Wow - for $1200 ?! DIY people with a vision never fail to be impressive. That backsplash with the splashes of yellow from the bowl and lights are beautiful. You don't show towels/ oven mitts and stuff but I'd make them yellow as well and play that up as accents. Do you have a wall for a pic with yellow. What a cheery kitchen. love it.

Oh, and I forgot the new faucet, a Delta Ashton pulldown, turned slightly to the right when set it place.

Yeah for you - like that sink :o) - enjoy!

What a delightful, warm, inviting kitchen. I followed your link and see that you accomplished this transformation in just over one month. The charming result, your timeline, and your budget...wow!! The people and kitchens on this forum never cease to amaze me.

Congratulations! I really like the deep contrast of the new countertop with your cabinets. And I know this is not one of the things you changed, but I love the back-painted shelves, by the way.

Love your updated kitchen! It sparkles with warmth and welcome! You've made great choices in your redo and thereby maximized your bang for each $$ spent. Enjoy!

fantastic! i loved your kitchen to begin with, but now it's even more fabulous!!! great sparkle, great job! :)

Thanks all! I should have mentioned, I loved the idea of making the wall cupboard between the two pendants open shelving, but DH shot me a horrified look and said "ruin a perfectly nice wood cabinet for shelves?" So it stayed. Ditto for painting the wood cabinets. Guys and wood....

Great job! I love your Formica Basalt Slate. Enjoy your "new" kitchen.

I also thought your before was nice, but the after is so much warmer and "finished" looking. You have great dishes to show off and they do that so well. It is the kind of kitchen that say's "HOME". Really great job!! And for 1200. Amazing!! ;-)

Brilliant! Such a wonderful kitchen in every way.

I'd be very comfortable in your kitchen. It is pretty and welcoming and looks like it functions very well. You really made the most of your budget!

Beautiful. Looks well -loved . I like the look of the open cabs in between the pendants probably even more than open shelving. You have certainly made a nice kitchen into one that for sure has " sparkle" ! Great job. Look forward to seeing the rest of your renovations. ps...glad your hand is better ! c

What a simple, sensible, cost effective DIY project with such great results! I'm especially loving how you rejuvenated your open cabs and backsplash area by fearlessly working in more color. Although your kitchen was already quite pleasing, it's so much warmer and even more inviting now. Congratulations on your 10 years+ makeover!

Wow! Awesome! Congratulations, it looks so warm and cheerful.

*gasp!* It's wonderful, warm, and inviting. I just love it, and am so impressed that you did it for $1200. I really like the sink too. I'm saving your photo in my inspiration file. It's hard to find remodels with stained cabinets now and that's what I want to do, along with the slate formica. Great job!

Can I come over and play in your kitchen? We could make bread together or vegetable casseroles or pasta stuff or other delicious stuff. Well, I am low carb, so let's drain some ground turkey and do some zucchini or broccoli and yak(not animal yak, yikes, just chat) and create good tasting food. Yeah, baby, great k-room.

That backsplash is amazing - it works perfectly with the green paint color and your cabinets.

Very nice work on the counters, too. You've rekindled my interest in Formica basalt slate, it really looks terrific here.

Hah, sure Westsider, come on over. After all, I live in Maine so I'm used to company! Wait till summer when the garden is producing and we'll cook up a storm.

Thanks to all for the compliments, I am really enjoying the "new" kitchen. For one thing, now my DH is better about keeping the counters uncluttered!

I love the after!

Hubby and I are in the process of our own $1000 kitchen refresher to hold us over until renovation. You give me hope! :)