Not everyone wants to completely rip out their kitchen and start again. However, updating an old or tired-looking kitchen can have many aesthetic and practical benefits.
The kitchen is the heart of the home, an old, rather cliche saying, but nevertheless, it’s true. Most people bond over a love of good food and cooking, and with so many activities taking place in this area, it is only natural to spend a lot of time there.
But if your kitchen is not giving you the wow factor anymore and replacing it with a brand new setup isn’t on the cards, these updates can help to give it a makeover for less and breathe new life into the space.
Countertops
Giving your countertops some TLC can be a great place to start. Your counters come under immense pressure every day as you use them for various tasks. Updating how they look with some vinyl wrap or even painting them can give them a new lease of life, as can changing them out altogether. Whether you opt for a granite countertop or a wooden one or hire countertop installers, changing this aspect of your kitchen can help you all fall in love with this space once more.
Flooring
An easy update to make is to change or revitalize your flooring. If you have hardwood flooring in your kitchen, why not get it sanded and polished to get it looking as good as new again? Alternatively, switching out the flooring for tiles, laminates, or vinyl can work just as well and give you a durable surface that is easy to maintain and clean every day.
Cupboard Doors
You don’t actually need to replace the whole cupboard; instead, get new cupboard doors. There are a couple of ways you can do this. If the doors are in good condition and work fine, then painting them or adding a wrap to the front of them can change the look and feel of your cabinets. But if they are in disrepair, then replacing them altogether can be your best option. You can buy a cupboard door on its own to hang on your existing frame, making it an easier job to do than replacing the whole carcass.
Lighting
How you light your kitchen can play a big part in how it makes you feel. Are you getting enough natural light, and can you increase this? If you can’t without significant renovations, looking at your lighting options will serve you well. Backlighting behind appliances can provide extra illumination, as can spotlights, under-cupboard lighting, kickboard lighting, and even changing the type of lightbulb you use.
Opt for a shade of lighting that mimics natural lighting, or keep all types of lighting the same, e.g., warm white lights, to help you create a sense of light and space in your kitchen.
Open Up The Space
Not such an easy task, but if you feel like your kitchen is closed in or suffocating, then it might be worth looking at the placement of everything in it and removing what you don’t need. Get creative with the space, remove cabinets if required, and see how you feel with less in the kitchen. If you need the cabinet space but do not want the wall cabinet, then using open shelving or recessed shelving is a good option, or adding cupboards to the kitchen island to take the excess items without having to add in more cabinetry elsewhere.
Add A Backsplash
A backsplash is a practical and fun option to add to any kitchen. Not only does it protect the wall from dirt and grease, but it can also add color and fun to the room. If the decor isn’t quite doing it for you, or you feel your kitchen needs something else, look at adding a backsplash. Use pink subway tile, add a marble effect backsplash, or go for fun patterned tiles. What you choose is entirely up to you, but it can be a great addition to your kitchen.
Hardware
Another easy-to-do update anyone can make is to update the hardware. These are your cupboard handles, light switches, faucets, etc. Update them to more modern materials in keeping with your style and decor, and you will be blown away by the impact this small change can make on how your kitchen looks and feels.
Updating your kitchen can involve anything from simple swaps, like changing the hardware right through to removing cabinetry and even complete renovations. But if you don’t want to pull everything out and start again, these 7 tips are great places to start.
