Galley kitchen Renovation Ideas

Do you dream of renovating — someday? Remodeling a kitchen is one of the more expensive things you can do in your home, and so it is a far-off dream for many of us. Most commercial kitchen renovations, depending on where you live and what you need, start at $10, 000 and go way up from there. And yet there is a lot you can do for much less than that amount, as our readers have shown.

Here is a look back at 10 kitchen renovations and makeovers that do a lot with a little — there are beautiful kitchens here that cost 00, 00, even just 0 and less! Take a peek!

TOP ROW
- A major kitchen upgrade in Richmond, Virginia, done on a budget of 00. The owners spent most of this on much more energy-efficient appliances, as well as some defining touches like the farmhouse sink. Make sure to read the comments on this tour: The owner adds a lot of extra helpful info (including their budget).

- Sudie's kitchen is the smallest featured here, and also probably the most expensive, since she lives in Manhattan, and the small appliances she needed come, ironically, with a premium. But she still was able to create a tiny yet beautiful and functional space under her budget of $10, 000.

- A handsome little kitchen from our recent Small Cool Kitchens contest. Alex saved a lot of money by doing most of the work himself, except for the granite countertop installation. He also lives in a high-cost urban area (D.C.) so this is a doubly impressive price tag for this sleek kitchen, remodeled for under $8000.

- This Los Angeles kitchen renovation is full of smart, cost-saving ideas, like the extra stretch of countertop with integrated wine storage. They also worked to make environmentally-friendly choices — all for under $7000.

- Tamar took a year to renovate her New York City kitchen, mostly with her own two hands. Her process demonstrates the sacrifice involved when renovating yourself, but it also shows the reward. Her lovely, vintage-inspired galley kitchen remodel cost less than 00.

BOTTOM ROW
- Here's another entry from the Small Cool Kitchens contest. Jerilynn remodeled her Indianapolis kitchen, transforming it from a rather hideously outdated space into something much more posh and modern, with a more practical flow for real cooking. She and her husband did much of the installation themselves, and shopped for scratch-and-dent appliances, which kept their budget under 00.

- One more Small Cool Kitchens contest entry: Ali and her husband put in some major work on their kitchen, stripping wallpaper and tearing out linoleum, refinishing hardwood floors. It paid off, though! They had a tiny budget of 00 and that went a seriously long way.

- Ashley Ann took a dark kitchen and transformed it completely, using very little except paint and some elbow grease. New self-installed butcher block countertops (thank you again, IKEA!) and some clever redecorating helped change this kitchen into an open, brighter space — all for under 0.

- This kitchen is simply stunning in its smart, resourceful makeover techniques. Paint and fabric go a long way here. Elizabeth was a finalist in Small Cool Kitchens this year, so you can also view her entry for even more details on her 0 remodel.

- This last makeover is unique because it is actually a rental kitchen. Leea took a bare, dramatically ugly kitchen in central Mexico, and brightened it up. She added shelves and new fixtures, too, making it much more functional, all for under $150.