Jay Windmill, a homeowner in his over-120-year-old shotgun house, found functionality in his kitchen in a cramped, dirty, cramped kitchen and lack of counter space in his home. He decided to make it a workable space that blends cooking and living, using IKEA cabinets and a surprise brick chimney as key elements. He stripped down the interior walls and added a metal beam where one load-bearing wall had been removed, and rebuilt the kitchen with the help of his friend Andy. He also made his own countertops using a precast method and Quickrete Countertop Mix. Finally, he gave his kitchen a custom look for less by tweaking off-the-shelf cabinets and applying white paint color to the same white paint as the walls. The renovation cost around $6,000 and includes extensive woodworking, plumbing, and electrical improvements. Despite the DIY skills, Jay Windmill believes that DIY improvements can make your kitchen more affordable and more functional.