Vintage Country Kitchen

Michael and Gina Lester have a galley kitchen that needs some attention. Can the Design on a Dime transform their space with $1,000?

After

All About

Product Ideas

More Product Ideas

Michael and Gina Lester want their galley kitchen to blend with the rest of the rustic decor in their home. They're hoping the Design on a Dime team can meet that challenge.

Before

The Dilemma
Designer Lee Snijders takes a look at the space and details the design issues, which include: lack of color and interesting accessories, a cramped breakfast and laundry space and an unattractive overhead fluorescent light. Snijders and design coordinators Summer Baltzer and Charles Burbridge divide up the projects, which include creating new curtains for the windows, laundry room and pass-through, altering the light fixture with molding and bringing in Americana-styled accessories and new furniture for the small breakfast area.

The Solution
The colorless and cramped kitchen is brought together with a cohesive rustic-themed design. Here's how it's done:

The walls are painted a sage green and the cabinet frames are painted one shade darker. The cabinet doors are left white.

Baltzer creates a charming spice rack out of an old crate. She also customizes it with a baker's pin outfitted with cup hooks to hold vintage kitchen utensils. She drills holes into the bottom of the crate and top ends of the pin, knots two pieces of leather roping and threads them through the holes in both to secure. Small vintage jars are used to hold an array of spices.

Burbridge reuses old fruit crates for wall art. He discardes everything but the front piece with the label, applies acrylic varnish in a matte finish and staples rope to the back of each for hanging.

The bright red pocket door is transformed with chalkboard paint on the inset panels and a coat of light blue paint on the remainder.

The fluorescent light fixture is framed out in crown molding for a more tailored look.

Fabric is used to block the unappealing view through the windows, provide privacy in the pass-through and hide the washer and dryer in the breakfast space.

Genuine Americana accessories that enhance the design include a wooden bread box, ceramic storage containers and cast iron cookware used as wall art flanking the spice rack.

After

A new country-style L-shaped banquette and table grouping fit the breakfast space perfectly and help open up the cramped space. The natural wood is enhanced with a light oak stain to coordinate with the rest of the wood tones in the room.

The Cost

Furniture — $428

table / bench: Valley Furniture — 808W / 809W

Accessories and lighting — $265

vintage kitchen scale, wooden crate for spice rack, fruit crates: flea market
ceramic jars, bread box: Cost Plus World Market

Hardware — $126

drawer pulls and hardware: Lowe's — Inspirations, "Leaf" #133489

Paint and supplies — $80

chalkboard paint for door: The Home Depot — #20066118136
paint: Benjamin Moore — 2B Garden Path #466 (cabinets) / 3B High Park #468 (walls) / 3BW Buckland Blue #HC-151 (door)

Curtains and art — $99