Small Change From Every Day with Rachael Ray September 2007 In three easy weekends, Rach's design buddy Evette Rios makes over a tiny kitchen for a couple on a tight budget. When Evette Rios took her first look at Heather O'Brien and Marty Kroll's kitchen in Amityville, New York, she knew she had her work cut out for her. The engaged couple was on a tight budget and Evette, our kitchen makeover artist, was on a tight schedule—she wanted to redo the space in three easy weekends. Get Weekend One shopping list » NEXT MONTH: In Weekend Two, learn how to give outdated cabinets a facelift. PROBLEM The dark brick wall makes the kitchen feel cavelike, and it doesn't match the bright floors. SOLUTION Paint the brick. We used colorful latex paint over durable oil-based primer (yes, oil-based primer works with water-based paint!)—a combination that'll stand up to kitchen wear and tear. PROBLEM An ugly woodpaneled electrical box sits smack in the middle of the wall. Watch video of the problems in action » SOLUTION Turn the panel into a magnetic message board. We glued sheet metal to custom-cut plywood, added aluminum trim and attached it with piano hinges. PROBLEM The couple wants to keep the tiles, but bold, patterned floors are hard to match. SOLUTION Embrace the floors by bringing out the color—we painted the bar stools blue—and give the kitchen a fresh paint job so the space looks new, despite the old floors. GET IN LINE Prime the bricks, then paint between them before using a roller to paint the brick faces. LIKE NEW When you paint a wall, give window frames a coat, too, and update the switch plates—they're only a few bucks each. FROM THE TOP Paint trim with a 2½-inch angled brush, then paint horizontally below the trim with a small roller before using a large roller on the whole wall. CHEAP FIX Give a weathered stovetop an instant upgrade with shiny new burner plates—they're only about $2 each at hardware stores. Get more product details » photography by Hillary Launey & Matt Dempsey

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