9 Simple Small Kitchen Remodel Ideas on a Budget

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So you need some small kitchen remodel ideas on a budget? I’ve got you covered!

You might think it takes thousands of dollars to update your old kitchen to something you love. This may make you nervous and push off the updates you’ve been saving to your Pinterest board for a while.

Well, I’m here to tell you that you can update your small kitchen without breaking the bank!

I’ll be listing out 9 simple small kitchen remodel ideas on a budget – starting with the most inexpensive ideas and working our way up to the most expensive (yet still doable while sticking to your budget)!

Give your walls a fresh coat of paint
Paint your cabinets
Cozy up your space with rugs and runners
Replace your cabinet hardware
Brighten up your kitchen with new lighting
Install backsplash to take your kitchen to the next level
Update your kitchen table and chairs
Purchase new appliances to make your space look brand new
Invest in granite countertops to completely transform your kitchen

I’ve also been asked the question if you can do a small kitchen remodel for under $5,000… Well, you’ve chosen the right post because I’ve done it and so can you! At the end of this post, I’ll be showing a before and after of how my kitchen went from 0 to 100 while sticking to a budget of $5,000.

1. Give Your Walls a Fresh Coat of Paint

Painting is easily one of the most inexpensive small kitchen remodel ideas that you can do while on a budget.

Sometimes this idea can be overlooked because when you think about small kitchen remodel ideas on a budget, the bigger things like cabinetry may come to mind. But you don’t need to go that big to see an impressive impact.

Paint has a HUGE impact on the look and feel of your space. So much so that if the only thing you did was paint your walls, it would feel like you’re walking into a fresh new kitchen.

The trend for kitchen colors is currently neutral colors like warm white. My favorite creamy white color right now is Toque White by Sherwin Williams. It’s a beautiful white that has just a touch of warmth to it.

Small lamp | Tenderheart cookbook | Cabinet knobs | Coffe mug | Cilantro art

2. Paint Those Cabinets

Paint to the rescue – again!

When thinking about simple small kitchen remodel ideas on a budget, replacing cabinetry is wayyy out of budget. Out of all the remodeling ideas for a kitchen, replacing your cabinets is probably the most expensive thing you can do.

But what if you could get new-looking cabinets with just a couple of coats of paint?

Painting your cabinets will make it look like you installed brand new cabinets, but without paying thousands of dollars! Again, this tip is only as expensive as the paint. And if you’ve been a homeowner for a while now, you’ll know that paint is probably one of the cheapest updates you can give a house lol.

The best part about paint? If you don’t like it, it’s an easy and cheap fix – just paint over it again!

You’ll need a few extra things when it comes to painting your cabinets when compared to painting the wall. This includes sandpaper and polyurethane.

Cabinet Colors

The top trending cabinet colors right now are off-white, a moody green, and dark blue or black. Stained cabinets are not as popular as they once were!

I painted our cabinets white upon moving into our house.

Thinking back I wish I would’ve been a little more fun with a shade of green or blue, but white is still better than the builder-grade oak color that was here before!

If you do this yourself, it will dramatically decrease the cost! And we’re all about DIY at HBA! 😉

I won’t lie to you, this process is time-consuming! Especially in between work and the rest of what life throws your way, it can take several weeks to go from start to finish to paint your cabinets. BUT let me tell you – it is SO unbelievably worth it!!

Just check out my before and after!

3. Cozy It Up With Rugs and Runners

Depending on where you get your rug or runner from, this could cost more or less than paint. Nonetheless, still very inexpensive!

rug runner in kitchen - make your house a home

Vase | Runner | Small lamp | Kitchen towel

If you’re looking for a cheap kitchen remodel idea, and you are lacking rugs or runners throughout, this could be the perfect option for turning your kitchen into an inviting space!

For long sections between cabinetry, a runner could fit perfectly. If you don’t have a rug under your kitchen table, this could be the perfect opportunity to get one that goes with your space!

Runner – adorable dog not included 😉

In the kitchen, it’s best to stick with simple patterns and colors on rugs and runners so your eye isn’t being drawn toward the ground.

Your goal in even the smallest kitchen design should be to bring your eye up and make it feel as grand as you possibly can!

Adding rugs and runners to your small kitchen remodel budget may pair best with painting your walls and your cabinets. Just right there you can expect a day and night change already!

4. Replace Your Cabinet Hardware

Small lamp | Cabinet knobs | Brass measuring spoons

So remember how I said a fresh coat of paint will get your kitchen cabinets looking new? Well, pair that with new hardware and they will truly look like different cabinetry!

In the grand scheme of updates for your kitchen on a small budget, cabinet hardware will only cost you a couple of hundred dollars, or even less, depending on where you go and how many cabinets you have.

If you went with simple paint colors for walls and cabinetry, you can jazz things up with fun cabinet hardware. The most popular hardware right now for cabinets is cabinet pulls, or the “bar” look. This style truly looks beautiful and if you’re coming from really old cabinets, this will be a drastic improvement in your kitchen.

