Giving your kitchen a second life doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s all about knowing how to make the most of what you have and understanding the basics of sound interior decor. Once you understand what makes a kitchen look better, you can start making small adjustments that can make a big difference. Let’s take a look at a few things you can do right now to give your kitchen a new fresh look on a budget.
Look for Online Suppliers
The first thing you should do is pick the right place to buy kitchen furniture from. If you want to save money, your best bet would be to go with an online supplier. These usually sell directly from their warehouse and you could find things like kitchen tables and dining chairs at a fraction of the price you’d usually have to pay at a brick and mortar store. So, consider looking at a few online stores and verify their reputation. Also, make sure that they have a solid return policy and check shipping costs before buying.
Use Reclaimed Wood
You can use reclaimed wood to do all sorts of things in the kitchen. You can use it to create a nice stool or shelves, for example. These are all simple DIY projects and they are a great option if you’re still a beginner. Reclaimed wood will give your kitchen a nice rustic look and you could find high-quality reclaimed wood for ridiculously low prices if you know where to look.
Revamp Your Cabinets
Here, you have multiple options. If you want to save yourself the trouble, you could get a new set of cabinets. This will cost you, however, especially if you don’t know how to install them yourself. You also have the choice of adding some new fixtures, but that won’t work if the cabinets look old. In this case, repainting them could be the best option, but be careful before you undertake this kind of project yourself. A lot of people wrongfully assume that it’s a simple job, but the process is much more complex than most imagine.
First of all, you should know that you won’t get a professional paint job if you’re using brushes and rollers. You will either need to know or learn how to use a paint gun, and that’s not something everyone can master. You will also need to strip and degrease the doors, then sand them before applying the paint.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, look at whether you could hire someone instead. Contact a few contractors and compare their quotes with what you’d have to pay to have new cabinets installed.
There are also cases where changing only one cabinet door could work. If your cabinets still look fresh, consider going for a glass door for the one you use the most. This way, you’ll always have easy access to your favorite items and your kitchen will look and feel more organized.
Buy New Appliances
You’d be surprised at how simply adding a few new accessories around the kitchen could give it a whole other look. You could switch to a chrome refrigerator and instantly upgrade your kitchen’s decor. KitchenAid appliances could also complement your kitchen if the design is more on the retro side. If you pair them with other items in the kitchen and match them with the kitchen color palette, you may not have to do anything else.
Get a Statement Light Fixture
There are tons of affordable light fixtures that you could find that would create a nice focal point and elevate the room’s design. You could get a nice pendant for under $100 that will enhance the lighting in the room and instantly make it look more luxurious. You can also scour classified ads and see if you can find a nice antique chandelier.
Use Luxury Vinyl Tiles
Vinyl floors are making a comeback, but not the type you’re thinking. Luxury vinyl tiles are a completely different animal and could be a great way to make your kitchen look luxurious for a small price. Luxury vinyl tiles are made of a vinyl base with a print that will be covered by a protective transparent layer. This allows LVTs to replicate virtually any material known to man – even types that would not be the best for a kitchen.
There are luxury vinyl tiles that look exactly like wood, for instance. This would allow you to have nice hardwood-looking floors without all the drawbacks. LVTs are very affordable and you could save even more if you can install them yourself, which is definitely possible if you’re a skilled DIYer.
These are all simple things you could do immediately to elevate your kitchen’s design. You can try some or all of these depending on your budget and how much work you’re willing to put in.