Creative Mum Revamps Daughter's Kitchen For Just £45 In Lockdown
- Sue Doshi, 60, was asked to help renovate her daughter’s kitchen
- Due to being furloughed, she was on a tight budget
- Sue managed to transform the kitchen for just £45
If your kitchen has seen better days but you can’t face the expense and hassle of replacing it, get inspired by this super-easy - and incredibly affordable - kitchen transformation.
Sue Doshi, 60, a volunteer and mum-of-two from North Yorkshire, wanted to help her daughter revamp her kitchen.
Her daughter was on furlough and couldn’t afford to install a new kitchen for thousands, so Sue came to the rescue.
She turned the kitchen from a dated wooden room into an on-trend grey space - and the whole transformation cost her just £45.
Sue told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: "It all started when my daughter complained about being bored during lockdown and she set about painting the walls in her kitchen.
"My two kids, even though they are 23 and 26 now, are always asking mum for advice and interior inspiration.
“My daughter is a recently qualified lawyer and was climbing the walls once she’d finished painting the walls, so I got the phone call, ‘Mum… can we paint my kitchen units and the tiles?’
"I’d recently discovered Frenchic paint whilst doing another lockdown project of revamping a wardrobe so I agreed to give it a go.
"The paint is water-based no smell chalk paint and dries very quickly so it was ideal for working in her small flat.
"To prep, we washed all the units down with sugar soap to remove grease, then they were lightly sanded before removing all the doors and drawer fronts ready to start painting.
“First, I gave the tiles a few coats to cover the existing dated design, then I started on the units with a very thin first coat of paint and there was no turning back!
“I used a further two more coats to give a good depth of colour using first a brush, then a small roller. I finished with two coats of finishing coat for extra protection.
"The whole project took a few days and cost me around £45. Needless to say my daughter is somewhat delighted with her new kitchen!
"What I’ve learnt from this project is that preparation is important before you start to paint. Use very thin coats and take your time.”
Sue and her daughter love the look of the new kitchen, and say it was an invaluable project to undertake during the tough few months of lockdown.
"The whole project was a lifesaver during lockdown and gave me something to focus on and develop new skills,” Sue adds.
"I’m now hooked on upcycling and have since done two gin cabinets, two tables, a chest of drawers and I’m currently working on a whisky cabinet for my son.
"I was able to obtain paint during lockdown from my local stockist in Darlington who offered contactless collection through her online shop - she was an absolute treasure.
“I never stop learning new skills. I am a volunteer with Age UK and have been delivering hot meals to the elderly since lockdown began - it’s still a valued service and has no sign of ending soon.
"I also walk a dog twice weekly for another charity called the Cinnamon Trust which helps people out who are struggling for one reason or another to walk their pets.
"My daughter couldn’t afford a new kitchen - she’d just been furloughed but was itching for a revamp. Originally the plan was just to paint the walls and the tiles just to change the look.
"I started by just painting some sample colours on the inside of one of her cupboards and then we decided to go for it.
"We are both over the moon with the new look which is so much more contemporary and in a couple of years if she fancies another look I would do it all over again.
"Let’s face it, for the cost of a few tins of paint you have a brand new kitchen. Now she just needs a few more accessories to finish her new kitchen but thinking of the money we’ve saved it’s mind-blowing!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “It can typically cost thousands of pounds to replace a kitchen, and can be a stressful and time-consuming process.
“Lockdown, with all the financial pressures it brings, is not the ideal time to make such an investment.
“Instead, Sue’s amazingly affordable transformation is a wallet-friendly solution that will give your space a new lease of life for less than £50!"
What to read next?
Save More With These Discount Codes