Yes, we know – new kitchens are so dreamy, but they can also come with a hefty price tag, guaranteed to make most people’s eyes water. So, when I took on the challenge of renovating & flipping a tiny 18-square-metre Sydney apartment recently, I knew I had to find a way to get that designer look without the designer budget.

Enter kaboodle kitchen – aka my budget-friendly, flat-pack lifesaver.

Before – The lack-lustre & impractical kitchen prior.

DIY-Friendly? You Bet!

If you’re confident with a cordless drill, you’ll have zero trouble putting kaboodle cabinetry together. My tradies & I got stuck in, assembling all the base & wall cabinets in next to no time. The best thing about kaboodle? It’s so damn easy to put together, you won’t even need a tradie! Just an electric screwdriver, a bit of patience & maybe a celebratory cuppa (or wine) afterward.

On site with my chippie, Paul, assembling flat-pack kaboodle together.

All of that results in less labour cost that puts more cash in your pocket for the fun stuff like fancy door handles. That said, when it comes to installing them, I’d still recommend you call in professional chippies to ensure all your base & wall cabinets are level, square & plumb.

There are plenty of reasons why kaboodle is my go-to for flat-pack cabinetry but let’s start first with kaboodle’s design tools. Start with the style quiz and get a price estimate and visual of your rough layout in just minutes. Then bring it all together with the kaboodle 3D Planner – a total game-changer. This online tool lets you design your kitchen from the comfort of your couch – no fancy design degree required! After a bit of playing around (and maybe a coffee or two… or three), you’ll have a crystal clear vision of your dream kitchen, minus the guesswork. Swap cabinets around, test out colours & mix up profiles until it looks just right – kind of like a kitchen dress-up game but with way more satisfying results!

kaboodle’s 3D planner brings your kitchen to life, before you’ve even bought your cabinets!

The best part? Once you’ve nailed your design, kaboodle’s 3D planner automatically generates a detailed shopping list, making it hard to forget anything or get your quantities wrong. And here’s where kaboodle really shines – if you choose from their wide range of off-the-shelf products, there’s no waiting for a cabinetmaker. Just drive your car into Bunnings, load your boot up with all your cabinets & doors, and boom – instant kitchen!

My cabinetry shopping list at Bunnings that kaboodle’s 3D planner software automatically generated.

Now we all know that no reno is ever completely straightforward so we had to cut a few notches out of the back of some of the cabinets to work around a couple of posts. The good news? Kaboodle cabinets handled it like a champ. A few simple modifications and they still fit like a glove and were rock solid, thanks to 16mm thick board on all sides.

Now here’s something creative … we were able to slide the deep cabinetry halfway under the stairs, making use of dead space and giving the illusion of sleek, slimline cabinets. That’s a win for a tiny home.

Kaboodle’s cabinets were slid half way under the stairs to save every inch of space in this tiny home.

Flat-Pack Meets Custom: Painting My Own Kaboodle Doors

Now, let’s talk about the real magic trick in this reno – turning affordable flat-pack cabinetry into something that looks completely custom.

Kaboodle’s Paint Your Own Doors range lets you get creative. Instead of being locked into a standard colour, I got to pick my own shade which meant I could create a bespoke designer look without the bespoke price tag.

Armed with some White Knight Renew laminate paint, my sister & I rolled up our sleeves & got painting. The colour? A beautiful clay-toned hue (Taubmans Covered Wagon) that gave the kitchen a warm, earthy, high-end feel.

Why I’ll Use kaboodle Again (& Again!)

Here’s the thing – I love a good budget-friendly reno hack, but only if it actually looks & functions like a high-end finish. Kaboodle gave me the best of both worlds:

✅ Flat-pack ease – Simple assembly, no need to hire fancy cabinetmakers.
✅ Custom flexibility – Easy to tweak & adjust to fit tricky spaces.
✅ Endless colour options – Paint Your Own Doors = total creative freedom!
✅ Premium look without the premium price – The kitchen looks expensive but my wallet says otherwise.

The Big Reveal… Coming Soon!

I wish I could show you the full kitchen reveal right now, but good things come to those who wait!

The entire renovation – including this clever little kitchen – will be revealed on Channel 9, this Saturday 1st March at 4.00pm (NSW Time). If you want to see how it all came together, set your reminders now friends!

And don’t worry – if you miss the show, I’ve got you covered. On Sunday morning, I’ll be emailing you another blog with all the juicy before-and-after photos of the kitchen & the rest of my tiny home. You won’t want to miss it!

The Final Wrap-Up

At the end of the day, this tiny kitchen needed to be both stylish & functional – and kaboodle absolutely delivered. The new homeowner now has sleek, space-saving cabinetry that looks custom-built, but for a fraction of the cost.

So, if you’re dreaming of a designer kitchen on a budget, kaboodle’s certainly got you covered. Jump on their website & you’ll find plenty of great inspiration & ideas for your own home.

kaboodle’s inspiration page will help make things easier when planning your own kitchen.

Lastly, I truly have saved the best for last – if you have a Bunnings PowerPass account & you join my discounts card group, you’ll get a very good discount off all your kaboodle cabinets & doors too! Reach out to my office on (02) 9555 5010 or via email if you need further info.

Much love,
Cherie x