Sarita refurbished her kitchen on a small budget—would you believe these cabinets are 50 years old?

In her 1970s one-bedroom apartment, Sarita Koskinen wanted the kitchen to shed its bright colors and years of wear. The apartment, purchased to be rented out, called for a modern update from top to bottom.

She wanted the same dramatic dark vibe in the kitchen as in her own home. She decided on the tried-and-true pairing of dark tones with brass.

With a fresh coat of paint, the kitchen cabinets were preserved so well that it’s hard to believe they’re actually old. The professional paint job also concealed minor dents and holes left by the old bar handles.

This is what the kitchen looked like before the renovation.

Sarita wanted to tackle the kitchen upgrade alongside the apartment’s overall renovation with minimal effort and costs.

Since the cabinet frames were in reasonably good condition, the old doors were taken to a professional for painting. Sarita then outfitted them with new brass knobs.

She had already painted the original backsplash tiles black, but some were damaged when the old sink unit was removed to make room for the laminate countertop. The new, rougher look was created with renovation mortar, which was then painted in the desired shade.

The old sink unit was replaced with a laminate countertop fitted with a composite sink.

The backsplash’s rough texture was created with renovation mortar, then painted a harmonious shade.

Fluorescent lighting was replaced by spotlights, and the backsplash got new lights and extra outlets. The new vinyl flooring also adds its own flair.

“Surprisingly, the project was quite easy and I am pleased with the results,” Sarita says.

The kitchen cabinets were finished with new brass knobs, attached by Sarita herself. She had already found the black-and-brass combination worked well in a previous home.

To offset the dark tones, the kitchen wall was painted with a light textured coating that creates a lively finish.

The backsplash received new lighting and extra outlets. After some searching, they settled on a black freestanding range by Electrolux. The sink, faucet, and laminate countertop were purchased at Bauhaus.