A homeowner has given her tired old kitchen a pink and green makeover, transforming an uninspiring space into an inviting hangout for family gatherings. Hannah Beeson went through a process of trial and error while bringing her kitchen ideas to life, starting all over again when she realised the paint she'd chosen for the cabinets wasn't going to work.
Despite the fact the makeover didn't go entirely to plan, Hannah (@ourlifedownthelane) still managed to keep costs down, ultimately creating a kitchen she and her family love being in.
Before the pink and green kitchen makeover
Speaking to British design-led company Joseph Joseph, Hannah said she originally chose navy kitchen ideas before swapping to a pink and green colour scheme. 'The paint wasn’t a specialist kitchen cupboard paint and while I sealed it with a top coat of matte varnish, it still chipped in places,' says Hannah. She also felt the blue accentuated the yellow in the Indian sandstone on the floor, which she wasn’t keen on.
The blue phase
'When it came to changing the paint, I took more time to use paint testers around the room to pick the new colours and I’m really pleased with how it now looks, she shares.
As for the actual renovation, Hannah and her partner Ryan first removed the old tiles from the kitchen walls, plastered the walls, and added a pallet board hob splashback and a fresh coat of paint. Next, they removed the wall units to create open kitchen shelving ideas for storing jars, cookbooks and chopping boards.
After the pink and green kitchen makeover
Hannah wanted to create an inviting and open plan design to entertain friends and family, and the finished look feels warm, characterful and functional. 'I love how much of a sociable space it is. Everyone always gathers around the island, it’s been great for celebrations and entertaining,' she explains.
Altogether, the transformation cost the pair £260 (cupboard paint: ‘Serenity’ by Make it Rustoleum, £22.99 750ml tin; ‘Dusky Blush’ by Frenchic Paints, £19.95 750ml tin (used on fridge and island); Tiles for the splashback, Marais Rose, £43.08 from The Porcelain Superstore; Scaffold boards, approx £100 from our local timber yard; Shelf brackets, £75 from RSD Furniture).
Ryan plastered using plaster they had left over from a previous job while the kitchen units were 15 years old and in perfect condition.
As well as painting the paint samples onto craft paper and moving the pieces of paper around, Hannah tested them directly over the colour she was covering to check if that affected the finished look. Her number-one piece of advice on how to paint kitchen cabinets is to do the right preparation before you start painting.
She says that removing the kitchen drawers and cupboard doors will make the job much easier – there is a little catch to release the hinge on the doors so you don’t even need a screwdriver. Hannah also advises that if you have tiles you’re not keen on, you may be able to DIY your kitchen tile ideas by simply covering them up with tile paint.
'Don’t be afraid to give something a go, especially if the only cost is your time and a tin of paint – it can always be changed! I don’t know that I have a particular style and our home certainly isn’t as polished as many that I follow, but it’s our home and we love it.'
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