The $30 kitchen makeover

A little paint transforms a kitchen|Ann Bertelsen

When Susan Churcher moved into her 1950s home, she faced a decorating dilemma in the kitchen. 

The "before" photographs show why ― it was a dreary space, with dated cabinets and dark brown appliances.

Long-term plans called for a complete remodel, but what could she do in the interim? Her solution was to brighten up the room with paint.

What takes the room beyond an ordinary makeover is that she repainted the old appliances, achieving an entirely new look with about $30 worth of paint.

The basic color scheme is a soft buttery yellow for the cabinets, with periwinkle blue on the cabinet handles.

For the appliances, Churcher used rust-resistant paint for metals.

She painted the oven doors periwinkle blue then touched up knobs and dials in a bright orange enamel paint.

Next: See the other side of the kitchen