Before and After: How They Transformed a 'Tired' Kitchen in a 38 sq. m Brezhnev-era Apartment for Just 40 Thousand Rubles

This apartment is located in a nine-story Moscow Brezhnev-era building. Blogger and interior experimentator Julia Bobrovskaya lives here with her husband; it's their rented accommodation. With a limited budget and without a designer, they turned the apartment into a stylish and comfortable space, drawing inspiration from the view through the window of a picturesque park and pond. Let's see how they refreshed the kitchen.

Overview of this apartment (30 minutes)

Before the renovation, the apartment had outdated and irrelevant decoration and generic furniture. The kitchen clearly needed a rethought approach and major changes.

Kitchen Before

Kitchen Before

Walls were updated using light wallpapers. The wooden window, windowsill and radiator were simply painted white, making them look fresher and more modern. On the backsplash, small plastic panels were installed, resembling tiles. This was a budget-friendly and practical solution — the panels are easy to clean and suitable for the kitchen. The refrigerator and gas stove were not changed; only small household appliances were purchased.For the kitchen cabinet, ready-made modules with green fronts in a ripe grass color were chosen. These vibrant accents bring liveliness to the room and remind of nature. Instead of upper cabinets, custom shelves were made from furniture panels and coated with oil. These open shelves are perfect for storing dishes and kitchen utensils. Cabinets above the refrigerator were transformed using venetian blind fronts. These were used to store guest dishes.One of the most original solutions was using a ceiling cornice instead of a rail. This approach allows for easy addition or replacement of hanging kitchen items.For the dining area, a cozy garden table and folding chairs were chosen. The table was decorated with an elegant tablecloth and a shiny samovar was placed — all of this creates the atmosphere of home comfort. To enhance the wall, an elegant macramé was added, further strengthening the feeling of warmth and hospitality.

The budget for the kitchen renovation was a little over 40 thousand rubles. The renovated kitchen became not only a place for cooking, but also a cozy space for spending time with loved ones. It radiates the warmth of a countryside house, where every detail delights the eye and warms the heart.