"We wanted to add personality without wastefully tearing things out, so we've made gradual changes as we've lived here and saved up."
"The kitchen was the biggest project: It was brand-new but not functional, with space for only one person to cook. Eventually, we removed a tall cabinet, added a small extension, swapped the black laminate countertop for solid oak, and painted the gray cabinets an earthy yellow."
"All the projects we've done ourselves, sourcing materials from our local hardware store, even the oak countertop, which ended up being cheaper than wood laminate from IKEA. Taking it slow has made the home feel truly ours while keeping the budget low."
Frida and her partner Petter bought a newly built 475-square-foot apartment in Oslo that began as a typical builder-grade space with white walls and a gray kitchen. They prioritized adding personality without wasteful demolition and pursued gradual, self-led changes while saving. The largest project was the kitchen: removing a tall cabinet, adding a small extension, replacing a black laminate countertop with solid oak, and painting the gray cabinets an earthy yellow. They sourced materials from a local hardware store, found the oak countertop cheaper than IKEA laminate, and kept costs low by doing the work themselves. The slow, incremental approach made the home feel personal and warm despite its modest size.
Read at Apartment Therapy
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