Total spent so far on the kitchen....$11,500 give or take a bit. We spent alot of time planning and shopping and got some great deals.

Ikea cabs and countertop
Kitchenaid appliances
Bosche DW
Insta-hot
All new electrical, including new sub-panel
Recessed lighting and undercounter lighting

We've done everything ourselves to hit the budget other than trash removal.
Before

Demo

Electrical

Drywall

Paint

Floor

Cabinets

After

I love your stainless subway tiles -- can I ask where you got them?

Congrats

Hats off to the DIY!!

gng

Oh, and GO CHARGERS!

Looks like the oak Numerar countertops?? How did you find the IKEA process? We will be getting them too and doing our remodel DIY.

A++!!

We went back & forth on the over fridge cab. The big issue we had with the original kitchen, other than being worn out, was the narrowness and the tunnel effect. Work flow wise it's pretty tuff to screw up a galley kitchen so we tried to make a design that would "square up" the room visually. In the old kitchen the fridge was on the opposite wall and was almost a barrier to walking into the room.

If you look at the before pics you'll see soffits over the old cabs, what you can't see is that prev. owner also dropped the entire ceiling 6" or so. You don't see them in the pics but there were also 2 ceiling fans in the center. All this really constricted the room. We wanted a larger fridge so we moved it out and across, more toward the dining room. We actually really wanted more of a built in look but it messed up the sight line from the entry and dining area. We got lucky on the fridge.... it was from Expo. Someone mis-ordered it without the ice&water thru the door which we much preferred anyway. The added bonus was counter depth and the gray sides that matched our cab kicks.

We were so paranoid about "closing it in" we used 18" floor tile and lots of reveals in materials when transitioning at openings etc.

The bolt makes me miss San Diego, we have a lovely spring snow fall here in MN!

debs

I love the new kitchen and what you did with the silver "tiles" is fabulous! Keeps it feeling fresh and clean. It's lovely.

Debsinthepink..... We've lived here going on 25 years and I can't imagine living anywhere else. Grew up in the midwest and I hated those spring snows. They seem to come just when you think the bad weather is over.

DIY or not, low budget or not, it's a great kitchen!

- D

Don C..... Isn't that the truth, Just finished extending the floor tile into the dining room & foyer today. I'm really sore.

I do have one question for you - I am looking at the applad (white) cabinets for a house I am remodeling, and was wondering if your glass-front cabs are the standard Applad glass-front models that come from IKEA, or if you customized them. I really like the frosted glass look. I was considering the Stat Applad cabinets, but am not really a fan of all the mullions that come on the glass fronts in that style.

Thanks!

I have to ask a question because my wife and I are considering wood countertops. The Capital range spec sheet notes that at 12" clear dimension from combustible materials should be maintained between the top of the range and the adjacent countertop material ("National Fuel Gas Code" ANSI Z223.1, latest edition"). Are you familiar with this requirement? Was it considered at the time of material selection? We want the same treatment as your photos show (wood tops running right up to the range), but this note has now caused us to think again. Appreciate your comments. Thanks.

Such a cheery kitchen. Must be great to wake up to in the morning. Lucky you with an Ikea and Expo close to you.

I'm not familiar with that. I don't have a copy of the code book.... perhaps you can post that section. Are you sure that is not meant to be vertical flammable surfaces within 12" such as a wall or high cabinet? If Capitol is correct in this would not formica also be verboten? Possibly this is a Capitol requirement, my installation guide made no reference to the sides... only over the top.

I've been reading up on the code, and while vertical clearance to combustible materials is distinctly noted at a 30" minimum, side or horizontal clearance is not as clear. The code refers to installing household cooking appliances "in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions." I am posing the question back to Capital; perhaps their note is outdated or I am missing something in the National Fuel Gas Code. I had the same initial question regarding plastic laminate tops and their proximity to a cook top. Combustible materials are defined by the code as such: "As pertaining to materials adjacent to or in contact with heat-producing appliances...shall mean materials made of or surfaced with wood, compressed paper, plant fibers, or other materials that are capable of being burned. Such material shall be considered combustible even though flame-proofed, fire-retardant treated, or plastered." It goes on to give samples of noncombustible material as steel, iron, brick, tile, concrete, slate, asbestos, glass, and plaster (Section 3.3.65.1 & .2). Talk about vagaries. Plaster makes both lists. Seems like good judgment and following manufacturers instructions will be the best guidelines here. Let me know if you are interested and I will post or email you Capital's response to the 12" clearance question. Cheers.

Out of curiosity I did a quick and dirty test with my infrared thermometer. I put a large stock pot on my largest burner (17k I think) and cranked it up for a bit.

Inside pot 370 degrees
Edge of countertop 83 degrees
Ambient countertop 78 degrees

I'll grant you not very scientific but on my range thats ok by me, ymmv. Those large grates are giant heat sinks. Another option I considered for convenience was to cover the 2 feet on either side of the range with a sheet of 1/8" stainless but in the end I chose not to because our grates are continuous. We just slide the pots around.

LOVE IT!! fresh and bright with the coolest cutting boards I've seen.

Congratulations. Amazing you were able to pull it off on $11.5K!!!

Floor tiles were from Lowes... American Olean Capitol Green Plaza. They are 18"x18". Not sure if they still stock them, I think they were closing out on at least that color, cost 1.50 sqft.