Despite what all the magazines may have you believe, you don’t need to spend a small fortune to update and upgrade your kitchen. Almost any tired-looking kitchen can be totally transformed with a little creativity, time and effort. If you’re getting sick of coming downstairs and looking at a kitchen that’s had its day, there are many things you can do to turn it around. Here are a few great suggestions.
Image: Public Domain Pictures
I’ll start this off with the oldest, and at times most effective trick in the book. Painting the walls! A lot of people feel the need to update their kitchen because it looks and feels too small. If this is the case, then giving all the walls a fresh coat of paint can be the answer to your prayers. Going over your walls with a lighter colour of paint can make the whole room feel more spacious and bright. Dark colours, although useful for some rooms, tend to make a space appear tight and small. I’d go with the ceiling first, as this is the surface that changes colour with more noticeably over time. Sand the walls down and clear up any dirt that’s clinging to them. Use TSP to clear away any grease. Primer to seal the wall is also important. Painting your kitchen won’t cost much, especially if you do all the work yourself.
Image: Flickr
The next thing you should do to upgrade your kitchen is improving storage. I’m sure you’ll agree most of us accumulate way too much stuff over the years. This is as true for any room in your house as it is for your kitchen. Set some time aside, and use it to re-organise all your drawers and cupboards. Make it so that there’s no more clutter, and you always know where everything is. As part of this, gather up and get rid of all that miscellaneous stuff that’s been cluttering up your worktops for ages. This won’t cost you a penny, and will make for an instant improvement. You might want to get a whole new set of storage solutions for your kitchen. Drawers in a cupboard let you make use of every last inch of space available to you. Even if you can’t splash out on replacements, you can improve your existing drawers with some soft close drawer slides.
Finally, consider getting some new fabrics. After all, you’ve already put all that time into re-painting the walls. Why not have some fun choosing a new set of fabrics which will compliment them? You might have seat cushions on your kitchen chairs which are looking a little worse for wear. If this is the case, you may want to buy some new covers or completely new cushions. Matching blinds and tablecloths that go with the new colour scheme can be very potent. Oilcloth table coverings are particularly fashionable these days. Whether you’re more into classic floral patterns or bold, minimalist designs, experimenting with the fabrics is a great way to spruce up a knackered kitchen.