You likely spend a lot of time in your kitchen, so you want it to be an attractive, comfortable space. While kitchen upgrades can be costly, you don’t have to spend a lot to make your kitchen look expensive. With a few budget-friendly ideas, you can make an old kitchen look new again, make your small kitchen beautiful, or instantly upgrade a boring kitchen. If you can afford a kitchen upgrade, consider investing in a new paint job, better cabinet doors, and other stylish additions that will give your kitchen a complete makeover.
[Edit]Steps
[Edit]Making Instant Style Improvements
- Remove all magnets from your fridge to create a clean look. Your fridge is a convenient place to hang reminders, grocery lists, and your child’s prized drawings. However, a cluttered refrigerator creates a disorganized, messy look. Your kitchen will look more stylish if your refrigerator is free of decorations, so clean everything off of the doors and sides of your appliance.[1]
- If your refrigerator is dusty or sticky, wash it with a dish detergent that has a grease-fighter.
- Store small appliances and kitchen tools in your cabinets or drawers. Keeping your appliances, cooking utensils, and frequently used kitchen items on your countertop may be convenient, but it also makes your kitchen look messy. An empty countertop looks more expensive than a cluttered counter, so don’t leave these items out. Put all of your small appliances and other cooking gear in your cabinets or kitchen drawers so they’re out of sight.[2]
- Designate an easy-to-access cabinet for appliances you use often, like your toaster and coffee maker.
- If you have a jar for your cooking utensils, place the entire jar in your cabinet so you can easily bring it out while you’re cooking. When you're finished cooking, put the jar back in the cabinet.
- Hang a large piece of artwork to quickly upgrade your space. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on art, so buy a piece that fits your budget. Choose the largest piece of art that will fit in the space you have for the maximum effect. Stick to a monochromatic color scheme for abstract pieces because they look more stylish. Alternatively, get a fine art painting or print.[3]
- For an affordable option, look for sales on canvas art at a craft store or big box store. You could also paint your own abstract art.
- If you can’t afford a large piece of art, create a small gallery wall by hanging 3-5 pieces of art together on the same wall.
- Keep fresh flowers in a vase on your table or countertop. Fresh flowers make your kitchen look upscale and fresh. Get a new bouquet every week to brighten the space. The flowers will make your home look high-end without you having to spend much money.[4]
- Pick flowers that fit your style or the season. You might get wildflowers during the summer, poinsettias during winter, or pink roses during spring.
- Choose a monochromatic color palette so your kitchen looks sleek. Using a limited color scheme makes your kitchen look larger and more stylish. Stick to black, white, and gray or brown, tan, and beige for most of your decor. If you like, incorporate 1 other color to add a personal touch.[5]
- For instance, you might keep most of your kitchen white and gray but use mint colored hand towels or incorporate color in your wall art.
- If you have dark wood cabinets, you might paint your kitchen tan. Your rug and towels might be a mixture of brown and beige with a hint of a color, such as sky blue.
[Edit]Adding Stylish Accessories
- Get a new rug to change up your floor. Replacing your floor can be costly, but you can get a similar effect by changing out your rug. Choose a rug that’s a solid color or has an abstract print so it won’t make your kitchen decor look too busy. Lay your rug in front of your sink, in the center of the kitchen floor, or between your cabinets and your kitchen island, if you have one.[6]
- For instance, you might lay a yellow and white striped rug in front of your sink or a large grey rug in the center of your kitchen.
- Avoid prints that could become dated, like a floral print, or a quirky design, such as a cat-shaped rug or a mustache rug. While these styles are cute, they typically don’t look expensive.
- Cover an old countertop with a large wooden cutting board. Old countertops can detract from the look of your kitchen, but they’re expensive to replace. Fortunately, you can upgrade your kitchen inexpensively with a large wooden cutting board. Choose an attractive wood that fits your design aesthetic. Then, keep it out on your countertop to cover part of the surface.[7]
- A great option is a big butcher’s block cutting board. However, you might also try a bamboo cutting board for a less expensive option.
- Replace your cabinet and drawer pulls for a budget-friendly update. They may be small, but cabinet and drawer hardware affect the overall look of your kitchen. In fact, getting new hardware might make your cabinets look new. Purchase new hardware from a local home improvement store or online. Then, use a screwdriver to remove the old pulls and install the new ones.[8]
- For instance, you might install new metal pulls on your cabinets and drawers.
- Switch outdated decorative items for modern decor. It’s fun to decorate your kitchen with what’s in style, but your decor may look outdated as the styles change. This can make your kitchen look less expensive. Donate decorative items that aren’t trendy anymore and replace them with styles that are more modern.[9]
- For instance, let’s say you have faux grape vines draped over the top of your window frame. You might take this item down because it's no longer trendy. Instead, you could place a small succulent plant on your windowsill to bring a little greenery to the area.
- Similarly, you might have a large fruit-print bowl that you use for fresh fruits. You could replace this bowl with a bamboo fruit bowl.
- Hang curtains to add style to your windows. Choose curtains that are a solid color or sheer for a more expensive look. Pick a color that complements your wall color so the curtains help warm up the space. For a small window, hang curtains that reach the base of the window sill. If you have a large window that doesn't have cabinetry under it, opt for curtains that reach the floor.[10]
- For instance, you might hang sheer beige curtains if your kitchen is painted tan or brown. For a gray kitchen, you might hang solid pale yellow curtains.
