always operate on a tight budget and do almost all the work ourselves, so Bunnings' Kaboodle kitchen cabinets were exactly what we needed.
The house had an old-style stove alcove area, so we decided to build that in and create a spacious pantry.
Starting with the kitchen planner on the Bunnings website, we could design and price exactly what we needed. It's very simple once you get the hang of it.
We chose Kaboodle's Five Spice cupboard colour and the Vanilla Cream benchtop purely because they were the cheapest options available. It’s an added bonus that they match well and present nicely for the price.
We replaced the floor before starting the cabinetry as we were doing the whole area anyway. We used Bellazza Crema porcelain tiles, which were $21.49 per box from Bunnings.
It took about a day to put all the kitchen cupboards together and fit and level them. On day two we put in the benchtops, cupboard doors, handles, kickboards, appliances and sink. On day three we tiled the splashback. On day four we finished off any odd jobs.
The most time-consuming part was adjusting the doors so they sit straight with even gaps. It’s not hard, but it takes patience.
The kitchen layout was tricky, having three entry points and doorways, but we decided to keep that the same to keep costs down.
The sink, tapware, range hood, oven, cooktop, power points, paint, Kaboodle kitchen, pantry shelving, flooring and light were all from Bunnings.
We really did enjoy doing this and it was something our six- and nine-year-old boys were happy to help with as well.
The cost for this came in under $5000 for everything but the flooring.
I am very good at sticking to a budget and making selections based on what is available in that price range. Everything we chose was at a lower price point, but it all presents very well and certainly adds much more value that what it cost us.
Before and after
More inspiration for your kitchen
Experienced Bunnings Workshop contributor Adam_W has put together this handy guide to planning a kitchen renovation. You can also check out our Top 10 most popular kitchen projects.
If you just need a quick kitchen refresh, check out our collection of 10 kitchens transformed with paint. You can begin transforming your own kitchen with our step-by-step video guides to painting kitchen cabinets and painting a tiled splashback.
Let us know if you need a hand with your kitchen project. We're here to help.
