Remodeling a kitchen is something that most people plan every now and then. Not without reason, too; a kitchen is a unique room that deteriorates quite fast, and at the same time, it is the focal point of each house, with family members gathering to eat, talk, laugh, and spend time together.
However, typically kitchen remodels are quite costly: they require changing the cabinets entirely, very often replacing the flooring, and many other significant changes. Unfortunately, not all of us have the money or an option to have such a massive makeover.
If you, too, don’t have an easy cabinet refacing franchise opportunity or simply want to keep your kitchen’s general outlook but change a few details, there’s excellent news. There are a few tricks that you can use to restore your kitchen without even touching the cabinets at all. Read more to find out how!
Change the Cabinet Details
You might feel like your cabinets don’t require additional sanding or repaint, as they already serve you well. What you might do instead is upgrade your cabinet’s details, such as pulls, hinges, and knobs. Those parts of cabinets are often used, and thus they easily get worn off; at the same time, they are extremely easy to replace with new hardware.
Before you make this change, consider your options and make sure the hardware will fit the existing cabinets’ general style. Choose the right material, considering its durability and your unique preferences.
New Paint Color and Curtains
To change the style and feel of your whole kitchen, you might repaint the walls. The difference doesn’t have to be major: typically, you might just change the tone to achieve the effect of fresh and modern space. Importantly, remember to compare the new paint sample with the items in your kitchen that you won’t be replacing, such as cabinets, to ensure no item will stand out. You can also repaint your kitchen doors to eliminate all the possible scratches or stains.
While choosing the right colors, consider what effect you want to achieve. If you would like to create an illusion of a bigger space, choose a lighter tone. Or perhaps you’re thinking about making the room feel more cozy and warm? In such a case, choose a paint with yellow or orange undertone.
Notably, colors directly affect body and mind: if you’re spending a lot of time in your kitchen, consider how you might respond to each color. For instance, green undertones typically relax the body and mind, whereas red might be a bit too overwhelming.
Upon changing the paint color, consider purchasing new curtains to fit the new theme. In the kitchen, typically it’s the curtains that catch all the smoke and smells, so changing them will also be very healthy and hygienic.
Declutter Your Space
Sometimes the problem of an outdated kitchen doesn’t lay in its cleanliness or old furniture but in the abundance of items lying around.
We can all agree that the kitchen is the room that requires a lot of storage space. Unfortunately, with the years, its capacity seems to be visibly diminishing due to new devices purchased for the house and unnecessary items that somehow blend in with the rest of the room.
To fix that situation, spend some time decluttering your kitchen: put all the unnecessary or unused items in the box, and move them to the garage. Cleaning your shelves will help create an illusion of a light-weight and spacious room.
You can also experiment with your shelving by installing new floating shelves, both trendy and modern. If you spend some time searching the web, you can even build them yourself without spending tons of money.
Lighting
At times the best solution to a dull kitchen that you got used to is changing the lighting. That might mean installing a new lighting fixture.
For instance, new under cabinet lighting will dramatically change the whole space’s outlook. A new over-the-table lamp will become the room’s primary focus and catch the guests’ attention instantly. You may also consider modifying the light color to a warmer or more dim one, as well as changing the light switch.
Conclusion
As you can see, sometimes you don’t have to make a dramatic renovation to achieve an effect of a refreshed space. In fact, a small DIY makeover doesn’t even require you to change kitchen cabinets or to purchase brand new items. As the best interior designers say, the devil is in the detail. So just look around your kitchen critically, and try to assess what parts of it really need changing. Possibly, updating them won’t be either costly or very demanding and will make a huge difference.
In search of inspiration, we recommend looking up refreshed kitchen ideas on webpages such as Pinterest. Who knows, maybe a completely new idea for a project will catch your attention there? When it comes to kitchen renovation, the ideas are endless, and the only thing that is limiting you should be your own creativity.
Małgorzata Koch
