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Euphemia Moore documented the three-month DIY renovation on social media
NEED TO KNOW
- Euphemia Moore transformed her dated kitchen for just $680 by reusing materials and doing all the work herself
- She documented the three-month DIY renovation on social media, gaining support and advice from strangers online
- Moore says the project boosted her confidence and inspired her to tackle more home renovations, including plumbing work
After spending years treating her house like a temporary stop, Euphemia Moore decided it was finally time to make it feel like home.
Following the breakdown of her marriage, the 43-year-old content creator moved three times before settling into her current home in Hertfordshire, England. Although she’s lived there for the past seven years, she says she never truly allowed herself to put down roots.
“I decided it was time to make it truly feel like home,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Instead of replacing her dated kitchen — an upgrade that can cost thousands of dollars — Moore transformed the space herself for just £501 (about $680), documenting every step of the renovation on social media, where viewers quickly became invested in the project.
Before the makeover, Moore says the kitchen felt “dark, dated and a bit flat.”
“The cupboard doors lacked character, the worktops had seen better days and the flooring made the whole room feel older than it was,” she says. “Rather than replacing the kitchen, I focused on updating the finishes, and it’s completely transformed the space.”
Instead of tearing everything out, Moore worked with what she already had. She added shaker trim to the existing cabinet doors, painted them in Farrow & Ball’s Cromarty, wrapped the countertops, replaced the flooring and installed new brass hardware.
The result is a bright, timeless kitchen that looks dramatically different from the space she started with.
“I wanted to create a brighter, more inviting kitchen without replacing the units,” Moore says. “I was inspired by shaker-style kitchens, soft heritage colours and timeless finishes.”
Although she didn’t begin the project with a strict budget, Moore challenged herself to create the biggest transformation possible while spending as little as she could.
In the end, she completed the renovation for about $680.
“I saved money by doing all the work myself and reusing what I could,” she says. “But I chose to spend a little more on features like the sink, Farrow & Ball Cromarty paint and brass hardware because those were elements I knew would have the biggest impact on the finished look.”
Although the makeover ultimately took about three months to complete, Moore estimates it would have taken closer to eight weeks had she not become ill and been forced to pause the project for more than a month.
She says one of the biggest surprises was discovering how much time the preparation required.
“The most frustrating part was that every time I thought I’d reached the final step, there was another decision to make or another problem to solve,” Moore says. “Social media often shows the transformation, but not the hours spent measuring, sanding, filling, repainting and figuring things out.”
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that the prep work takes longer than the makeover itself, but it’s also what makes the finished result look professional.”
One project, however, nearly convinced her to call in professional help.
While replacing the kitchen sink, Moore accidentally broke the waste pipe, turning what she expected to be a straightforward installation into what she describes as a “smelly, messy job.”
“I nearly flooded the place,” she says.
After turning off the water and stepping away overnight, she returned the next day and managed to fix the problem herself.
“It can only be defined as a miracle,” she says.
Ironically, Moore says overcoming that challenge became one of the accomplishments she’s proudest of.
“Changing the sink taught me so much,” she says. “It’s led me to becoming more confident to try other plumbing work around the home.”
“I wasn’t a professional renovator,” she says. “I was figuring things out as I went, making mistakes, asking questions and learning new skills.”
What surprised her most wasn’t how many people watched; it was how many decided to join her journey.
“Complete strangers were offering advice, cheering me on and celebrating the finished rooms with me,” she says. “What started as a way to document a renovation became something much bigger.”
Now, as she turns her attention to renovating her daughter’s bedroom, Moore hopes her experience encourages others to tackle projects they may have been too intimidated to try.
“Just start,” she says. “Give it a go. Ninety percent of what you’ve seen from me is perseverance. The skills? I’ve picked them up along the way, and I’m still learning.”
“Every setback, every delay and every mistake has either taught me something about myself or given me a new skill,” Moore adds. “I’m so grateful that I get to do this every day.”
Read the original article on People
