🖼️
The project:
We achieved a complete kitchen overhaul for under $1,500 by strategically reusing our existing cabinet carcasses. We re-sheeted the walls with Gyprock, painted them with Dulux White on White™, and stripped away the old cupboard doors and drawer faces. Using custom melamine sheets, we fabricated crisp new doors, drawer fronts, and a built-in tower housing the microwave and wall oven, finishing them all with sleek Prestige handles. The work surfaces were completely updated using three Practa blue-grey laminated benchtops and a glossy Bellessi polymer splashback. To complete the cozy coastal aesthetic, we wrapped the front and sides of the breakfast bar in Easycraft® easyVJ boards and pine corner mouldings. We finished this project with an Estilo stainless double bowl sink, an Esatto dishwasher, and a Mistral stainless steel rangehood.
- Materials:
Wall & Paint Infrastructure
- Gyprock Plasterboard Sheets (Used to re-sheet the kitchen walls to establish a smooth surface)
- Dulux White on White™ Paint (Cool-toned white wall paint applied across the new plasterboard)
Cabinetry & Hardware
- Existing Cabinet Carcasses (Retained and reused as the structural framework to save budget)
- Custom Melamine Sheets (Used to fabricate brand-new, crisp cabinet door and drawer fronts)
- Custom Pine Melamine Sheeting (Used to construct the built-in structural tower housing the microwave and wall oven)
- Prestige Handles (Sleek contemporary hardware fitted to all new doors and drawers)
Benchtops & Splashback
- 3 x Practa Blue-Grey Laminated Benchtops (Hard-wearing laminate surfaces installed to update the preparation zones)
- Bellessi Polymer Splashback (Glossy, easy-clean protective splashback fixed to the back walls)
Breakfast Bar Feature Zone
- Easycraft® easyVJ Boards (Textured vertical-joint panelling wrapped around the front and side faces of the breakfast bar)
- External Pine Corner Moulding (Used to neatly cap and trim the raw edges of the VJ panelling)
Appliances & Plumbing Fixtures
- Estilo Stainless Steel Double Bowl Sink (Drop-in dual bowl sink integrated into the new benchtop)
- Esatto Dishwasher (Slide-in integrated lower appliance)
- Mistral Stainless Steel Rangehood (Wall-mounted extraction canopy centered above the cooking zone)
- Tools:
Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Tool Range
- Drill/driver for assembling cabinets, hinges and hardware
- Impact driver for screws and fixings
- Circular saw for cutting melamine sheets and timber
- Multi-tool for trimming, cutting and detailed work
- Orbital sander for preparing surfaces and finishing doors.
- Step 1:
1. Remove the old kitchen finishes
Begin by removing the existing cupboard doors, drawer fronts, benchtops, splashback, sink, rangehood, and appliances. Leave the cabinet carcasses securely fixed in place, as reusing them saves money and significantly reduces waste.
2. Repair and prepare the walls
Remove any damaged wall linings and install new Gyprock where required. Set the joints, sand the walls smooth, apply primer, and finish with two coats of Dulux White on White™ to create a bright, clean backdrop.
3. Design and measure the new cabinetry
Carefully measure the existing cabinet carcasses and design replacement cupboard doors, drawer fronts, and a new appliance tower to house the microwave and wall oven. Accurate measurements ensure a professional fit and minimise material waste.
4. Build the new doors and appliance tower
Cut white melamine sheets to size and assemble the new cupboard doors, drawer fronts, and appliance tower. Edge the exposed sides with matching edging tape to achieve a clean, durable finish.
5. Install the cabinetry and hardware
Fit the new doors and drawer fronts to the existing cabinet carcasses. Adjust the hinges and drawer runners until all gaps are even, then install the Prestige handles to complete the modern look.
6. Install the new benchtops
Measure, cut, and fit the three Practa blue-grey laminate benchtops. Carefully join the benchtops where required and cut precise openings for the sink, ensuring a neat, watertight installation.
7. Fit the splashback
Install the glossy Bellessi polymer splashback behind the benchtops. Secure it with the recommended adhesive and seal all edges to provide a durable, easy-to-clean surface that reflects light around the room.
8. Create the breakfast bar feature
Wrap the front and sides of the breakfast bar with Easycraft® easyVJ panels. Finish the corners with pine mouldings, fill nail holes, sand smooth, and paint to create a warm coastal-style feature that adds texture and character.
9. Install the fixtures and appliances
Fit the Estilo stainless steel double-bowl sink, reconnect the plumbing, install the Esatto dishwasher, and mount the Mistral stainless steel rangehood. Complete all plumbing and electrical connections in accordance with local regulations.
10. Finish and style the kitchen
Apply silicone to all benchtop joints and around the sink and splashback for a watertight finish. Give the kitchen a thorough clean, check that all doors and drawers operate smoothly, and add decorative touches to complete the transformation. By reusing the existing cabinet carcasses and completing much of the work ourselves, we achieved a stylish, functional kitchen makeover for under $1,500.
