Neglected Kitchen

Host Kristan Cunningham meets with the couple to determine what needs to be done. The kitchen and dining area is a large room with minimal lighting and poorly-placed furniture. The existing yellow and rust-colored countertop tile requires a cohesive color scheme to give the room a more definitive look. The couple would like to swap out the white interior window shutters with something more colorful and sleek. The dining table and chair set is an outdated clunky hand-me-down that doesn't lend form or function to the kitchen. The stove's hood is a dated gold color that does not fit in the room and the old cabinets definitely need a facelift.

The kitchen design is given some direction with color and new furniture--here's how the new look is accomplished on the $1,000 budget:

• The white walls are painted a pale green color. This color, along with deep red curtains, will help give the room a more cohesive color palette to coordinate with the yellow and brick-red countertop tile.

• Design coordinator Dave Sheinkopf refurbishes a salvage-store dining table to make it look like new. He strips off the existing finish with sandpaper then wipes on a Danish oil finish. He seals it with a furniture wax to give it a beautiful luster. He touches up small dings and scratches with a paintbrush dipped in stain.

• Additional lighting and storage is realized with a new pot rack.