This budget kitchen makeover in a mobile home will surely inspire you! This home is a late 70’s model had an original kitchen with a curved counter and harvest gold was everywhere.
The homeowner’s sister didn’t let it stay harvest gold for long though! Mimi, a talented and creative soul, turned this old mobile home kitchen into a gorgeous and modern kitchen fit for a queen.
I found this on a wonderful site called Blue Roof Cabin. Mimi and she is a re-purposing, crafting and creative maven that puts Martha Stewart to shame. Yes, I’m being serious! Of course, I’m the type that would rather see someone re-purpose salvaged items than using $55 ribbon spools any day, but that’s just me.
Budget Kitchen Makeover Step 1: Demolition
Here’s the home before the budget kitchen makeover.
The curved bar is very indicative of the 1970s era mobile home. I absolutely love curved counters because they remind me so much of The Spartan carousel kitchen.
The mid to late ’70s was a time where the mid-century modern style (a cleaner more colorful style) of the ’60s was easing into the warmer and darker style of the ’70s and eventually the 1980s.
Some higher-end mobile homes were still produced with real wood in the cabinetry though petrochemical products had taken over the home construction industry. Many manufacturers used a glued wood product that was much sturdier and longer lasting than the later model’s chipboard. Since they used ‘glued’ wood, demolition was usually a bit difficult. Mimi noticed that as well.
Removing the cabinets in the kitchen proved a bit more difficult because everything was so heavily glued.
Designing the Budget Kitchen Makeover in Mobile Home
Once the demolition was finished Mimi began to design and rebuild. She built a custom pantry cabinet that went from floor to ceiling out of 24″ plywood. By using a 24″ measurement she only had to cut the vertical lines on the 8′ x 4′ plywood panel. She trimmed it with wide crown molding.
Using the floor to ceiling ‘built-ins’ adds height and gives the illusion of taller ceilings which is important in mobile homes with 7′ ceilings. It’s a great trick for low ceilings so typical in mobile homes you can read about more great tricks for low ceilings in mobile homes here.
Using Free Cabinets to Create Kitchen Island
The next piece to be built was the island. Mimi states that she initially had plans to just build the diameter and add a counter. Luckily, she happened upon a few free cabinets and was able to retrofit them into a complete L-shaped island. Since their budget for this remodel was very low (she wrote it was non-existent). With a little customizing she was able to build a beautiful island that actually looks just like the ones that are sold for thousands of dollars. It’s an exceptionally well thought out and well-executed design. Pine boarding that was stained and sealed completes the island.
New flooring and paint finished the budget kitchen makeover in a mobile home.
The shelf above the sink is made from an old hollow door. Since the area was already wired for a light, the door allowed Mimi to hide the wiring in the back.
The width of the door made the shelf seem like a built in as well. This is the kind of ingenuity that blows me away. Who would think to use a door as a shelf? I love it!
See another great kitchen makeover here.
The before and after images shows some of the smaller changes Mimi did for her sister’s budget kitchen makeover in a mobile home.
The Reveal of the Budget Kitchen Makeover in a Mobile Home
The finished results of Mimi’s budget kitchen remodel in a mobile home is gorgeous.
Summary
This is exactly the kind of budget makeovers I appreciate the most.
Using creativity and ingenious ideas to get the look you’re going for is much more fun than just buying everything.
Anyone can pay $20,000 to a contractor and get a gorgeous kitchen but not everyone can take a few hundred dollars (if that) and make it look as if it cost 20 grand. This talented lady deserves applause and medals for this budget kitchen makeover.
ALL photos are the property of The Blue Roof Cabin a great blog about re-purposing, re-using and creating beautiful things from salvage. You can find it at www.blueroofcabin.com. Go check it out!
Related: 2 More Great Kitchen Ideas!
3 Remodeling Ideas To Transform Your Mobile Home Kitchen.
As always, thank you so much for reading Mobile Home Living. I appreciate you being here.
We are looking to purchase a 1977 double wide mobile home in Homosassa, florida and the house has been well taken care of but the kitchen is a lot like yours especially the curved counter top and the built in oven and cook top. I really want to remove the cook top and the built and place a regular stove in there with an oven going to have to figure that one out – there isn’t much room but we will see how resourceful we can be. The floor has been tiled so that part is done but I can always put down vinyl flooring – again, it’s not worth much for replacement but I think we can make it work and a cute waterfront home for the next few years. Going to be checking out some new ways to do things and see what you have achieved and see if we can do it ourselves as well
This is so awesome! I have been trying to research the model of mobile home I grew up in and found this blog as this is the same kitchen we had. Great job. I could never have imagined it would have looked so amazing! What is the make/model of this particular mobile home? Do you have this information. I can’t find this info anywhere. Thanks for any info you have. Happy New Year!
Hi Salllee!
So glad to hear you fared OK during the hurricane! Man those things are scary! The ReSale shop is great place to find used cabinets! Best of luck!
I have just purchased a 20 year old mobile home in a beautiful part of the Florida Panhandle. While we were hit hard by hurricaine Michael, thankfully I just had a few downed trees. I am starting with the flooring and redoing the entire home. Thank you for the great ideas. I do not want to spend $$ on cabinets so I will have to be very resourseful. I will be looking for ideas and you have some very good ones. I will be looking at Mimi’s as well. Thank you!!
So glad I found this site, I am slowly remodeling my 2006 double wide mobile home! Working on the kitchen now and living room next!!
Hi Addie! So glad you like it! Please considering sharing your home changes – I’d love to feature it here on MHL!
Thank you!!
Love that I found this site! In the next few weeks I’ll begin my own manufactored home remodle and will be referencing this site often!!!
Fantastic kitchen remodeling in here! I saw a very good combination before and after remodeling and without any question I just want to say that it’s totally outstanding service and definitely I will look forward to get this service for my own kitchen.
Really liked the kitchen remodel and the most important thing that I liked the storage cabinets those they have created in the kitchen. This makes the kitchen clutter free.
This is wonderful, I was searching some tips for my kitchen remodeling and I am really glad to have everything here in this bog. Thank you very much for your help and useful tips.
Hi Shirley! I had somehow missed her amazing blog. I've made up for lost time though and have been reading every page. I hope she doesn't mind that I shared it. I usually try to contact everyone for whole home transformations but if it's just a single room or project I post with proper credit. She is one mean tool welding machine 😉
I've been reading Mimi's blog for quite some time but I must have missed the final result of her sis's kitchen. Love the two tone cabinets and black and white scheme, I could move right in and not change a thing. Mimi always takes on a great project with amazing results.
Congratulations, Mimi! I love seeing owners of manufactured homes pick up a hammer and saw with no fear.
Love the pantry cabinet and what a great idea for over the window!
No kidding…anyone can pay lots and get something nice, but I really love and appreciate this kind of creativity! Gorgeous makeover, and the island is just fablulous!
My recent post Updating vintage art