When this couple moved from a small New York City apartment into a house in the suburbs, they wanted to make sure that it felt like home.
While 33-year-old Julia Dzafic, who runs the blog Lemon Stripes, said she and her husband were “clueless first-time homeowners,” they knew exactly what they wanted in their kitchen. They moved to Stamford, Connecticut, in 2015 and transformed the space without investing a ton of money.
"Before living here we had lived in apartments in New York City and had no idea what to do with a house," Dzafic told TODAY Home.
When Dzafic set about updating the kitchen, it was important to her that the space looked happy.
"I was seven months pregnant at the time," said Dzafic. "So it was important to me that we completed the project quickly."
The couple started the kitchen renovation in March 2017 and completed everything by the end of April for a total budget of $7,000.
"It's the center of our house and it's where I feed my family," said Dzafic. "So it was important to me that it exuded comfort."
The couple painted the cabinets and invested in new countertops, bar stools and a butcher block island to add some extra work space. Luckily, the appliances had already been updated.
"I just love how light and bright and happy it feels," said Dzafic.