See a Designer’s Maximalist Kitchen Makeover (Decorated for Under $300!)
Interior decorator Monica Leigh (@leighcodesigns) is a true maximalist; her home is a masterclass in mixing patterns, combining colors, and layering textures — including in the kitchen.
Monica and her family made do with their kitchen layout (and Monica layered in her signature style), but the L-shaped island, over time, became an obstacle not worth overlooking. “As with all projects, you start with a few wants, and it can quickly escalate into a major renovation before you know it!” Monica says.
She and her husband, Jeffrey, worked with a contractor on a gut reno of the kitchen that cost about $25,000, and then she added in decor for under $300.
A contractor helped with the new kitchen layout.
The contractor helped Monica and Jeffrey configure a layout that would work for them, their three kids, and two Bernedoodle pups. “Our contractor is a rare gem!” Monica says. “He is so kind and considerate and truly did such a wonderful job of keeping us updated and letting us know the day-to-day and who would be in and out every day … don’t settle! The right person for your job is out there.”
As for the changes made, “We opened up the two doorframes leading into the kitchen to make the space feel even larger,” Monica says. “We opted for a bar instead of a table in the eat-in kitchen area to optimize our space.”
Monica and Jeffrey did a lot of the demo themselves, and the contractor finished it out. Monica’s parents operate an ornamental iron company, and they designed the new bar. Monica and Jeffrey had a slab that matched their kitchen counters cut for the top.
The new cabinetry offers more storage.
A must-have for the space? Cabinets that stretch to the ceiling. “While I still made the most of my prior gap-cabinets and stored my cake stands and such, they collected so much dust,” Monica explains. The added cabinet storage — closed off from dust — is one of her favorite parts of the “after,” and the contractor helped them save money on the cabinetry because it was purchased at a discount from another housing subdivision project that had fallen through.
The cabinet color is called “Painted Mist.” “I wanted a timeless and somewhat neutral background to complement my maximalist nature,” Monica says. “The pops of color in the wallpaper, rug, and curtains make me so happy against the neutral backsplash and blue cabinets.”
The kitchen was decorated for under $300.
As for the decor, Monica sourced all of it on a tight budget. “My husband would have preferred the walls to stay white, [but] he knows I cannot survive among white walls for long,” Monica says. Monica found her Scalamadre Dancing Zebra wallpaper for a steal. “It helped [Jeffrey] is a diehard Cincinnati Reds fan,” Monica says, so the bold pop of color is a win for both.
“I shopped my garage stash and found this fabric I scored at an estate sale for basically free to make the curtains and added this thrifted federal convex mirror,” Monica says. Her barstools are also thrifted, her rug is vintage from Facebook Marketplace, and the sconces are from a salvage store (but originally from Target). The cabinet hardware is from Amazon. “As an avid thrifter; I have a legit physical hurt to paying full price for anything,” Monica jokes.
Her best budget kitchen reno advice? “When sticking to a strict budget, have your two to three or so things that are your non-negotiables, and make everything else negotiable!” she says. “I do miss our kitchen table, but the bar is great — and at least one family member is always sitting at it, whether they’re working on homework or a craft project, or eating an afternoon snack.”
As for the entire kitchen transformation, Monica says, “It functions and flows so much better for our crew.”
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