Get Inspired: Budget Kitchen and Bath Remodels

Steal ideas from these makeovers to get the kitchen or bath you've always dreamed of, at a price you can afford.


1. Budget Bath Revamp

Sometimes staying flexible is the secret to renovation success. It's how Winnetka, Illinois, homeowner Catherine Karabas was able to afford her bath's overhaul on $4,000. The upstairs bath in her 1921 Tudor Revival is small, but what bugged her was its look, complete with a rust-stained tub and cracked tile floor. "It was like a gas station bathroom," she says.

Catherine was already redoing the kitchen and downstairs baths when she asked contractor Charlie Schumacher to squeeze in tweaks to the one upstairs. When he offered her a stash of marble tile-left over from another job-at half price, she said yes, even though yellow wasn't her first choice. Schumacher's other money-saving idea, of keeping the 18-inch-deep tub and having it professionally cleaned, was a winner too.

See more ideas from Catherine's Budget Bath Revamp





2. The $967 Kitchen Revamp

With kitchens, simple does not necessarily equal streamlined. For homeowners Eduardo Perez and Moo Sirikittisup, the kitchen that came with their Atlanta condo fell short on both frills and function. Builder- grade cabinets and white laminate counters set a cheerless, monotonous tone in an open space that can be seen from the front door. And washing dishes meant looking at a worn wood cabinet, as the window didn't line up over the sink. Opening the dishwasher blocked the oven door and vice versa. "It was a sad-looking space," says Eduardo.

See the full before and after photo gallery for Eduardo and Moo's $967 Kitchen Revamp










3. "We found our dream kitchen on Craigslist!"

You spend weeks painstakingly picking cabinets and researching countertops...or, sometimes, you just get lucky. Jack and Andrea Campbell of Quincy, Massachusetts, were remodeling their basement when they ran across an ad for a kitchen showroom that was relocating and selling off a complete floor model. "We were doubtful the model would fit into our space, but with a little rejiggering it worked perfectly," says Andrea.

They paid $6,675 for base and upper cabinets, plus additional cabinetry, trim, side panels, and appliances, then adapted the setup for their galley-style kitchen.

See more photos from this Craigslist Kitchen before and after






4. Vintage Bath at a Budget Price

We all love the look of marble floors and polished faucets. It's the top-dollar price we can live without. Which is why TOH editors scoured the marketplace for money-saving replicas of the high-end goods found in this tony retreat. The results? Products that are proof positive you don't have to take a bath to make a bath.

See all of our tips for getting a Vintage Bath at a Budget Price













4. The $645 Kitchen Remodel

"We wanted to keep some of the original retro details such as the stainless-steel sink and metal cabinets," says homeowner Nick Macke. That's the initial reason why he and his partner, Ted Moss, decided to go with mostly surface updates to their kitchen. Then they realized that doing so would save a huge chunk of cash as well as the kitchen's vintage charm.

See all of the tips and ideas from the $645 Kitchen Remodel