From the moment I stepped into what is now our current home, I knew that with a bit of ingenuity and elbow grease we could make it our own. John and I have now tackled many projects in it since September of 2014. Most recently completing a DIY rustic kitchen redo utilizing our imaginations, reclaimed wood, recycled and repurposed items.

Our ranch home was built in 1991 by a then retired couple, and it showed. Popcorn ceilings, wallpaper, floral drapery, stained Berber and white carpeting, faux pickled oak cabinets and a partial glass block wall presented us with lots of character and many challenges. Our list was long, but we were eager to transform the home and tackle the many tasks.

Before – Glass Block Wall, Kitchen Island, and Dining Area View from and into Living Room

Before – Back Wall of Kitchen and Island Looking into Dining Area

Before – End of Kitchen Showing old Refrigerator Position and Front of Island

On our first day of home ownership, John began scraping ceilings, and I tackled the glass block wall. Throughout the first couple of months, we painted and tore up carpets.  We installed laminate floors in the bedrooms ourselves but hired a professional to install hardwood in the living room and refinish the existing wood floors in the dining room and kitchen, and stain them all to match.

Drapes were replaced as well as some light fixtures, and more and more paint was applied. The kitchen makeover was accomplished in segments as we took our time determining a new look and what we wanted to spend.

DIY Rustic Kitchen Makeover

As you read through the following keep in mind, we had no prior experience creating any of the items we did. So most of you should have no trouble tackling similar projects in your own kitchen. Whether you are going for a DIY rustic kitchen or another look altogether, give it a try.

The kitchen initially received two changes within the first two months. The moving of the refrigerator space and the installation of the live edge reclaimed wood slab on top of the remaining glass block wall creating a beautiful bar top.

We then built a hanging rustic looking recirculating hood vent over our stove after finding an antique wood dough trencher that inspired my creativity. We utilized reclaimed wood for the box frame and an antique yoke to hang it.

After – Live Edge Sycamore Slab on Remaining Glass Block Wall

After – End of Kitchen with Refrigerator Moved (and replaced), Coffee Bar, Back of Island and Range Hood

After – Range Hood Fan and Light Fixture Over Bar Top

An antique stove found a place in the corner of the kitchen next to the bar top.  We use it to store bar items such as mixers, glassware, and miscellaneous supplies.

After – Kitchen View from Living Room and Vintage Stove Bar

We didn’t care for the pickled oak cabinets at all, but the cost of replacing them wasn’t something we wanted to incur. Thus we lived with them as is for a while, and about one year in we removed the upper cupboard doors, which helped a great deal.

Finally, we decided to go for a DIY rustic kitchen redo. It was time to tackle the cabinets. We replaced the cabinet doors on the front of the island with rustic kitchen cabinet doors we made from reclaimed walnut lumber. The sides of the island, the remaining lower cabinet doors and the exterior of the upper cabinets were painted a medium gray. John turned railroad spikes into cupboard door and drawer handles to complete the rustic look.

Additional, final touches included creating a coffee and smoothie bar with a stainless steel countertop and old pop bottle crates. Chalkboard paint and corkboard became the backsplash, and more reclaimed wood was used to frame the chalkboard behind the coffee bar.

After – Bar Area, Front of Island and Kitchen

After – Island Black Walnut Cabinet Doors and Farmhouse Table and Recycled Light Fixture

We also built a large farmhouse style dining room table top that we placed on a table base given to us by John’s Aunt.  The light fixture was recycled using some paint, an old cart wheel, another vintage yoke, and new globes. On the table is an antique ox collar we had wanted to make into a light fixture.  Due to its extreme weight, however, we decided against that. The table is large enough that the collar now makes a unique centerpiece.

A Rustic Kitchen Reclaimed, Recycled, Reimagined, Repurposed

Unfortunately, I do not have precise financial numbers for you as I did not know I would be blogging about our kitchen one day. However, this is what we can recall:

• Reclaimed sycamore live edge bar top – $450
• Reclaimed birch, pulley’s, rope, and wooden salad bowls for light fixture above bar – $45
• Vintage stove – $100
• Antique dough trencher, range hood fan assembly, vintage yoke, chain – $500
• Reclaimed black walnut for kitchen island cabinet doors – $200
• Paint for cabinet doors – $25
• Railroad spikes – $30
• Stainless steel countertop and vintage crates – $450
• Chalkboard paint and cork – $20
• Farmhouse table top and antique ox collar centerpiece – $200
• Recycled dining room light fixture – $35

Including the cost of replacing the refrigerator, two igniters in the gas stove, and all the above, the total amount spent on our DIY rustic kitchen makeover comes in at slightly less than $3000. Note: This does not include refinishing of the wood floors in the kitchen and dining room as the cost for that was included in the installation and finishing of the new living room hardwood.

Reclaimed lumber is an excellent source of building material, look for a local source in your area. We purchased all our reclaimed wood from Urbanwood in Ann Arbor, MI.

A DIY rustic kitchen makeover might not be for you, but I hope you gained some ideas you could use in your own kitchen or other areas of your home.

Have you done or do you want to do a kitchen makeover big or small? Did you or will you do any of the work yourself? What are you comfortable spending on a kitchen redo?

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