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Courtney Barch and her husband transformed their dated 1990s Colorado kitchen for about $500 in paint, supplies, hardware, and lighting, keeping the original cabinets and countertops. Adding a $1,600 fridge brought the total cost to $2,100, according to Apartment Therapy.
A Colorado couple refreshed a dated 1990s kitchen for roughly $500 in paint, supplies, hardware, and lighting, keeping the original oak cabinets and countertops in place, according to a before-and-after feature published by Apartment Therapy. Courtney Barch, who documents home projects as The Homebody Life, said the makeover made the existing counters “look way less busy” and pulled the kitchen out of its ’90s look without a full renovation.
Barch and her husband had recently bought a home in Colorado whose kitchen featured oak cabinets, ivy wallpaper, and ’90s light fixtures. “We wanted an updated look to tone down all of the orange and brown,” Barch told Apartment Therapy. Because the cabinets and island were structurally sound, the couple chose to paint rather than replace them. Barch handled the painting herself, using Valspar’s “Ultra White” on the upper cabinets and a soft gray on the lowers. “I love the interest this brought to the space, and it made it less stark than painting everything white,” she said.
The only structural change to the built-ins was removing the curvy corbels from the back of the island, which Barch said instantly modernized the piece. Her husband swapped the black builder-grade light fixtures for brass globe pendants that match new brass cabinet pulls. Barch also added a slatted wood detail around the island and on the ends of the lower cabinets, which the feature describes as giving the once-plain cabinets a custom look.
According to Apartment Therapy, the total cost for paint, supplies, pulls, and lights was about $500. Barch later purchased a counter-depth fridge for $1,600, bringing the total kitchen spend to $strong>$2,100. The couple had already installed new flooring throughout the main floor shortly after moving in, so that expense was completed before the kitchen update began.
Why Budget Paint Makeovers Resonate
The project illustrates a growing appetite for low-cost alternatives to full kitchen renovations, which typically involve replacing cabinets and countertops at far higher expense. Barch and her husband had bought, renovated, and sold three previous homes, according to the feature, giving them DIY experience — but the core of this update required paint, new hardware, and light fixtures rather than construction. For homeowners with solid-but-dated cabinetry, the result suggests that keeping countertops and cabinets while changing color, fixtures, and detailing can deliver a visibly modern kitchen for around $2,100 total.
The makeover also shows how adjacent changes reshape perception of existing surfaces: with the new white-and-gray cabinet combination, Barch said the existing counters looked far less busy, which is what allowed the couple to keep them and avoid another major expense.
From Orange Oak to White and Gray
The kitchen’s original condition included warm-toned oak cabinetry, wallpaper with a vintage ivy pattern, and dated light fixtures — elements commonly associated with 1990s American home design. Barch and her husband bought the Colorado house as a home they intend to keep, and they approached updates with that long-term plan in mind, according to the feature. The flooring replacement across the main floor came first, which the couple credited with creating a more cohesive feel before they turned to the kitchen itself.
Apartment Therapy frames the project within a broader category of before-and-after kitchen features, noting that kitchens are the highest-traffic area in most homes and that painting cabinets or replacing floors can make a major difference when a full overhaul isn’t needed.
“We wanted an updated look to tone down all of the orange and brown.”
— Courtney Barch (The Homebody Life), speaking to Apartment Therapy
Durability and Method Details Unknown
The feature does not specify the painting method or products used beyond the cabinet paint color, such as whether the cabinets were primed, sanded, or sealed with a protective topcoat — steps that affect how painted cabinets hold up to daily kitchen use. The lifespan of the painted finish and the slatted wood detailing under heavy use is not addressed. The reported $500 and $2,100 cost figures come from Barch’s own account and were not independently verified. The article also does not detail how long the project took or whether any professional help was involved beyond the couple’s own work.
A Forever Home in Progress
Barch and her husband describe the Colorado house as intended to be their forever home and say they are continuing to make updates with that long-term goal in mind, according to Apartment Therapy. Additional projects in the home appear likely, though the feature does not specify which rooms or updates come next. Readers interested in the products shown can find shoppable links in the original Apartment Therapy feature, which may earn the outlet commission on purchases.
Key Questions
How much did the kitchen makeover cost?
The paint, supplies, cabinet pulls, and light fixtures totaled about $500, according to Courtney Barch. A counter-depth fridge added $1,600, bringing the overall kitchen cost to $2,100.
Were the countertops replaced?
No. The existing countertops stayed in place. Barch said the new white-and-gray cabinet combination made the counters look less busy, which allowed the couple to keep them and save a major expense.
What paint colors were used on the cabinets?
The upper cabinets were painted in Valspar’s “Ultra White”, and the lower cabinets were painted a soft gray to add interest and avoid an all-white look.
What other changes were made besides painting?
The couple removed the corbels from the island, replaced black builder-grade light fixtures with brass globe pendants, added matching brass pulls, and installed a slatted wood detail around the island and lower cabinet ends.
Is this project suitable for beginners?
Barch and her husband had renovated three previous homes, so they had substantial DIY experience. The feature does not detail the skill required, and painted-cabinet durability depends on preparation steps like priming and sealing that the article does not describe.
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