Budget rental kitchen remodel that is easily reversible

Think you’re stuck with your rental kitchen the way it is and that you can’t do anything to change it? This rental kitchen remodel will change your mind! I had a $500 budget to inject some fun and personality in a generic rental kitchen and to make it more functional to prepare meals.

The star of this kitchen makeover? The peel and stick tile backsplash. I used VINTAGE smart tiles in AZUR – they are full of life and color, and perfectly match the eclectic quirky sense of style of the renters: Shaina, Tessa and Waffles the dog. I was able to install the peel and stick smart tiles right over the existing subway tiles so this project was quick, easy and mess free, with stunning results.

I used the smart tiles as inspiration for the rest of the makeover, including the rustic window cornice/valance I made with some scrap wood, and the IKEA kitchen cart revamping that I did: I gave it new wheels, a new top and made it even more functional by incorporating a space rack. It’s now the hub of the kitchen and with the beautiful blue stain I chose for the top, it looks right at home with the peel and stick tiles.

The entire kitchen remodel, including the plants came in under budget at $446 and by doing it as soon as they moved into the house, Shaina, Tessa and Waffles the dog will get to enjoy their new kitchen for the next 3 years while they live in the house and work on their tiny house business, the LATCH collective, making the investment well worth it.

Want to find out more about the LATCH collective and what’s happening around tiny houses in LA? Here’s the link to what Shaina, Tessa and Waffles are up: http://bit.ly/2rdvY24

Here’s a cost breakdown for the makeover:

Total cost: $446

Backsplash: $368
VINTAGE Azur Smart Tiles – 46 tiles @ $8 each – product info: http://amzn.to/2scL8F4

Window Cornice: $10
$6 wood and corner brackets
$4 paint (custom color)

IKEA BEKVAM kitchen cart hack/revamp: $48
2 ½” casters w/ brakes: $14
Wood: $15
Stain: $8

Plants: $20

For more rental kitchen decorating ideas, you can watch how I gave a makeover to my LA apartment kitchen in this video: http://bit.ly/1G7OtAH

Tutorial on how I revamped the IKEA kitchen cart: http://bit.ly/2s5ZplS

Want to see what I’m working on next? Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eyspace/

Watch how I’ve transformed all the rooms in my LA apartment here:

Want to see what I did to my NYC studio apartment? Watch season 1 of the show: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6G39TvbIKJgSEfB7vdR0RFmvkw3xF90O

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Thanks to Smart Tiles for sponsoring this makeover!