- Install floating shelves to display your finest dishes. Your stemware or fine china can be an eye-catching addition to your kitchen decor. Plus, displaying them can be convenient because you can easily access them. Hang floating shelves that complement your kitchen colors. Then, arrange the items you want to display on the shelf.[11]
- Stemware and solid white dishes are the easiest items to display. Stack them neatly in rows and don't overcrowd the shelves.
[Edit]Investing in Kitchen Upgrades
- Paint your kitchen a light color to brighten up the space. A bright paint color can make your kitchen look larger and sleeker. Additionally, painting your kitchen can instantly upgrade the overall look of your kitchen. Pick a white, pale gray, or light pastel color for your walls.[12]
- It’s best to stick to a neutral color like white or gray. However, your kitchen can still look expensive with a pale yellow or sky blue.
- Install a stylish backsplash above your countertops. A backsplash runs along the wall over your countertop, and a nice tile or stone backsplash can look very expensive. Look for a peel-and-stick backsplash that fits your style at a local home improvement store or online. Then, follow the directions that come with your backsplash to peel it off the backing and apply it to your wall.[13]
- Peel-and-stick backsplashes look like real tile but are easy to remove and replace if you decide you want to change it.
- Install a chandelier or pendant light in place of your old lighting. Updated lighting adds a glamorous touch to your kitchen and may also brighten up your space. Choose a large light fixture, such as a chandelier or pendant. Then, use a screwdriver to remove your old fixture and install the new one.[14]
- You can browse lighting fixtures at a local home improvement store. However, you can also buy one online if you don’t want to look in person.
- If you feel nervous about installing the light yourself, consider hiring a contractor or handyman to help you.
- Replace your cabinet doors with glossy or glass doors. Old, out-dated cabinets can make your kitchen look and feel drab. However, getting new cabinets typically means remodeling your entire kitchen, which is very costly. For a budget-friendly upgrade, purchase new cabinet doors that look modern and fresh. Then, unscrew the old doors and install the new ones.[15]
- You can buy new cabinet doors at a home improvement store.
- Upgrade your old sink faucet to a modern style. If your sink faucet is very old or damaged, it may be time for a new one. Choose a sink faucet that fits into the faucet hole in your sink. Then, follow the installation instructions to replace your old faucet with the new one.[16]
- Make sure you turn off your water before you switch out the faucet.
- If you’re not sure what type of faucet you need, take the old faucet with you to the home improvement store and ask for advice.
- It’s best to hire a plumber to help you install the faucet to make sure you don’t end up with a leak.
- Lay faux wood flooring or tile to change the overall look of your kitchen. Old flooring can detract from the look of your kitchen, so it’s worth replacing it if you can afford it. Choose a faux wood or latex tile to get a bigger bang for your buck. These styles look expensive but are budget-friendly compared to the real deal. Install your new floor yourself or hire a general contractor to help you.[17]
- Some flooring companies offer installation for an affordable fee.
- Apply a stainless steel finish to your appliances so they look new. New appliances can be costly, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have an expensive-looking kitchen without a large price tag. If your appliances work but are outdated, paint them with a stainless steel finish to make them look more modern. Purchase an appliance stain from a local home improvement store or online, then apply it as directed.[18]
- To make the stain stick better, sand your appliances first using a coarse sandpaper.
- The stain will create the look of stainless steel appliances.
[Edit]Tips
- Keeping your kitchen decor sparse and tidy is the best way to make your kitchen look great.
- Don’t incorporate too many colors and patterns because they can detract from the overall look of your kitchen.
[Edit]References
- ↑ https://www.idealhome.co.uk/news/make-your-kitchen-look-more-expensive-182642
- ↑ https://www.idealhome.co.uk/news/make-your-kitchen-look-more-expensive-182642/
- ↑ https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/tips/a1503/inexpensive-kitchen-updates/
- ↑ https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/tips/a1503/inexpensive-kitchen-updates/
- ↑ https://www.decoist.com/2015-05-27/affordable-kitchen-makeover-hacks/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/10-easy-low-budget-ways-to-improve-any-kitchen-even-a-rental-kitchen-solutions-183773
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/10-easy-low-budget-ways-to-improve-any-kitchen-even-a-rental-kitchen-solutions-183773
- ↑ https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/room-ideas/news/a7358/make-your-kitchen-look-more-expensive-in-7-simple-steps/
- ↑ https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/tips/a1503/inexpensive-kitchen-updates/
- ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/small-kitchen-ideas-255038
- ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/small-kitchen-ideas-255038
- ↑ https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/tips/a1503/inexpensive-kitchen-updates/
- ↑ https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/room-ideas/news/a7358/make-your-kitchen-look-more-expensive-in-7-simple-steps/
- ↑ https://www.idealhome.co.uk/news/make-your-kitchen-look-more-expensive-182642
- ↑ https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/tips/a1503/inexpensive-kitchen-updates/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/10-easy-low-budget-ways-to-improve-any-kitchen-even-a-rental-kitchen-solutions-183773
- ↑ https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/room-ideas/news/a7358/make-your-kitchen-look-more-expensive-in-7-simple-steps/
- ↑ https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/tips/a1503/inexpensive-kitchen-updates/
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