Jessica's Budget Kitchen Remodel

Jessica McKay, of Birdhouse Interior Design Consulting, wanted the perfect kitchen! As a design consultant, she was able to secure a lot of inexpensive resources and she has the eye to pull it off herself. I asked her to tell me more about her luscious space (I'm a sucker for a retro-style black-and-white tile floor), and where she saved and splurged. Jessica worked with a contractor to help her do a majority of the work. And since they're friends, she got a great deal on labor. Note to self: Make friends with some contractors!

She made an effort to support the local economy, so she purchased a mix of items from local vendors and chain stores -- even though it's often cheaper to buy from larger vendors. She bought the cabinets at a local company in Omaha called Kitchens by Design, while the hardware, appliances and faucet is from Lowe's. If you want to know where she got that great floor tile, check out McKean's. She scored on the granite countertops -- A small vendor, who had just started his business, offered her an amazing deal.

Jessica, like most of us, had a limited budget, so she tried to save wherever she could. Hey, it's nice to know that even designers have budgets! "I had to trade out some things that I might have spent more on in order to have some of the things I thought were necessary," she says. "I wanted an upgraded set of stainless appliances but only had a certain amount set aside for them. Therefore, I needed to cut some bucks to make that happen, which left me to find accessories with a pretty small budget."

So she focused on "big picture" items first, then used the money she had left to find any extras. Her biggest steals: the vintage basket that holds her veggies ($6) and the rolling island, which she found on clearance from Bed Bath & Beyond for less than $100.

I asked her what her favorite part of the remodel was. "The floor. I really love it and think it complements the somewhat French/European aesthetic that I wanted," she says. "It could have looked sort of retro 50's style, but I think since they are saturated color tiles, as opposed to vinyl or linoleum, matched with a buttery wall color (no bright retro picks), it veers from that look." We agree -- The floor is definitely the focal point of the room.



Since Jessica is also a designer, I asked her to offer her tips on getting the best bang for your kitchen remodel buck:

1. You don't have to have the top line of everything. That Sub-Zero refrigerator may be awesome, but it doesn't mean you need it. Don't get extras, like wine fridges and food warmers, in lieu of necessary appliances.

2. It's not the end of the world to not have a backsplash. Paint can do wonders and tie everything together.

3. Ask for deals when you are buying in bulk from someone. I got all my tile in one place and asked for some sort of discount since I was buying so much. I got the discount, so don't be afraid to ask.

4. Bigger isn't always better. When redesigning a kitchen, you may not need to add-on or build extra space. You may just need a more efficient floor plan.

5. You don't always need custom. I think the number one wise investment would be buying a movable island. First, you can move it out of the way if you need to, move it for extra serving space for parties, maybe pull up a bar stool to it or get extra countertop space. Plus, you can take it with you if you move!

Thanks, Jessica! We're so glad you let us peek inside your kitchen.

Do you have a fantastic remodel you'd like to show us? Send us your photos on our Flickr page.

Read More:
- Inspiring Kitchen Makeover
- Kitchens Go Retro
- I Need A Place to Put My Pots