So, you’re getting tired of your tired old kitchen, but a major remodel just isn’t in the cards. What can you do to bring your kitchen back to life without putting yourself out? Well, with the right colors and décor, you can give your kitchen a major upgrade without breaking a sweat (or the bank). You don’t need to tear down a wall to give your kitchen a bit of contemporary kick – sometimes it’s the small remodels that make the biggest difference. With a bit of TLC to these details, your kitchen will be looking as good as new in no time.
1. Swap Out Hardware
Your cabinets and drawers should be the first place you look for redesign inspiration. They take up most of the visual space in the kitchen and making them a heavy-hitting design asset can be as simple as replacing the hardware. If your kitchen needs a breath of fresh air, try out some new knobs, handles, and drawer pulls. Don’t be afraid to get funky! Try fun colors or brushed metals to give your space some extra excitement or elegance. You’ll be surprised by the effect such a simple change can have on the look and feel of your kitchen!
2. Color Your World
Or more specifically, your cabinets! If you feel like changing out the hardware isn’t quite enough to amp up your space, try giving your cabinets a fresh coat of paint. Whites, greys, blues, and even deep, lush greens are all popular cabinet colors that add a certain sophistication to your space. If you just can’t decide which shade you like best, you could try out the trend of “tuxedo” cabinetry, when the upper cabinets are a different color than the lower cabinets. As long as your colors complement each other, it’s a great way to add some visual interest and personality to a kitchen.
3. Cabinet Next Door
If no amount of hardware changes or paint coats can disguise your cabinets’ need for a facelift, you can always replace the cabinet doors entirely. Replacing the cabinets themselves can be time consuming and expensive, but usually the structure of the cabinets aren’t the problem, it’s just the doors that need a little update. Ditch the grainy dark woods and stuffy details for something clean and contemporary. Crisp angles and slab cabinetry (or cabinets with completely smooth, flat faces) are a major kitchen trend right now, and they can make dated cabinetry look brand new in no time.
4. Cover Up
Give your windows a new outfit! They control all the natural light in your kitchen, and new shades, blinds, or shutters to frame the windows can do wonders for improving the quality of your light. Roman shades in a neutral tone that suits your color palette are an easy, elegant fix for drab window coverings. Or, if you need your window coverings to do some heavy-duty light management, you might want to consider installing sturdy, wooden shutters. Built-in shutters can give your kitchen a classic charm, and they add value to your home too!
5. Accessorize with Accents
Take your color up a notch with a vibrant accent wall! You can do this with a fresh coat of paint in your favorite shade or even with tasteful, patterned wallpaper. No need to wait days or weeks for the whole kitchen to be repainted: a single wall (and a few complementary decorations in a similar color) will do wonders for spicing up your space.
6. A New Light
Stale or sparse lighting can make a kitchen feel old and drab. Fresh lights can totally transform the ambiance of your space with minimal effort! Installing just two or three small pendant lights over a kitchen island or table makes the space more functional, and draws the eye to the important parts of your kitchen. There’s nothing wrong with keeping your new lighting minimalistic – simple metal shapes and glass lanterns are super popular, so you don’t have to go too bold to see your whole kitchen in a new light.
7. Make a Statement
Last but not least, don’t hide your favorite pieces away: Put all your favorite art and heirlooms on display! Novelty cookie jars, decorative china, family photos, that interesting vase you found at a garage sale three years ago and never quite figured out what to do with – put them all out for the world to see. With the right color palette to frame them, these unique pieces can take your kitchen from cookie-cutter to totally cool. You might want to install a few open shelves for this purpose, or even add glass doors to one or two of your cabinets. Statement decorations give your kitchen a little extra punch, and give your guests something to talk about next time you host dinner.
It doesn’t take much to give your kitchen a whole new look, and you don’t even have to plan a lengthy remodel to do it! When you upgrade your kitchen with these few simple tweaks, making breakfast in the morning will feel like stepping into a whole new house!
But of course, if you want your style to stand the test of time, it’s important to lay a good foundation for your kitchen design. That means appliances that keep your kitchen working smoothly and looking fresh, so you won’t have to go hunting for remodel inspiration every few years. If your kitchen needs an appliance upgrade as well as a style makeover, talk to our associates down at Don’s. We’d love to help make your kitchen look and feel brand new!