5 DIY Kitchen Upgrades On A Budget
Whether it’s turning your new house into a home or giving the old homestead a little TLC, the kitchen is the perfect place to start! For most people, the kitchen is the heart of the home, where the most entertainment happens. I know in my home, everyone tends to gravitate towards the kitchen and that’s where everyone hangs out so I’ve tried to make it an attractive space with a few kitchen upgrades here and there over the years.
Doing DIY kitchen upgrades are easier than you think! With a little thought and planning, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune and most projects can be done in a weekend. There are plenty of little things you can do to upgrade your kitchen without calling in a contractor.
Replacing Countertops
Replacing those builder grade laminate counters might be something you’ve been wanting to do since you bought your house, but dropping several hundred (or several thousand) dollars on new counters is probably not in your budget. One of the latest trends in kitchen design is marble countertops. Granite is like, so last year. Not everyone has a marble countertop kind of budget though. So what should you do? If you want a shortcut to great looking counters that is cheap and easy, and makes the biggest impact, consider Giani Countertop Paint Kits. For under $100 and one weekend, you can literally transform your counters and give your kitchen a completely different look.
Get the rollers out
Once you’ve beautified your ugly counters, it’s time for the cabinets! Get your paint brushes and rollers out and grab a can of Nuvo Cabinet Paint in White. Décor is very much a personal preference, but white is still universally popular right now. That rustic farmhouse look is really popular right now as you can see from looking at all the top Instagramers.
Ready to do the walls? Pastel blues and greys are also popular right now and work well with pops of buttercup yellow. Various shades of white, off-white, and beige are going to be your best bet for your walls, especially if you go with the faux marble worktops. A great way to get decorating ideas before you upgrade your kitchen is to search on Pinterest or pay a few visits to your local large kitchen retailer and browse their range of different kitchen examples.
Upgrade your kitchen appliances
If your kitchen appliances have been bought over the years, adding a little uniformity can make a big difference. With finances to be considered, concentrate on those smaller appliances on display such as the microwave, toaster, blender, food processor, and others, whose home is on the counter. No self-respecting kitchen today is without a coffee maker either! If yours is looking a little sad these days, check out Coffee Maven for everything from coffee blending tips from around the world, a guide to espresso machines, product reviews, and hints and tips for picking out the best machine. Have a look through that site and pick an espresso machine that blends with your new style kitchen, rather than something which looks like an afterthought. You might even want to consider turning your kitchen into a smart kitchen, using adaptors, sensors and gadgets, all operated from your smartphone apps. Don’t forget to snag yourself an Instant Pot too!
Change your kitchen lighting
Upgrading your lighting is the ideal time to think of reducing your utility bills, by changing to LED lighting technology. Use ceiling lights for overall illumination of the kitchen. Track spot lighting is still popular for lighting up worktop work areas. Under cabinet lighting, fitted at the back of the units, helps reduce those annoying shadows when cutting meat and vegetables, while pendant lighting is ideal for breakfast bars or over kitchen tables. These are just a few DOY kitchen upgrades that are easy and cheap.
Add a little color
Adding a little fabric and funky wall art can really individualize your new kitchen. Kitchen window curtains with tiebacks are the obvious one, but you can include a matching fabric curtain to close off the cleaning materials under the sink. Re-cover your breakfast bar stools, or the kitchen chairs, in the same fabric. Looking for those little extras which put your stamp on a kitchen makeover is half the fun of the project. There are hundreds of different types of wall art to choose from and, somewhere out there, will be exactly what you’re looking for. Fair warning, if you browse Pinterest, you might get a little carried away with ideas for kitchen upgrades.