7 Quick Tips to Improve Your Kitchen’s Look

Posted on Nov 24 2015 - 1:12pm by Housecall
#4

Beautiful Kitchen in Luxury Home. View of Living Room.Your kitchen is the heart of your home — and a major selling point. Given its importance, you might consider investing in a remodel to keep your kitchen functional and up to date. Of course, there’s good news if you don’t have that kind of budget: There are lots of cheap, effective ways to improve your kitchen’s appearance. Here are a few to consider. 

1) Remove, recycle and refresh.

If the doors on your cabinets are old and ugly, take them off and create an open shelving option for the room. This is also a good opportunity to update the hardware on your drawers and cabinets. What’s worn down in the kitchen can usually be painted or refinished to give it some modern appeal.

2) Add more storage.

If you’ve got more stuff than space, you have two options. The first is to declutter, which will free up space. The second is to add more storage options -- including hanging racks, open shelves and cabinet organizers -- to store the essentials.

3) Change out lighting.

Depending on the age of your kitchen, you most likely have pendant lighting or fluorescent overhead fixtures. To bring your kitchen into the modern age, consider replacing some of those fixtures with recessed alternatives or LED/CFL lighting. The latter is cheap and easy to install, and it pays back on your investment. Recessed lighting can be expensive; depending on your electrical wiring, installation may require an electrician.

4) Upgrade your faucet.

Do you have an old-fashioned faucet? You know, the kind that delivers water at lightning speed? If so, you’re probably getting a higher water bill than necessary. Think about energy-efficient alternatives like low-flow faucets and adjustable, restaurant-style varieties for cooks.

5) Hide your counters.

Old countertops can suffer from a lot of scratches, dents and burn marks. If you have worn countertops but don’t have the budget to replace them, find a creative way to hide their blemishes. Add an element like a cutting board, hide them under standing appliances, or apply a fresh coat of paint.

6) Paint your cabinets.

If you have a small budget and a distaste for the open shelving look, think about painting or refinishing your cabinets. It’s less expensive than buying new ones. Plus, it refreshes the appearance of your entire kitchen. Don’t paint them any weird colors though, and avoid especially bright hues at all costs.

7) Add a backsplash.

Backsplashes can be customized based on the color scheme of your kitchen. It’s as easy as buying tiles at a local home improvement store and using caulk and grout to install them in the design or style you want. It’s a quick do-it-yourself project that can significantly improve the appeal of your kitchen.

4 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. DeLois Brown Kirkland-Jones November 25, 2015 at 1:48 pm - Reply

    I must disagree with a comment made in #5: “hide your counter scratches under counter appliances”??? What good do you want to come from this?

  2. Patricia Rose December 3, 2015 at 7:46 am - Reply

    I agree! Hiding a Cutting Board under an appliance is NOT STERILE! Even the old phrase: “My floor is so clean – you can eat off it.”? Sounds more appealing! I’d throw out the bread board.

  3. Ingrid December 8, 2015 at 8:32 am - Reply

    I was shocked at the “hide scratches” idea! No one likes to find unpleasant surprises or be suspicious of the seller.

    How about just playing up the good features, and putting something attractive out (not on top of the blemishes) to compensate and show that the blemishes aren’t such a big deal?

  4. David April 5, 2016 at 3:05 am - Reply

    These are really useful tips for making a kitchen beautiful and organized. Thanks

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