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Courtney Barch and her husband updated a dated 1990s-era kitchen in their Colorado home for about $2,100 by painting the oak cabinets, swapping light fixtures, and adding slatted wood detailing, while keeping the existing countertops. The project, featured by Apartment Therapy, shows how cosmetic changes can modernize a kitchen without a full renovation.
A Colorado couple transformed a dated 1990s-era kitchen in their newly purchased home for roughly $2,100, proving that fresh paint and upgraded fixtures can modernize a space without replacing the countertops. The project, featured in an Apartment Therapy before-and-after story, was completed by homeowner Courtney Barch, who runs the design blog The Homebody Life, alongside her husband.
According to Apartment Therapy, the Barchs bought a home in Colorado whose kitchen featured oak cabinets, what Courtney described as “vintage-looking ivy wallpaper,” and dated light fixtures. “We wanted an updated look to tone down all of the orange and brown,” Courtney told the publication. Rather than undertaking a full renovation, the couple focused on paint and hardware.
Courtney painted the upper cabinets white using Valspar’s “Ultra White,” which she said instantly brightened the space, and chose a soft gray for the lower cabinets and island. “I love the interest this brought to the space, and it made it less stark than painting everything white,” she said. The only structural change to the built-ins was removing the curvy corbels from the back of the island — a detail Courtney said immediately pulled the cabinetry out of its 1990s look.
The couple also replaced black builder-grade light fixtures with brass globe pendants matched to new brass cabinet pulls, and Courtney added slatted wood detailing around the island and on the ends of the lower cabinets. With the calmer white-and-gray palette in place, the existing countertops appeared far less busy, so the couple kept them. Per the report, paint, supplies, pulls, and lights totaled about $500; Courtney later added a counter-depth fridge for $1,600, bringing the total to $2,100.
Why a $2,100 Paint Update Resonates
Kitchen renovations routinely rank among the most expensive home improvement projects, with full remodels often running into the tens of thousands of dollars. This project demonstrates a lower-cost alternative: when cabinets and countertops are structurally sound, paint, hardware, lighting, and small wood accents can shift the overall style at a fraction of replacement cost. For the many homeowners with similarly dated oak-and-ivy kitchens, the example offers a concrete template — two paint colors, one removed decorative detail, and matched fixtures — rather than an abstract design idea. The reported $2,100 total, which includes a new refrigerator, also frames realistic budgeting for a cosmetic kitchen refresh.
Experienced DIYers With Three Renovations Behind Them
This was not the couple’s first project. Courtney and her husband had previously bought, renovated, and sold three homes, according to Apartment Therapy, and Courtney said neither had reservations about taking on the work themselves. Shortly after moving into the Colorado home, they installed new flooring across the entire main floor to create a more cohesive look, which meant the flooring expense was already handled before the kitchen update began. The Barchs told the publication they hope this house will be their forever home and are making updates with that long-term intention in mind. Courtney’s closing assessment of the result: “I love how our kitchen looks now.”
“We wanted an updated look to tone down all of the orange and brown.”
— Courtney Barch, homeowner (to Apartment Therapy)
Forever Home Updates Still Ahead
Courtney and her husband plan to continue updating the Colorado house as their forever home, according to the report, though Apartment Therapy does not specify which rooms or projects come next. Readers interested in replicating the look can find the products referenced in the publication’s “Shop This Before & After” section. For homeowners considering a similar paint-based kitchen refresh, standard guidance applies: properly clean and prime cabinet surfaces before painting, ventilate the workspace, and consult licensed professionals for any work involving electrical fixtures or wiring beyond simple like-for-like swaps.
Key Questions
How much did the kitchen update cost?
According to Apartment Therapy, paint, supplies, cabinet pulls, and new lights totaled about $500. A counter-depth refrigerator added $1,600, bringing the overall kitchen cost to roughly $2,100.
Were the 1990s countertops replaced?
No. Once the cabinets were painted white and gray, the homeowners felt the existing counters looked less busy, so they kept them in place — avoiding a major replacement expense.
What paint colors were used on the cabinets?
The upper cabinets were painted in Valspar’s “Ultra White,” while the lower cabinets and island received a soft gray, creating a two-tone look the homeowner said added interest without feeling stark.
Who did the work?
Courtney Barch painted the cabinets and added the slatted wood detailing herself; her husband replaced the light fixtures. The couple had previously renovated three other homes together.
What changed besides the paint?
The couple removed curvy corbels from the back of the island, installed brass globe pendants in place of black builder-grade fixtures, added matching brass cabinet pulls, and applied slatted wood accents around the island and lower cabinet ends.
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