Wu Haus Renovation

 

For most of us, embarking on a kitchen renovation is one of the most costly upgrades for our homes. Sometimes, the budget for such a big transformation seems way out of reach. Fear not, even on a shoestring, this beautiful rustic kitchen belonging to Alison Wu of Wu Haus Blog shows what is possible with Ikea cabinets, Semihandmade doors and some creativity.

Image: Courtesy of BRIT+CO

 

With an abundance of style and plenty of imagination, Alison Wu has transformed her kitchen on a budget. She was happy with the layout of her kitchen before but it was in need of an upgrade to become the dream blogger’s kitchen it is today. She was inspired by the trend for natural colors and materials that utilitarian style kitchens use but originally thought that such a beautiful design would be way out of reach.

“Custom cabinetry is so expensive,” says Wu, “so I decided I wanted an affordable cabinet option. I found Semihandmade via Instagram, and I was so impressed with how custom the cabinets could look without breaking the bank.” 

The open layout and extensive storage is down to the practical Ikea cabinets she installed, fronted with our popularSupermatte Clay Slab doors and drawers.  Providing an aesthetically pleasing contrast against the smooth marble countertops and salmon pink Venetian plaster walls. There is a wonderful sense of calm in the colors Alison has used to create her heavenly, zen kitchen.

Image: Courtesy of Wu Haus

 

New Natural Materials

With the warm pink plaster, her kitchen now has something of an Italian feel to it while being modern and practical at the same time. We love the juxtaposition of the rustic pink walls with the luxurious marble countertops, which have quickly become one of Alison’s favorite parts of the kitchen. 

“If you aren’t familiar, marble etches form acids like lemon, vinegar and tomatoes and can stain easily. Personally, I love the way marble ages. The stains tell a story over time, and I think lend to a beautiful aged look. It’s definitely not for everyone. If you are type A or a particularly messy cook, I would suggest going with something more forgiving like quartz or granite.”

Image: Courtesy of Wu Haus

 

Before the renovation, Alison’s kitchen was useable but lacked the style she wanted to wake up to and be inspired by each morning. With some careful planning and even more careful budgeting, she now has a stunning kitchen from which to live, work and entertain. The before photo below shows just how much of a transformation the kitchen underwent and how smart and focused choices can really make a world of difference.

Image: Courtesy of Wu Haus

 

A 9 Week Project

Alison’s kitchen took around 9 weeks to complete, this is important to remember when beginning a kitchen renovation as living in the workspace with a young family can be tough going at times! When ordering, remember the turnaround time for your new Semihandmade doors depend on materials and styles, also remember to factor in all the other elements like plumbing, wiring and painting, etc into the overall timeline of your project. It can sometimes be daunting but we try to make the door ordering part as easy as possible. If you haven’t already, check out our online kitchen shop where you can order your kitchen online. 

For more inspiration to suit all budgets check out our recent projects page here.

Image: Courtesy of Wu Haus