A High-End Look On A Budget

To save on costs, and because they love a challenge, the Zekvelds cast their own concrete worktops while renovating their kitchen.

- Frieda le Roux

When Andrew and Victoria Zekveld moved from Pretoria to Pietermartizburg, they came across a house in the suburb of Clarendon – the area and price were right but it was in a dismal state.

“The living areas just needed some paint, but the kitchen was a different story,” says Victoria. It was tiny and dark, the old cupboards were falling apart, and the countertops had suffered serious water damage. “Andrew, who is really tall, had to duck to get through the low arched doorway and there was nowhere near enough workspace,” she adds.

The Zekvelds decided to start their project by removing two walls and then replace the cupboards as cash became available. But once the hammers came out and they started gutting the kitchen, there was no stopping them. And it became even more urgent when Victoria discovered she was pregnant with little Judah.

The couple began to gather quotes but due to high costs decided to tackle their kitchen renovation as a DIY project. “We’re a single-income family and we simply had to find another way. So we planned our dream kitchen on a piece of paper with cupboards to custom fit the space,” says Victoria, an architect.

While Andrew, a pastor, was at work it became Victoria’s responsibility to order and collect the cupboards from their local Timbercity branch.