This ’90s Kitchen Looks Completely Different — and the Countertops Stayed

Some of the most satisfying before and afters on our site are the kitchens, since those transformations can be so drastic. And while plenty of homeowners achieve that drastic transformation by completely knocking out walls and replacing everything else from floor to ceiling, others can make a pretty big change in their spaces with just a few strategic projects.

When I think about kitchens in which little projects go a long way, one of the first that comes to mind is this kitchen makeover that we first posted in 2021. When I look at the before, it’s almost hard for my eyes to find something to settle on since there’s so much going on between the busy stone countertops, the ivy-printed wallpaper, and the orange-on-orange tone of the cabinets and floor. The homeowners who moved into this kitchen saw the potential, though, and were able to completely change the vibe of the kitchen without losing either the cabinets or the countertops (a huge money saver!)

The foundation of this budget redo is, of course, paint. But the choice of paint is what’s so striking to me! Selecting white for the upper cabinets — which matches the new crisp white on the walls — makes the kitchen feel taller and more open. And a soft gray paint on the lower cabinets helps quiet the stone countertops, making them look way more modern.

The other major change here is the lighting. The old light fixtures weren’t just dated — they also looked a little clunky thanks to a black finish and frosted glass shades. Replacing them with clear glass globe lights that are suspended from gold-toned rods helps keep the open, airy feeling that the white cabinets established. Including the new fridge, the total cost to redo this kitchen was just $2,100 (even though it looks like it cost way more!).

I love how the homeowners problem-solved the issue of the dated and busy stone countertops, because the reality is that replacing those would be expensive. This project is proof that sometimes you just need to update what’s around the counters to make them work.

Check out the full redo here, and then read about three pro-approved ideas for making dated countertops look new again.