If your kitchen has become outdated and dull, simple upgrades could bring it back to life! Below are a few ideas from us on what they could include.
Add cabinet accessories like rolling trays and corner pullouts to keep your cookware, dishes and flatware organized.
Cabinet Paint
Cabinet paint can give your kitchen an updated appearance at a fraction of the cost of replacing them, with options that complement countertops, floors and decor schemes – and keep looking new over time with oil-based paint that resists moisture and cooking spills.
Make sure your work area is fully prepared before starting your project. Remove all cabinet doors and place them in labeled zip-top bags, labelling each for easy reassembly later. Tape off appliances, backsplashes and areas where frames meet walls in order to prevent over-spraying or dripping paint onto them; lay out drop cloths or other forms of floor protection to catch drips and spills; sand your cabinets to smooth their surface, applying stain blocking primer as a final step before painting begins.
Lighting Fixtures
An effective kitchen lighting design is integral to creating a functional cooking space. Achieve this balance between ambient, accent and task lighting creates an inviting ambiance in any cooking space.
Lighting fixtures can add an elegant and designer-like aesthetic to your kitchen. If the budget does not allow for an overhaul, consider adding some recessed lights or pendant lights as focal points in order to illuminate and visually expand upon it.
Backlights installed behind counters or splashbacks provide task lighting to assist when prepping food, while rope lights along top wall cabinets help create the illusion of higher ceilings and add visual appeal. If candle chandeliers are your style, try switching out for safer electric brass versions for the same warm, cozy effect.
New Hardware
Replacement cabinet handles, knobs and pulls can provide your kitchen with an updated aesthetic. Allen suggests selecting two metals from which to choose in order to achieve a cohesive visual statement.
Installing new flooring in the kitchen can quickly update the space, from concrete slabs or earth-toned glazed tiles, to wood planks that add rich textures. New floors help connect rooms to surrounding environments while reinvigorating them as well.
Installing a backsplash is another easy, affordable kitchen upgrade that will dramatically change the room. Create a classic chequerboard design using white and black tiles if you’re confident with tile cutters; or save money by painting an inexpensive grid pattern onto the wall instead.
Window Treatments
After years of making meals (both masterpieces and disasters), working on homework projects, and dreaming about renovation while jogging with Chip Gaines, your kitchen may feel outdated. But you don’t need to invest in an extensive overhaul for it to have newfound appeal!
Installing new window treatments is an effortless and affordable way to update the aesthetic of any room. Add drapes or shades that match with your decor and blackout liners that block light while cutting energy costs.
Switching out pendant lights for more modern options or adding recessed lighting beneath cabinets can have a dramatic impact on any space without breaking the bank.
Pendant Lights
Pendant lights make an impressive focal point in any kitchen. From lighting prep surfaces and creating atmosphere, to distinguishing a room’s style and emphasizing certain colors or finishes.
An important tip when it comes to lighting fixtures is making sure they fit with the overall light temperature of a room. A pendant that glows golden in the morning might look overly bright with warm white bulbs.
Dimmers allow for moodier lighting at night. And it is wise to regularly inspect bulbs as their color may shift over time – for instance white bulbs may shift towards blue cast, which is less flattering on dinnerware and countertops; yellow hues tend to look best. Replacing bulbs is one of the easiest, and cost-effective, ways of giving your kitchen a new and updated appearance.
