Woman, 27, transforms ‘outdated’ kitchen into stunning space for under £200

A woman has transformed her “clunky and outdated” kitchen for under £200 – and people can’t believe it’s the same space.

Sophie Hill, 27 from Wirral, Cheshire, loves finding a bargain and upcycling pre-loved furniture into new pieces which can transform any space.

In December 2021, after moving into her home, she decided to use her skills to revamp rooms while on a budget, with the theme of “eclectic boho” featured throughout.

For her first project, she tackled the kitchen and has renovated the once “clunky and outdated” cooking space into a modern and chic masterpiece – which cost less than £200.

Sophie used stick-on tiles from Home Bargains for £3.99 per pack, as well as a curtain which she made from scratch to hide the washing machine, costing £1.99.

She even used leftover wallpaper on the storage units to complete the overall look, giving a pop of colour for free.

Sophie said: “When we moved in, we knew immediately we wanted to rip out the kitchen as it was dated and dingy, but we didn’t have the budget for this.

“I took the doors off the cabinets, painted the insides and backed them with leftover wallpaper.

“It’s a great way to give something a totally different look using what you already have.

“I wanted to have open plan shelves in the kitchen, but couldn’t find any I liked that were within budget.

“We couldn’t afford to tile a backsplash, so we used stick on tiles which had really good reviews.

“We used extra adhesive to stick them down and they haven’t budged.

“In total, we managed to ‘tile’ the kitchen for around £40.

“I [also] made a little curtain to hide the washing machine, which I bought from the charity shop.”

Included in the overall cost, she also added vinyl to the worktops and transformed the speckled pattern into a wooden finish.

Sophie used an olive-green shade to paint the cabinets, adding a pop of brightness to the original wooden storage units.

In a bid to make the space fresh, she added lots of greenery with house plants dotted around, as well as an ivy-patterned feature wall using wallpaper – tying in the overall look.

In total, she spent under £200 on the impressive transformation.

After finding inspiration from Instagram, she decided to upload her kitchen before and after on her page (@sophiesgaff), which has since racked up over 10,000 views.

In the clip, she begins by showing her kitchen before which is heavily laden with wooden cabinets and “boring” detail.

She adds various clips of the process, including the painting and sanding of cabinets, the meticulous cutting of the stick-on tiles, before revealing the final product.

In a final clip, the space has been transformed into a bright and colourful paradise, looking a far cry from its original state.

Users shared their admiration for the revamp in the comments.

“So getting these tiles! Love love love,” one viewer commented.

Another person added: “Amazing Sophie! Totally brightened it up and put your stamp on.”

“Stunning!” someone else said.

One person added: “Love it! Looks so good!”

“It looks soo good! Especially love the wallpaper,” someone else commented. [sic]

Sophie’s biggest piece of advice to renovate while on a budget? Research.

Speaking to My Local Toolbox, Sophie added: “[My best piece of advice] is to research the cheapest product, but always look at reviews.

“I love hunting around charity shops for stuff, whether that’s furniture or home decor accessories.

“All of the decor pieces in the kitchen are from charity shops or car boot sales and you can find lovely pieces for less than half the price.

“It’s absolutely crazy what some people give away.”