Last Updated on 09/04/2022 by hortonteam
So you’ve finally accepted the daunting reality that you need to update your kitchen. If you’re feeling a bit nervous, you have good reason—some kitchen renovations can take tens of thousands of dollars to complete. However, don’t be afraid! There are several ways to update your kitchen without breaking the bank, and the best part is that they will still improve your home’s look and resell value! Whether you’re hoping to sell in the near future or you’re hoping for a refreshing look, check out these tips to start your project today.
1. Paint is Your Friend!
When it’s time to update your kitchen, colorful changes will be the first eye-catching components you or potential buyers notice. With that in mind, deciding to change up the color scheme of your kitchen is a great way to refresh the look of your home. The best part is that paint is relatively cheap, and nowadays you can order just about any color you can imagine. An easy way to make your kitchen really pop is to start with the cabinetry. If your cabinets have become faded or have a cheaper whitewashed look, try going bold with a darker, richer color like grey or brown. Other popular choices include robin’s egg blue or mint green. This will immediately grab someone’s attention, and the darker colors will help make the kitchen look larger. If your cabinets are newer or you’re happy with the look, you can still add some color to the walls or a kitchen island. Remember that the eye is drawn to contrast, so you may want to add a subtle change to either one wall (use a darker hue) or the island (brighter, contrasting color) so they will stand out.
2. Let There Be (New) Light!
If you really want your kitchen to shine (pun intended), try adding new sources of light. As long as you don’t need to rewire the room, upgrading your lights can be a great option—you can find low-cost lights online or at just about any local appliance or home store. Focus on lighting that accentuates your kitchen’s natural features and layout, either by adding popular pendant lights or recessed lighting in the ceiling (more expensive). Even if your budget doesn’t allow for higher end lighting, you can still add few sources of light (lamps, sconces, etc.) throughout the kitchen to brighten up both the mood and room. If you’re really trying to stretch your budget, stick to upgrading the light bulbs of your existing lights. Adding more efficient bulbs can help illuminate a space while using less electricity than a standard light bulb. Look for bulbs with high lumens and high-level energy ratings, and be sure to compare different lights—most stores offer a display for each bulb that shows you how bright it will be.
3. Add New Hardware for a Professional Look
One of the best ways to update your kitchen and the overall classiness of your home is to add hardware to your kitchen cabinets. This can get pricey quickly, so you have to be careful with kitchens that have an abundance of drawers and cabinets, but you can still find great looking options at a relatively low price point if you look for them. Go for cabinet and drawer knobs that nicely compliment the look of your cabinets or walls, and try to avoid cheesy or novelty options like utensils, eyeballs, or those weird stick people. If you do decide to add hardware, make sure you purchase the same style pieces for all drawers and cabinets, and don’t forget to match the hinges too. If you don’t want to spend extra money on hinges, you may be able to use matching-color spray paint for a lot less.
One of the best ways to update your kitchen and the overall classiness of your home is to add hardware to your kitchen cabinets. Click To TweetBONUS TIP: Speaking of spending extra money, here’s a tip for those hoping to increase the resell value of their home: if you can afford to do so, absolutely upgrade your kitchen appliance package. Upgraded appliances are one of the few items in a home that will generally double (or triple) the invested value when it comes to selling your home.
4. Make Use of All Available Space
Free space is hard to come by, especially if your kitchen is small to begin with. That being said, we usually find that there is at least some amount of space in the kitchen that isn’t being used in any way. Get creative! Do you have a wide wall that is bare and neglected (especially in an eat-in kitchen)? Buy a low-cost set of DIY shelves and add them to the wall. Not only will this provide more storage space for cookware or decorations, but also the additional texture will make the room look larger. There are additional options for adding shelving and storage, but many of those include cutting into the walls and increasing your budget. Luckily there are other ideas you can implement that aren’t nearly as expensive. Do you like the glass-case cabinet style you see in so many luxury homes? You can replicate this in an inexpensive way by removing the entire door off of one of your cabinets. As long as you remove the hinge damage, this can create an open-space concept that looks elegant and makes the kitchen look more functional. This is just one easy method, but use your imagination to think of other ways you can achieve a bigger look without knocking down a wall!
You don’t have to spend a fortune when you update your kitchen! Use tricks like these to get the most value out of your ideas and limited space. Have you completed a kitchen remodel before? What did you do to cut costs? Let us know in the comments below!