Cabinet handles

The only complaint I commonly hear about this specific style is that when you work closely to your cabinets or walk past at a really close distance, you could find yourself caught on the pull!

While this shouldn’t sway you away from going with this option, it’s definitely something to think about, especially in a sea of options out there!

Stick to matte black, brushed gold, or antique brass as these colors are very trendy right now.

Make sure to pick a metal that you will enjoy for years to come!

And don’t be afraid to have a little fun and go outside your comfort zone by mixing metals throughout your kitchen or choosing interesting designs that match your vibe!

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5. Brighten Up Your Kitchen With New Lighting

Small kitchens tend to come with minimal lighting.

For instance, when we first moved into our house, the ONLY light our kitchen had was a single “boob” light directly in the center of the kitchen (and a very outdated chandelier in our breakfast nook).

This created shadows as we prepared food and worked around our kitchen. So what did we do? We immediately had that thing removed and way more lighting installed!

Pendants (similar) | Bar stools

Lighting is a wonderful, cheap idea for a small kitchen remodel on a budget!

It can make or break the function of your space and can turn a dimly lit room into a bright and beautiful scene. When scrolling through dream kitchens on Pinterest, one of the things you’ll see in common is that they all have amazing lighting.

You can add lighting in a variety of ways to your kitchen. Here are several ideas that I have done myself that will make a world of difference for your inexpensive kitchen remodel.

Under cabinet lighting
Canless downlighting
Chandelier
Pendants
Small table lamp

Small lamp | Coffee table book | Cabinet knobs | Brass measuring spoons

Under Cabinet Lighting

Lighting under the cabinets creates a mood. Ahh, I love this type of lighting! It’s so nice to turn them on at night when you don’t want the harsh overhead lights on and have your kitchen lit up with a nice warm glow. On a dimmer, these look fantastic.

This little improvement goes a long way when remodeling your kitchen!

Canless Downlighting

My electrician was also appalled by the poor lighting in my kitchen lol. He suggested one of these downlights replace the “boob” light and then one in each corner of my kitchen for 5 lights in total.

These are the perfect downlights to light up your whole kitchen! Here are the specific lights that I have, and the cool thing is that on each light there is a switch to choose between 5 different shades of light; from warm, to super daylight bright. Pair these bad boys with a dimmer and you’ve got yourself a well-lit kitchen, no matter the time of day!

Chandelier

Look for a beautiful chandelier to compliment your kitchen!

If you have an old chandelier hanging somewhere in your kitchen, it will drag your kitchen back in time along with it.

Chandeliers are eye-catching and because they are hanging down in eyesight, you’ll want to ensure that you have the most up-to-date look to go with the rest of your kitchen! That’s why this is a simple way to remodel your kitchen on a budget.

Pendants

If you have an island, bar seating, or a peninsula in your kitchen, you may have pendant lights hanging down (or the opportunity for pendant lights to hang down 😉).

Pendants are the perfect opportunity to give your kitchen a little personality! I love, love, LOVE copper accents in the kitchen, so I went with copper bell-shaped pendants for my kitchen.

BUY ON POTTERY BARN

If you have simple pendant lights, you may want to reconsider updating them to something new and something more “you”!

You can find relatively cheap pendant lights which makes this an excellent choice for small kitchen remodel ideas on a budget!

If you do end up installing pendant lights, you might need to know how high to hang them. Check out my extremely detailed Guide to Pendant Lights Over Kitchen Island (Height, Spacing, & More).

6. Backsplash Will Take Your Kitchen to the Next Level

Do some research on installing backsplash yourself, and you’ve just found yourself another cheap kitchen remodel idea!

Buying backsplash on its own with the needed supplies to install is not as expensive as you’d think!

It’s only when you hire someone to do the work for you that it gets expensive. It may sound intimidating, but if I can do it, I have confidence you can too!

Plus, once you get the hang of it, it honestly isn’t difficult.

All it takes is the tile, mortar (to stick it to the wall), caulk, and a wet saw – which can be rented from Home Depot for cheap! If you’re doing a small kitchen remodel, you can most likely knock this out in two days.

Peel and stick tile may seem like the way to go because it’s inexpensive, but I promise you will be much happier with the end result when using real tile. Peel and stick tends to look a little on the cheap side and can start to lose its stick which just creates issues over time. Tile stands the test of time!

If you’re up for the challenge, you can use mosaic tile for your renovation, however, the smaller the pieces, the more tedious cuts and time-consuming the install becomes. Trust me,

I’ve learned from experience with my herringbone mosaic tile haha.

Backsplash will add texture to the walls of your kitchen, and greatly enhance the overall look, making it look expensive! And once you get done with your install, you can brag to your family and friends how you did it all on your own! 🙂

Backsplash Tip

One way to make the most out of your backsplash and make a huge impact on your kitchen is to install the backsplash all the way to the ceiling.

It brings your eye up and makes for a STUNNING statement piece.

The backsplash was one way that we made our kitchen remodel look so impressive on a smaller budget.

