Budget friendly kitchen facelift

[jenna1988]

Hi! We have just bought and moved into a little workers cottage in Sydney’s Inner West. One day we intend to do a much larger reno but I don’t think I can live with this kitchen for the next 10 years as it is! Could you recommend any easy improvements? Is it easier to get new cabinet doors to fit any kitchen cabinets? I’m also keen to make all the cabinets go to the ceiling somehow, can’t stand the grease/dust collecting gaps. How about replacing the kitchen bench and sink, or is it worth ripping everything out and starting again if we’re going that far? I don’t want to spend more than 5-10k right now. As you can see in the picture, the fridge has to go right next to the oven too! I’ve seen on another post here that the Bunnings team has recommended putting a melamine panel in between the fridge and oven, I’ll look into that too. Any advice on how to make our kitchen a more enjoyable space on a budget would be greatly appreciated, given the Sydney-house-sized-mortgage we’ve just taken on! Thanks. Oh and please excuse the Christmas mess pictured!

[jenna1988]

Woops, image didn’t attach the first time, here you go! We have a small dining table under the mess on the right hand side, under the cabinets. I dislike the cabinets being there but it’s crucial kitchen storage space!

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @jenna1988. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about kitchen renovations.

Here's a great place to start: How to plan a kitchen renovation. Also, you might like to check out our Top 10 most popular kitchen projects for some inspiration.

Cutting out the ceiling cornice to shift the wall cabinets higher is a fantastic way to eliminate the gap and create a cleaner, more modern look. Closing off that dust and grease trap will instantly make the space feel fresher.

With your budget of $5-10k, you can certainly make impactful changes. Replacing the benchtop, cabinetry doors, and handles can give the kitchen a brand-new appearance without the expense of a full renovation. Depending on the size of your cabinets, you might directly replace them with Kaboodle, making replacement a practical and cost-effective solution. Upgrading the sink and tapware are excellent choices, as these focal points can elevate the space with minimal investment. Look for high-quality but budget-friendly options to get the best value.

If the kitchen layout is functional and mostly works for you, it’s smart to focus on fixing the major issues—like that fridge and oven placement. A melamine panel between the two will help with heat and insulation concerns and create a more polished appearance. You could also explore alternative layouts for the fridge, but if space is tight, the panel is a great solution.

Rather than ripping everything out right now, it’s more practical to tackle the immediate issues you find intolerable and spruce up the space within your budget. This approach keeps the kitchen functional and pleasant while allowing you to save and plan for a full renovation down the track. When the time comes, you can then address bigger changes like reconfiguring the layout or upgrading appliances such as the rangehood, oven and dishwasher.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell