Feng Shui principles and Frenchic paint transformed this kitchen into a luxury space

How many of us have flipped through magazines or scoured the internet, looking at beautiful kitchens and longing to update our own rooms? Transforming them doesn't have to mean a blow-the-budget new design, however, and sometimes all you need is some budget kitchen ideas to help give a dated room a brand new look.

Take this homeowner, for example, who repurposed her existing cabinetry and made smart choices when it came to purchasing new products in order to achieve her dream scheme.

Luxury-look kitchen makeover

'I've always been inspired by bespoke kitchens, especially ones by Tom Howley,' says holistic interior designer Chantell of No.21 Bespoke Interiors in Essex. 'Their kitchens are beautiful and it's all the little finishing touches that make them look even more luxurious.'

Armed with her budget of £5,000, Chantell and her husband James, an upholsterer, put their heads together to come up with a way of achieving a similar look for less. 

'We wanted to create a luxury kitchen without the price tag,' says Chantell, 'and we managed to keep within our budget by looking at ways to repurpose what we already had and shopping around for the best deals for anything new that we needed to buy.'

Before

The couple's old kitchen was still in good working order, but Chantell was keen to give it the wow factor. 'I use Feng Shui principles when designing a room to create energy in a space and make the room more welcoming,' she says. 'Balancing the elements is important and I wanted to create a room that not only looked good but felt good, too.'

After

If you're after some green kitchen ideas, then look no further. Chantell's original cabinetry was repainted using two Frenchic paints to create the exact shade she was after. 'I mixed my own colour by using Constance Moss and Blackjack al fresco paint, which is suitable for outdoor projects too,' she says. 'It's hardwearing and durable, and I use it a lot in my furniture painting.'

The deep green cabinets go perfectly against the soft pink shade the couple chose for the walls – Sweetcheeks, also by Frenchic, which is perfect for a kitchen as it's scrubbable. 

'By painting your cabinets, changing your handles and adding a few new design features, you can totally transform your existing kitchen and save yourself the cost of a whole new one,' says Chantell. 'Obviously spending money on new things such as worktops and splashbacks still costs money, but there's a big saving in not replacing the whole kitchen with a new one, whilst also being more sustainable.'

The new island unit was made by repurposing drawers that were originally in the centre of the old kitchen. 'We wanted a range cooker and our cooker hood had broken, so we replaced that with an extractor that we built a chimney breast around,' says Chantell. 

'Then we took the old cooker out and replaced it with a second fridge freezer, making a larder-type unit,' she continues. 'The cooker was installed in the centre of the kitchen (where the island drawers used to be) and we replaced all the handles, which has totally changed how they look.'

Fluting has been added to the island and the cabinets – an addition by CNC Creations. 'I've always wanted a larder-type cabinet, but when we created this one we struggled to find the same style doors as the original kitchen, which was why we added the fluting,' Chantell explains. 'It adds texture to the space.'

Another key feature is the reeded glass splashback, which protects the walls from any food splashes while adding a modern touch to the design. 'It's one of my favourite additions,' says Chantell, 'and we bought it from Rough Old Glass.'

As well as the newly painted units and island, Chantell added plants to the shelves: 'In Feng shui they are good for attracting wealth, good health and wellbeing,' she says. 

Having stuck to their budget, the couple couldn't be happier with their stunning new kitchen. 'The hardest part was living with a messy kitchen while it was all being done,' says Chantell, 'but it was well worth it in the end.'