I couldn’t afford a £15k renovation – so I created my dream kitchen myself with B&Q bargains
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INTERIOR trends come and go - but there's one thing we know for certain: the kitchen really is the heart of the home.
That said, it's also one of the more expensive rooms to renovate and can easily cost upwards of £15,000.
So rather than forking out a small fortune to makeover their dated open-plan kitchen, DIY fans Samantha Harlow, 28, and her partner Adam, 25, decided to give it a go themselves.
Posting on the Facebook group , Samantha shared incredible before-and-after photos of their chic new grey themed space.
Originally, the hospitality worker was set on the idea of buying a new IKEA kitchen - but thought she could achieve a similar look by painting the cabinets herself.
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She explained: "We knew we wanted a dark kitchen as we got a dog last year and the mud and mess he brings back from walks would ruin a light coloured kitchen.
"We came across a black kitchen in IKEA with 'wooden effect' worktops and we fell in love with it."
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After going into a local paint shop, Samantha and Adam were told to used sugar soap to prep their cupboards before going in with five coats of .
Once they cupboards were dry, Samantha covered the black granite-effect worktop with a faux-wood vinyl.
She continued: "The vinyl I used was DC Fix which I ordered online from as I couldn't buy five metre long rolls in-store, only online and I didn't want a big join in the middle of the worktop."
What's more, Samantha added interest to an otherwise plain wall by adding panels made out of B&Q MDF.
She added: "For the black and white wall, I used two pieces of wood from B&Q, which were £3 each.
"I stuck them to the wall using No More Nails glue to get a perfectly straight line but also give a 3D effect which I like."
As she bought five tins of Frenchic paint, Samantha used the leftovers to revamp her radiator, extractor fan and the white legs of a wooden unit.
"The flooring was the only thing we didn't do ourselves," she said. “We got some laminate effect lino which was put down on top of the laminate that was already down."
In total, the transformation set the couple back £850.
Samantha said: "I’ve heard of people quoted up to £15,000 for a kitchen not as big as ours!
"As for tips, I would definitely recommend watching videos and doing research on everything beforehand.
"I didn't research much with the vinyl and since fitting the vinyl I have seen videos of people doing it online and I could have made it so much easier had I have seen these beforehand.
"I also used a clear sealant around the sink and at the sides of the oven to prevent water and heat making the vinyl lift and I have bought extra chopping boards to make sure that no cutting is done on the worktops and no hot pans get put directly on the vinyl as I'm not too sure if it would ruin and I wouldn't like to risk it."
For more amazing home transformations, here’s how to totally revamp your house without damaging your home or annoying your landlord.
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And this woman shared her easy £5 hack which totally transformed her drab shower – and it’s totally reversible too.
Plus this home stylist revealed her simple trick which will spruce up your bedroom at a super affordable price.