I knew my home was a fixer upper when I bought it sight unseen, but I was not prepared to be flung into a major remodeling project before I had even moved in. This project of turning an old hutch into kitchen cabinets is just one of the many from my fixer upper remodel.
One day, as I was unloading boxes into the house, the kitchen pipes randomly burst and flooded the main level before I could shut off the water main. Fortunately, I had already moved in the boxes of towels and blankets so I could use them to help clean up all of the water.
After getting the standing water out of the house, the low grade kitchen cabinets were falling apart like cardboard from the water spraying everywhere. My teenage sons helped me remove the ruined cabinets and flooring. I scraped the entire kitchen and living room and started over from scratch.
I had never installed a kitchen sink, garbage disposal, cabinets, countertops or vent hood. I had no budget, and as a single mom, I was working full time while also homeschooling my four kids. It was stressful, to say the least. And until the project was finished, I had to cook exclusively by microwave and wash dishes in the bathtub, so I was motivated to get it done!
With no budget, I had to get creative. My great-grandfather had given my mother an old hutch when I was a child. Fortunately for me, I had dragged it out of a storage shed from my parents’ house while visiting a few weeks prior.
With a little scrubbing, painting and new knobs, I repurposed it in place of kitchen cabinets. I had to rework the stove placement and vent a bit, but it fit!
I was able to purchase a lower counter cabinet, a farmhouse sink and butcherblock countertops from Home Depot, so you’ll also see those in the pictures. And I’ll show you the other kitchen remodel DIY projects I did in future posts.
For now, here is the hutch into kitchen cabinets transformation:
I simply cleaned and painted the hutch, screwed the top half into studs in the wall, and installed new knobs. Super simple!
You can use paint specifically made for cabinets, regular interior paint or chalk paint. The chalk paint will wear away with use, but you can touch up paint easily.
Here are a few good products if you’re interested in trying it for yourself:
Chalk Paint: https://amzn.to/4c6kNuS
Cabinet Paint: https://amzn.to/3T6zAgL
For more kitchen transformation ideas, check out 5 Kitchen Island Ideas You’ll Want to Steal
I’d love to see any transformations you’ve made in your home! Please DM them to me on Instagram @FarmhouseFamilyLife
