Would you buy your kitchen from Craigslist? Cabinets and appliances, Christina and her husband found everything they needed on the popular web site. Some paint and elbow grease was all it took to create the kitchen of Christina’s dreams.
Homeowner: Christina
Project: Remodeling a Kitchen Using Craigslist Cabinets
Budget: As little as possible.
Christina lives with her husband and three children on a farm on the edge of a town in Central Indiana. This is their first home and they picked it up for a good price in a foreclosure sale. They knew going in that they had major renovations ahead of them, especially in the kitchen. The only counter space was on the island which also housed the kitchen sink.
Christina’s husband told her to design the kitchen of her dreams and he would build it for her. She was elated, and it didn’t take her long to create the layout she wanted to support her growing family. When Christina and her husband priced the cabinets, the cost was close to $10,000! Realistically, this isn’t a bad price for a kitchen this size, but it was more than they were wanted to pay.
A Dream Kitchen Made from Craigslist Cabinets
Christina and her husband are both financially savvy and place a high value saving and paying cash where possible. For Christina especially, a purchase isn’t nearly as satisfying if she can’t get what she wants for a good price. They knew there was more to a kitchen than cabinets, so they held off while they considered other options.
Christina is a big fan of Craigslist and was already searching the site for used stainless steel appliances. She found a full kitchen that was being sold due to a remodel. The set included the appliances she was looking for and a substantial amount of cabinets. The Craigslist cabinets were in good shape, but finished in a dark brown stain. Christina had her heart set on antique white cabinets for her dream kitchen.
She and her husband discussed it and decided they could find a way to make the Craigslist cabinets work. They bought the kitchen – cabinets, range, microwave, dishwasher, pendant lights, sink, faucet, and garbage disposal — all for $1,500. They even found a refrigerator on Craigslist for $200 to complete things.
Refinishing Craigslist Cabinets
It took some work, but they were able to arrange the Craigslist cabinets in a way similar Christina’s original design. The next challenge was changing the finish. They started with a liquid deglosser to break down the original finish. Next, they applied an oil based primer to cover the dark oak finish. For the finish color, they used a paint sprayer to apply several coats of a satin paint tinted antique white.
Christina wanted the look of a satin finish, but with three small children she knew she needed a more durable finish; so they added a few coats of a water-based, clear topcoat. The topcoat yellowed a little upon drying, but that worked well for Christina since she wanted an antique white color.
Advice for Anyone Considering Craigslist Cabinets
Although she desired a satin finish, if she had to do the project over again, she’d use a semi-gloss paint so she could skip the topcoat step. She’s happy with the results she got, but it wasn’t worth the effort of the extra work and drying time of applying a top coat.
As an experienced Craigslist user, Christina recommends searching daily. New listings appear all the time and good items/deals are snapped up quickly. If you see something you like but it’s a little out of your price range, contact the seller anyway. Negotiate and try to determine what their bottom line is. Sometimes people need to move items quickly and will make a deal.
When shopping for cabinets and appliances, make sure you have the dimensions of the space you are trying to fill. Measure the potential cabinets and keep in mind you may need to reconfigure them to meet your needs.
People list appliances under different names, so vary your search terms. For example when looking for an oven, search for oven, stove and range to make sure you cover all your bases.
Have you ever make a major purchase from Craigslist? Cabinets? Appliances?, Furniture? How was your experience?
Christina is a full-time wife, homemaker, and mommy to three children ages 28 months, 16 months, & 2 months. She’s learning to live out her roles with dignity and to thrive where God has her.
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