A couple has shared their secrets after transforming their standard wooden kitchen into a stunning black space for under £850.
Samantha Harlow, 28, and her partner Adam, 25, wanted to give their home a facelift - but didn't want to splash the cash.
So the first-time buyers used budget materials such as DC Fix and Frenchic paint to keep their costs down, LancashireLive report.
The pair, who both work in hospitality, believe similar designs can cost up to £15,000 when done professionally.
So it's no wonder people want to know exactly how they did it for less than a grand.
Samantha told money-saving Facebook group DIY On A Budget UK : "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.
“On Facebook, I saw a lot of people were painting kitchen cupboards so I looked up the nearest store that sells the paint and had a chat with the woman in the store.
“She told me what I needed and how to prepare the cupboards.
"To prep the cupboards I just cleaned thoroughly with a sugar soap solution then lightly sanded them down before applying the first coat.
"I did about five coats per door, leaving them to dry in between.
"I then put the Frenchic finishing coat on top. The worktops I just cleaned down before applying the vinyl.
“The vinyl I used was DC Fix which I ordered online from createyourworld.co.uk 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."
Samantha revealed the wall was created from two bits of wood costing £3 each.
She said: “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.
"I’m thinking of sticking another piece on the top to create a shelf effect and the wall is painted with Dulux in Rich Black at £18.
"I did paint the skirtings in Frenchic Blackjack but as I hoover daily it did scratch so I have since gone over this in black gloss from Home Bargains for £9 which so far hasn't scratched."
Despite all this work, the couple still has more changes to make.
Samantha added: “We aren't finished yet! I still plan to change the blinds, add some more shelves, get some pictures for the frames and make it more personal and homely with some decorative items. "With the leftover Blackjack paint, I did end up painting the radiator, the extractor fan and the wooden legs on the white unit which I think finished the kitchen off perfectly.
"The basket with the dog's toys in was originally blue but I got some spray paint from the pound shop to spray the inside of the radiator black that I couldn't reach with a brush.
“Using the leftover spray paint I sprayed the dog's toy basket black.
“The sugar soap solution by Frenchic cost £3.95, then I used three tins of Frenchic Al Fresco in Blackjack at £19.95 a tin.
"For the tiles, I used one tin of Frenchic Al Fresco in Dazzle Me for £19.95 then I used Frenchic's finishing coat for £13.45.
"I used the Frenchic brushes to apply the paint. I bought a square one and the rounded one, which cost £10.95 and £9.95. I personally preferred the rounded one.
"For the worktops, I used DC Fix vinyl in Santana Oak Lime which cost £47.
“The flooring was the only thing we didn't do ourselves.
“We got some laminate effect lino which was put down on top of the laminate that was already down."
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Overall, the couple says they are proud to have knocked thousands off the cost of their refurbished kitchen.
Samantha said: “A local carpet shop did that for us for £600 but this goes through the hallway too. Overall it cost just under £850 including the flooring.
“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.
"Use Pinterest for ideas, and Facebook groups are amazing for ideas, advice and help too.
"I didn't do it on my own, it was a joint effort with me and my partner.
“I wouldn’t want people getting the wrong idea and thinking I did it all on my own! I'm not that good.
"It's taken us weeks to do it together in between working so on my own it would have taken forever.
"I'm over the moon with how it's turned out, it looks like a completely different kitchen and it was definitely worth the hard work!
"We feel really proud that we actually did it all ourselves. It was hard work but knowing we did it ourselves makes it worth it and we saved a fortune which is amazing!”
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