In need of some kitchen inspiration? I found this lovely makeover completed by Viv in Australia who is a new mom and authors the blog ish & chi. Her kitchen transformation is quite inspiring, you can read all about it on her blog but here's a peek below. I like how light and bright it is and all that extra prep space she now has, a really great space for cooking, socializing, and eating. Her hardwood floors are stunning (my favorite surface for a kitchen), and I'm impressed that she thought of every little detail right down to the wallpaper that she selected for her display cabinet with a turquoise floral print. And don't miss the tiles -- pale pink with a metallic sheen. Viv clearly has good taste and she did a great job giving her Sydney cottage style home a modern makeover while staying true to the bones of the home. Smart and stylish!

Before

After

"The kitchen is 'L' shaped and quite narrow. We had tall cabinets installed on the left wall and no floating cabinets on the other walls to help open up the area," says Viv.

She continues, "I've always loved the look of white kitchens with white bench tops. I choose antique white polyurethane cabinets and matching Caesarstone bench top."

What a lovely kitchen! I think the Florence Broadhurst wallpaper is the perfect final touch. I just renovated my own kitchen so I can respect the work involved in this, I found it to be the most challenging room to design ever. It's great to see a successful budget project like this one for those of us who are creative and want to live in a beautiful space but who cannot afford a custom $100K kitchen. Encouraging, isn't it?

Are you renovating a room in your house? Have you completed a project that you are proud of that you've blogged? Please share it with us below by telling us about your makeover and linking to it! C'mon don't be shy. :)

(images from viv at ish & chi)