Just $250 Helped Transform This Bland “School Cafeteria” 1980s Kitchen

Julia Jannon-Shields (@juliajjshields) and her partner, Eric B. Alipio, were ecstatic about renting a historic home in Seattle — but they weren’t thrilled with the kitchen’s most recent 1980s makeover. “It was beige, bland, and very outdated, with the floor having an elementary school cafeteria vibe to it,” Julia says. “I was ready for it to go!” 

It didn’t take long to decide on the vision for their rental kitchen. In fact, the couple did most of the work themselves — within just three days — before even fully moving in. And they had some celebrity kitchen inspo that helped: Dakota Johnson’s renowned green cabinets were the blueprint for their renter-friendly makeover. 

“I always wanted a green kitchen and wasn’t going to let renting stop me,” Julia explains. “We took off some of the cabinets for a more open feel and covered the leftover beige cabinets with olive green contact paper. The way the green complemented the wood trim of the cabinets made my vision come to life!”

Mid-century modern light fixtures replaced the “old, sterile lights,” and Julia added warm light bulbs for cozy, modern lighting in the kitchen. Finally, the floor needed to be refreshed, so the couple laid down clear contact paper to protect the original flooring, then added white-and-black diamond patterned floor tiles on top. Julia says the new tiles give the room a more “elegant” look that’ll also be less of a headache to remove if and when the couple decides to move. 

The total makeover cost only around $250, but the changes are so dramatic that it looks far more expensive — might I say, even as iconic as Dakota Johnson’s kitchen. “Our new kitchen feels so quaint and charming,” Julia shares. “Though small, I love the new vintage-inspired details and the color it brings to the home.” To see more of their lovely rental, visit the full house tour on Apartment Therapy.

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Before & After: Just $250 Transformed This “Bland, Outdated” ’80s Kitchen (It’s Stunning!)