A kitchen remodel can take you backtens of thousands of dollars. Not everyone can afford a project of such scale any time. Rather, there’s often a huge gap between what we want our kitchen to look like and how much we are willing to spend to achieve it. When you start to add up the cost of new furniture, worktops, tiles, appliances in addition to labor expenses, a remodel project that had appeared affordable can quickly spiral out of reach.
Nevertheless, just because you don’t have a fat bank account doesn’t mean you cannot create a trendy kitchen. Here are some practical tips on modernizing your kitchen without spending a lot of money.
1. Hang Art
When most people think about hanging art somewhere in the home, the kitchen isn’t one of the rooms that immediately comes to mind. There’s a legitimate reason for this. The kitchen is the space with the greatest variation in temperature in the house. So it’s reasonable that one would be concerned the art pieces might deteriorate due to repeated exposure to higher temperatures.
This is not an insurmountable challenge though. If your art is framed, it should stay in good condition for just as long as it would if it were in the living room or bedroom.
2. Add Paint or Wallpaper
Paint is always a great way to transform a space without spending too much so it’s certainly one of the things you should think about if you are on a tight budget. Apply a fresh coat or new color on your kitchen walls or cabinets. The impact will be greatest if you can choose colors that make your kitchen come alive.
If painting feels a little too cumbersome, you can always go with wallpaper. There are plenty of kitchen-friendly wallpapers available at your local retail store. Choose from various options based on your preferred color and pattern. Find something that’s a good match for the colors and design theme of your kitchen furniture and appliances.
3. Replace Stools
If your kitchen has an island where you have your meals, you can realize a massive change by simply replacing the current set of bar stools. Sell or donate your current ones.
Your new set doesn’t have to be wooden. There are some nice options if you aren’t afraid to try metal stools too. To embed some extra cuteness to the entire setup, experiment with a rainbow effect by choosing a different color for each stool.
4. Buy a Small Colorful Appliance
Other than their core function,small kitchen appliances play a similar aesthetic role as the throw pillows in your living room. If they are a bright, catchy color, they can provide a tasteful contrast to your kitchen’s overall color theme.
Think about a coffee machine, toaster, sandwich maker, kettle, blender, food processor or mixer in your favorite color. Just leaving the appliance on your countertop or island can give your kitchen a nice touch.
5. Install Shelves
Shelves help you add new storage space without incurring the otherwise significantly higher cost of procuring kitchen cabinets. As a plus, they are less crowding to your kitchen space than cabinets.
If you already have affordable kitchen cabinets installed, the shelves can provide that much needed extra space while also serving as a more open display of your most visually appealing kitchen items.
6. Get a New Faucet
The faucet is arguably the number one fixture in the kitchen. It’s the thing most people will notice when they step into the space. Do not underestimate just how much your kitchen can change by simply switching your current faucet with a new one.
Shop for a faucet that has the same specifications as your existing one. That will make it easy to swap out and reduce the need to drill new holes or replace the entire sink.
7. Install Under-Cabinet Lights
The ability to see what you are preparing or cleaning in the kitchen is crucial. One tiny oversight and you could find your household in the thick of a food poisoning crisis. The better lit your work areas are, the better. Lighting of course improves the ambience as well.
Under-cabinet lights can help achieve this purpose. They are inexpensive and easy to install. The lights come in a wide range of types but you should consider choosing the battery-powered type that can be mounted with adhesive tape or screws.
These tips demonstrate that you don’t require a lot of money to create a trendy, stylish kitchen. In fact, you don’t even need to hire a contractor to do the work. They are all easily DIY projects.
