We remodeled our dated kitchen for $10,000. The results look incredible, but we've got several regrets.

We were able to transform our dated kitchen in two months for about $10,000.

Looking back, there are a few things we'd do differently.

Lexi Marshall We renovated our dated kitchen for about $10,000 by using IKEA and doing labor ourselves.

I wish we'd paid extra for expert measurements and tested the floor grout before committing to it.

In the end, we love our kitchen and are impressed we got it done as home-reno newbies.

When my husband and I bought our largely untouched 1990s home last year, we knew every room would eventually need updating.

But there was one space we wanted to tackle first: the kitchen.

The original oak cabinetry was beautifully built, but the honey-colored tones, dated tile countertops and backsplash, and striped wallpaper made the whole room appear firmly stuck in another decade.

Short upper cabinets also made the room feel smaller than it was, and limited our storage potential.

We wanted a kitchen that felt modern, more functional, and better suited to how we actually cook and entertain — but we didn't want to spend too much on a remodel.

After researching our options, we headed to IKEA.

We ordered our cabinets, countertops, and most basics from IKEA At IKEA, we were able to view cabinets and hardware options in person.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The Swedish retailer's kitchen systems and cabinets caught our eye for their smart design, modular flexibility, and affordability.

Before placing our order, we made two appointments with an IKEA kitchen specialist to see cabinet colors, door styles, countertop samples, and hardware in person.