Personal Experience: How We Designed a Kitchen for 50 Thousand Rubles

Renovation is always expensive, and the kitchen usually costs the most. But not always: blogger Kristina Ver shinina told us how to save. Her kitchen cost the girl only 50 thousand rubles (excluding the cost of appliances).

Kristina Ver shinina is an expert and blogger who talks about design and renovation on her Instagram @junior.scandi

Where to start?

I started looking for a kitchen even before the renovation began. And I immediately realized that well-known brands and factories were not for me: I needed a kitchen that could be changed when moving and not regret spending money. But aesthetics were also important, so I decided to make a custom kitchen.

Where to order?

Definitely not in big cities! I'm from Moscow, but ordering a kitchen here would mean spending a huge amount of money. So I started monitoring prices in nearby cities that are reachable by car.

The key is to find a factory that produces everything itself, not resellers. They have huge markups.

What about measurements?

Since I found the factory in another city, we did all the measurements ourselves. We also planned the layout of all appliances and decided that we needed a ceiling panel. We installed the machine inside and closed it with doors, and put the microwave on top. This saved space.

We described our wishes in detail and sent everything to the factory. There, they helped us finalize everything and started manufacturing.

How to measure the room correctly?

• Draw a plan of the room (preferably on graph paper). Leave enough space around for making changes.
• Mark all utility connections, pipes, and electrical outlets immediately.
• Start with the door and move clockwise. Make general measurements.
• Then measure each wall and all details separately.
• Use different colors to mark things so you don’t get confused later.

Where else can you save money? On materials

We took door panels made of MDF covered with film. This material comes in different qualities, but half a year has passed and everything is fine. So I'm satisfied.

On dampers

We didn’t think about them and didn’t install any. Later, we realized that dampers significantly increase the cost of the product.

On details

We didn’t decorate the door panels and overloaded them with extra details. The doors were also basic — hinged.

On the stove

We could have installed an integrated model, but since I measured the space myself, I didn’t want to risk it. In the end, it also saved a lot of money.

On assembly

Our acquaintance installed the kitchen for us. It’s not a very expensive service, but why not save one more time?