It may seem like the expensive option to double the backsplash, however, it will be way less expensive than installing new cabinetry all the way to the ceiling.

7. Update Your Kitchen Table and Chairs for a Modern Look

Sometimes the kitchen itself isn’t in need of a big remodel, but it still feels a little off.

Take a look at your table and chairs.

Furniture tends to be in it for the long haul, but maybe the long haul was 20 years ago lol. As time goes on, trends change. And it may just be time to upgrade your dining set!

Buying new furniture can be expensive depending on where you’re getting it. A table itself can cost upwards of a thousand dollars…

I do have a hack for you to keep the cost as low as possible when thinking about replacing old furniture: a DIY butcher block table!

My husband and I created this kitchen table on our own, with the help of a premade piece of butcher block from Home Depot.

Check out my post on how to create a butcher block desk, which is essentially the same exact steps for creating a table. It’s SUPER easy and costs WAY less when compared to buying a brand new table.

Just be sure to find a butcher block that’s the standard size of a table – 6 feet by 39 inches. Pair it with these hairpin legs from Amazon, and you’ve got yourself a super nice DIY table! With the extra money you save on the table, you can spend a little bit more on some beautiful chairs!

8. New Appliances Make Your Space Look Brand New

Buying new appliances all at once may be a bit expensive – but maybe you don’t need to replace all of your appliances! You might have an old microwave that just doesn’t go with the kitchen anymore – or a dishwasher that is on the way out.

Stainless steel appliances purchased one at a time, over a period of time, is an efficient way to remodel your small kitchen on a budget!

Faucet

Having stainless steel appliances throughout your kitchen will help update it to a more modern look, and will make your kitchen look nice and uniform.

9. Granite Countertops Completely Transform a Kitchen

For the last item on our simple small kitchen remodel ideas on a budget, replacing your countertop could make the biggest impact of all.

Granite countertops are ideal in the kitchen because they are strong and durable. And I know what you’re thinking – “This is not a super inexpensive kitchen remodel idea”.

This idea is mainly for those that already have a pretty updated kitchen, but have laminate or older countertops that are ready to be replaced.

To give you an idea of the cost, my granite kitchen countertops cost roughly $2,400.

Going into purchasing countertops for the first time, I honestly expected the cost to be a lot higher. You can compare your kitchen to see how that cost might fluctuate depending on how much bigger or smaller your space is.

You can pair this with one of the really inexpensive ideas like painting cabinets, which is one of the first things I did when buying my house. That alone took my kitchen and turned it into something completely different and beautiful!

Can you remodel a small kitchen for $5,000?

The answer is YES! You absolutely can. I took my kitchen from this to this while sticking within a $5,000 budget.

Here is my $5,000 kitchen remodel and how exactly I did it (with costs)!

Granite Countertops ($2,400)

I found a local granite company near me and was able to actually pick out the EXACT slab that would be cut for my kitchen countertops. I got to choose exactly where the different patterns in the stone would be placed in my kitchen, which I thought was super cool.

This was the biggest expense out of my whole small kitchen renovation budget!

Painted Cabinets ($100)

I only used 2 gallons of paint for the whole kitchen. I did two coats of paint and then two coats of polyurethane. As I said, this is such a cheap renovation idea especially when you’re on a budget!

Backsplash ($500)

As I mentioned previously, installing the backsplash yourself makes it crazy amounts cheaper than hiring someone to do it for you.

Plus, no one is going to care how perfectly it’s placed as much as you do. At least that’s what I kept telling myself to keep the motivation going halfway through laying the tile lol.

This cost included all of the tile, mortar, caulk, and wet saw rental from Home Depot.

DIY is the biggest hack in keeping your costs as low as possible not just for a kitchen renovation, but for any house project! Oh and, blogs and YouTube are going to be your best friends.

Lighting ($1,500)

This price includes both the products and the install with the help of an electrician. My husband and I installed the chandelier ourselves.

But the under cabinet lights, 3 pendant lights, and 5 canless downlights, plus install, brought our final total to $1,500.

Not bad when considering we were replacing a single “boob” light with a kitchen full of lighting!

DIY Butcher Block Table ($400)

At the time of our project, the piece of butcher block only cost about $225. After factoring in the stain, polyurethane, and hairpin legs, we paid a little less than $400.

Total kitchen remodel cost: ~$4,900

So can you remodel a small kitchen for $5,000? 100% yes. And considering that complete kitchen remodels where you replace cabinetry, have someone install backsplash, etc., costs tens of thousands of dollars, getting a brand new looking kitchen for under $5,000 is a steal!

You don’t need to go all out in order to get a beautiful kitchen remodel on a budget.

And the great part is that you may not have to do all of the things I mentioned, so that could open up even more budget for things like new cabinet hardware, appliances, or furniture.

I hope you enjoyed these 9 simple small kitchen remodel ideas on a budget! Feel free to leave a comment on how you’re going to save that money on your small kitchen remodel – I’d love to hear it!

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9 Simple Small Kitchen Remodel Ideas on a Budget

1. Give Your Walls a Fresh Coat of Paint