Do you ever get that itch? The one that makes you want to move your whole living room around. Or makes you want to knock one of your walls down so that you can have an open concept, even when you don’t have the money or know how to accomplish such an endeavor? I am constantly met with this urge, and sometimes I have to do something to satisfy it, while also not breaking the bank. Below I will go through some of my favorite renovations we have done in my farmhouse. The renovations I have chosen are ones that are low in cost and have made me feel more like this farmhouse is a reflection of me. I can’t wait to share with you some unique and affordable farmhouse renovations.
My DIY Kitchen Island
Before
From the second I walked into my old farmhouse kitchen I knew what I wanted to do with it. I wanted a big island. I wanted a lot of things in my kitchen but was working with a fairly limited budget. Here are some key elements to creating an island that is affordable, beautiful and the perfect addition to any farmhouse.
- Precut butcher block: I was able to find a butcher block size that was perfect for my kitchen. They are available at both Lowe’s and Home Depot. This saves you money because you don’t have to pay to have it custom cut, and it saves you work if you were planning on custom cutting it yourself. It is important to find your countertop before planning the base so that you can build your base to its dimensions.
- Unfinished Cabinets for the base. We used 3 unfinished cabinet bases and connected them. Not only is this affordable, but it is also easy to customize. I knew I wanted more drawers and one large cabinet to store my large appliances. Although buying them unfinished meant I had to paint them, I took this as an opportunity to paint them a color that would liven up the whole kitchen.
- Matching handles: By using the same handles that I used on the rest of my cabinets, it made my DIY island seem more professional.
After
Props to my amazing husband! This island is not only gorgeous, but it also doubled my storage space. The long drawer on the front is the perfect spot for all my cookie sheets. I decided to dedicate the whole island to my baking– complete with a spot for my mixer, drawers filled with my favorite ingredients and one drawer dedicated to my various measuring cups.
My hand-painted mural backsplash.
This is an addition to my kitchen that I still can not believe is mine. I loved the look of unique tiles, but this is affordable farmhouse renovations, and that was not in the budget. And I could not believe how affordable this was. This backsplash was originally an extension of my old Formica countertops. This Formica backsplash was still in good shape, but I was not a fan of the boring beige background. Here’s how I redid mine…
- I started by using a primer on the old Formica backsplash. I then used two coats of the cream colored paint I had used on my cabinets.
- Then my extremely talented sister came in and hand painted this beautiful design.
- We then painted three layers of polyurethane on top of the beautiful design to allow for easy cleaning.
But what if I am not an artist?
If painting is not your talent, then there are still plenty of options to get this same effect. One option is to find a wallpaper you love. To make wallpaper an effective backsplash just follow the proper wallpaper instructions, and then polyurethane overtop of the wallpaper. This will make it easier to clean. You could also use stencils to create an original design.
You can also use a simple repeating pattern with a color palette you love.
My Peel and Stick Bathroom
This change made me fall in love with my bathroom. This is something that I didn’t think could be possible. The bathroom was a big sore spot for me when we bought our house. There was something about the color scheme that made it feel dark and dingy. We had decided early on that we were going to put most of our renovation budget into our kitchen, so a new bathroom wasn’t in my near future. It needed to be freshened up but we didn’t have the money to gut it and start over. So after months of scanning Pinterest boards, I found my answer..
WALLPAPER!!!
And to make it even easier, peel and stick wallpaper!!! Isn’t it just peachy??
Now when I say this was affordable, that is a relative term. It is much cheaper than completely renovating but wallpaper itself can be pricey. This is the kind I bought on Amazon (the pattern has changed a little), it’s such a nice texture and the manufacturer says it can be used in bathrooms with humidity. Not so dingy anymore!
Before
Yikes, cue the horror music. Although this bathroom did have good bones, it just had a dingy feeling. The combination of ivory countertops, green walls and off-white bead board made it feel dreary. I searched for a color scheme that would bring life to the small room. I also knew I needed to repaint the bead board to freshen up the space.
After
Now I am in love. Along with the wallpaper, I repainted the bead board, got a mirror that fit the room better, and replaced all the hardware with black. All this will be linked in the “Shop this post” section of the article. There was something about wallpaper that just seemed right for this old house, like an ode to the past. Wallpaper is the perfect tool for unique and affordable farmhouse renovations.
The Indoor Plant Take-Over
Yes, they are trendy, but trends are trends for a reason! Because I live in an older home, plants have a way of modernizing my space. They make the house feel fresh, especially in those colder months when you’re not outside as much. There are many different kinds of indoor plants that are relatively easy to manage. The most durable plant I have is my snake plant. It is beautiful and can even be forgotten occasionally….so I’ve been told.
Remember to have fun with your plant choices too! Try a hanging plant or use easy-care succulents. You can also simply pick up a bouquet of flowers from the store every once in a while. The addition of the plants just makes me feel like I can take a deep breath of fresh air.
Fresh Paint and New Knobs
This is my go to fix when I am in the mood to change something up. I was so lucky to have many people offer me old furniture when we purchased our first house. Of course I was so excited to have furniture, but I also valued my own personal style. I have mentioned my love for redoing old furniture in my other post, How to use Antiques in a Modern Farmhouse. But here are some more ways I used a fresh coat of paint and some new knobs to change up my house…
The first major project I took on in my house was repainting my old kitchen cabinets. We really wanted to get new cabinets, but even Ikea was out of our price range. So, I pulled out the paint brush. These were vinyl cabinets, so they could not be sanded down. Instead, I used one coat of primer and three coats of paint. I also added these beautiful pulls and I love the results. The upside to redoing pieces yourself is that you really have all the power and freedom to make it exactly what you want on the budget you have. Paint is another great tool for unique and affordable farmhouse renovations.
I also have repainted two dressers, one for a coffee cart and one for my entertainment center. I found the coffee cart handles on Amazon, and you can find them here. My dresser that I use below my TV looks so much better with knobs from TJ Max.
Satisfy the Itch
I hope this gave you all some ideas of some unique and affordable farmhouse renovations. What are some projects that you have loved the results of? Have you gone crazy with wallpaper or added a coat of paint to something that completely upgraded it? Let me know in the comments below!
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Lily here! Being a young mom and young business owner has given me the unique experience of having to learn so many important things at once. As I discover new recipes that make my life easier, or new budget friendly decorating styles, or even ways that make it easier to run a business and be a mom; I will be sure to share it with you. My hope is that we can learn and grow together. I hope this article adds a little more joy to your day!