Research
We Redesigned One Kitchen 54 Ways: Every Style, Every Budget
We redesigned the same real kitchen in 18 styles at 3 levels of change, then priced each style. See all 54 results and what actually drives cost.
By the AI Kitchen Design editorial team · Updated November 11, 2026 · 5 min read
Most kitchen inspiration compares different kitchens: a big bright one in Scandinavian style next to a moody loft in Industrial. That tells you very little about your kitchen. So we did the opposite. We took one ordinary, real kitchen photo and redesigned it 54 times: every one of our 18 styles, at three levels of change. Then we priced each style with the same cost model. Same room, same light, same camera, so the only thing that changes is the design.
How we did it
- One source photo: a white Shaker L-shaped kitchen with a peninsula, a window, and a sliding door, photographed in daylight.
- 18 styles: each defined by specific cabinets, counters, backsplash, hardware, lighting, flooring, and wall color (listed on each style page).
- 3 levels: Refresh (new finishes on the existing cabinets), Remodel (all-new finishes in the same layout), and Redesign (re-planned inside the same walls).
- Same model and settings for every image, generated with our AI kitchen designer at 2K resolution.
- Reviewed by hand: every image was checked for camera drift and changes to windows or doors; results that moved the camera were regenerated.
All 54 designs
Each row is one style. Left to right: Refresh, Remodel, Redesign. Notice how much the same room changes, and how the windows, ceiling, and camera stay put.
What each style costs to remodel
We mapped each style's materials to cost classes (for example: custom vs. stock cabinets, marble vs. quartz, handmade vs. standard tile, hardwood vs. vinyl) and priced a full remodel of an average 150 sq ft kitchen in our cost model. Lower and upper bounds reflect basic vs. premium versions of the same materials and installation.
| Style | Estimated remodel, 150 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Farmhouse | $24,811–54,229 |
| Transitional | $25,214–55,083 |
| Scandinavian | $25,214–55,083 |
| Shaker | $25,214–55,083 |
| Two-Tone | $25,214–55,083 |
| Industrial | $25,789–56,456 |
| Coastal | $25,789–56,456 |
| Mid-Century | $25,789–56,456 |
| Boho | $25,789–56,456 |
| Contemporary | $26,421–59,353 |
| Modern | $26,910–59,414 |
| Japandi | $26,996–60,726 |
| Mediterranean | $26,824–61,092 |
| Rustic | $39,186–83,052 |
| Traditional | $39,388–83,479 |
| Minimalist | $42,895–92,354 |
| Art Deco | $42,809–94,032 |
| Luxury | $53,303–122,244 |
Finding 1: style isn't what drives the budget
Thirteen of the eighteen styles land within about $4,500 of each other at the midpoint, roughly $39,500–$44,000. Farmhouse, Shaker, Scandinavian, Coastal, Mid-Century, Boho, Contemporary, Modern, and Japandi are all, in budget terms, the same project: new cabinets, a quartz-class counter, tile, flooring, and mid-range appliances in the same layout.
The jumps happen when a style calls for custom cabinetry (Rustic's reclaimed wood, Traditional's raised panels and crown molding, Minimalist's seamless handleless fronts, Art Deco's fluted lacquer) or for natural stone and premium appliances (Luxury). If you love one of those looks on a mid-range budget, keep the visual signature and swap the construction: fluted panels only on the island, porcelain instead of marble, painted semi-custom instead of custom.
Finding 2: a strong color does the most at the Refresh level
At the Refresh level the cabinet boxes and floor stay the same, so the visible change comes almost entirely from color and finishes. Refreshes in strong colors (navy Shaker, emerald Art Deco, terracotta Boho) transformed the kitchen. Refreshes in light neutrals (Scandinavian, Minimalist, Transitional) looked much closer to the original white kitchen. If you're refreshing on a budget and want people to notice, color does more than any other choice.
Finding 3: Redesign is where layout ideas appear
Only at the Redesign level did the AI start re-planning: tall pantry walls, wall ovens, plaster hoods, reshaped peninsulas. Those are exactly the changes that move plumbing, gas, and electrical, which is why redesigns cost so much more. They're also the most useful images to bring to a designer, because they show layout options you might not have considered. Check any layout idea in the free kitchen planner before you fall for it.
Finding 4: the floor matters more than people think
At the Refresh level the original gray-toned floor stayed in place. To our eye it worked with cool styles (Modern, Shaker navy) but fought warm ones (Rustic, Mediterranean, Boho). At Remodel, where floors changed, warm styles came alive. If your floor is staying, choose a style whose undertone agrees with it, or budget for flooring.
What this means for your kitchen
- Pick the look you love first. For most styles, the budget is the same; don't rule a style out on cost alone.
- Then decide the level. The level of change (Refresh, Remodel, Redesign) drives cost far more than style.
- Spend where the style lives. Each style has one or two signature elements (the island stone, the tile, the hardware). Splurge there and save elsewhere; every style page lists where.
- Test it on your own room. Your light, floor, and layout are different from ours.
Limitations
This is one kitchen. A small galley or a large open-plan kitchen will scale differently, and AI images are concepts: small details can shift and nothing is to scale. Costs are planning estimates from typical 2026 US ranges, not quotes. Still, holding the room constant is the fairest way we know to compare styles, and it's exactly what you can do with your own photo.
Costs are typical 2026 US installed ranges and planning guidelines follow common NKBA recommendations. They're for planning only; confirm prices, measurements, and local codes with a licensed contractor. How we create our content.
Sources & further reading
- National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) — planning guidelines used to check every layout
- Remodeling magazine, Cost vs. Value report — resale context for remodel spending
Frequently asked questions
- Which kitchen style is cheapest to remodel?
- In our model, Farmhouse, Transitional, Scandinavian, Shaker, and Two-Tone came out lowest, because they work well with stock or semi-custom cabinets, quartz or butcher block, and standard tile.
- Which kitchen style is most expensive?
- Luxury, because it combines custom lacquered cabinetry, bookmatched stone counters and backsplash, marble-look floors, premium appliances, and a full lighting plan.
- Does the style change the cost much?
- Less than most people expect. For the same kitchen, 13 of 18 styles were within about $4,500 of each other. Cabinet construction, stone, and appliances move the budget far more than the look itself.
- How were the costs estimated?
- Each style's specified materials were mapped to cost classes in our remodel cost model (typical 2026 US installed prices) for an average 150 sq ft kitchen at US-average regional pricing. They are planning estimates, not quotes.
