For her 60th anniversary, Mom received a kitchen renovation gift: a 6 sq.m. transformation. See the before and after photos here!!!

To celebrate my mom's 60th birthday, we chose to give her an unforgettable gift: a complete renovation of her compact kitchen. With a modest budget allocated solely for materials and appliances, we poured our hearts into the project by tackling most of the work ourselves.

We decided to keep the plastic window, which was installed a few years ago, but we removed the window sill. In its place, we installed a spacious countertop that serves not only for displaying flower pots but also for cooking.

We stripped off the worn wallpaper, opting for fresh tiles on the floor. The outdated "winter refrigerator," a relic from the Khrushchev era, received a facelift with a new kitchen facade to blend in with the surroundings. Screens were cleverly employed to conceal the radiator, seamlessly integrating it into the revamped interior. These screens are lattice-designed, allowing warm air from the radiator to circulate freely throughout the room.

Opting for white furniture in the kitchen, we defied common misconceptions. While white may not be stain-resistant, it's remarkably easy to maintain. In a compact space, white furniture creates a sense of openness, amplifying the room's natural light.

The workspace now feels expansive, with the addition of a tabletop that replaced the window sill. Built-in lighting beneath the upper cabinets ensures that the hinged drawers don't obstruct the central lamp's light, making kitchen work incredibly convenient.

The sink is positioned in the corner, strategically close to the worktop but away from the stove. This layout ensures that splashes while washing up won't reach the pots and pans where food is being cooked.

Although the fridgeis old and we couldn't afford to replace it, our plan for the future is to cover it with fronts that match the kitchen. We convinced my mom to remove numerous magnets from the door, as without them, the fridge blends much better into the interior.

The placement of the microwave wasn't ideal; it sits atop the fridge, making it difficult for my mother to access, even though she doesn't use it very often.

We mounted a small TV on the wall beside the fridge, ensuring it's easily visible both while cooking and when seated at the dining table.