Mandy of Sugar Bee Crafts took her kitchen from builder-grade to fabulous on a budget! Come join me as I talk with her about her remodeling journey and creating her beautiful kitchen.
SheKnows: Mandy (Sugar Bee Crafts), what was your motivation in remodeling your kitchen?
Mandy: Well, one thing leads to another. Our cooktop was going out and there was a great deal on a stove, so we purchased it. But the cooktop was still there, and in removing it, we had a big hole in the countertop, so we needed new counters. Plus, the current countertops were a bad teal-ish color — that was motivation enough. I had painted the walls a perfect green called “Young Sprout” the previous year, and wanted to incorporate that color into the design. I knew I wanted to paint the cabinets, so it was a matter of finding the elements I wanted, and then pulling them all together in our own unique look.
SK: Did you do your entire remodel yourself, or did you hire anything out?
M: We did DIY for almost everything — [but] we had a professional install the Silestone countertops. Installing countertops is pretty tough to DIY, but the rest was doable. It’s fun to be hands-on and really do-it-yourself to create your own space. I think it makes me love it that much more.
SK: Was there anything you regret doing yourself?
M: In the moment, I always regret peeling wallpaper — it’s just so tedious!
SK: How long did it take you to complete your remodel?
M: Of course it took longer than planned. I thought we could complete it in a couple of weeks, but in the midst of it, we took a previously planned vacation, so that pushed our time frame back. I think it took about four weeks, start to finish.
SK: Was there a period of time that your kitchen was unusable?
M: It never dawned on me until we took our old counters off in preparation for the new counters, how much of a hassle it would be. Not only does it mean that you don’t have a kitchen sink, but you don’t have a dishwasher either — what?! The first time was only about a day, but then we had an issue with the new counters which turned into a week-long process. A week without a kitchen sink was a challenge for sure. We used lots of paper products and washed what we had to in the bathroom sink.
SK: What was the most difficult part of your kitchen remodel?
M: The hardest part is that it just takes time — working on it each day and juggling normal life, etc.
SK: You added so many amazing features and customizations to your kitchen! What is your favorite part?
M: I don’t know if I can pick a favorite — we added an open shelf, thereby gaining about 3 feet of workable countertop space, which is awesome! I also love that we were able to add several more drawers (including a “secret” drawer in the toe-kick space for cookie sheets) which gave more space to put things and made the kitchen more usable and spacious.
SK: Painting cabinets — that sounds scary! Can you give us a couple of tips?
M: Just try it! I used a kit, which gives you everything you need all in one box. It’s tedious (taking the cabinet doors off took me a whole day), but doable. I recommend painting it all at once. I painted half of mine with glaze, and then glazed the other half later. I think my “style” was a little different — I glazed heavier one time than the other. So doing it all at once will give you consistency.
SK: I know you did your kitchen remodel on a budget, but can you tell us what areas you splurged on?
M: We splurged on the backsplash tiles — the statement piece in the room. We installed them ourselves, which saved a little money. We chose a custom-mixed tile set that included grays and greens and stainless steel pieces to really tie the whole kitchen together. If you have an awesome tile backsplash, you’ll have an awesome kitchen!
SK: Mandy, your kitchen remodel turned out so incredibly beautiful! Do you have any last words of advice for those who may be considering remodeling their kitchen?
M: Take it a step at a time, and you can totally do this!!
Thank you so much to Mandy of Sugar Bee Crafts for sharing her experiences and these amazing photos with us!
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