Everyone wants to have a beautiful kitchen they can show-off to their friends and family when they come over. “Upgraded kitchen” always seems to be at the top of the list for things people want in their homes (according to my extensive research consisting of watching House Hunters re-runs on HGTV). Nice kitchens are EXPENSIVE though, not to mention a little intimidating for someone looking to upgrade it on their own, but it doesn’t have to be!
My husband and I upgraded our kitchen over time and are so happy with the results, and we really didn’t spend that much on it (and more importantly, the money we put in we already know we’ll see a return on when we sell our place in 2020). That’s probably the most important thing to think about when upgrading a kitchen, particularly if you ever plan on selling your place.
Here are some ideas for kitchen upgrade projects you could tackle one at a time to get the kitchen of your dreams.
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#7 Paint the Walls
Depending on your kitchen, you may not have a lot (or any walls) but if you do, slapping a fresh coat of paint on there will instantly breathe new life into any dated, tired kitchen. I recommend sticking with neutral or soft colors in the kitchen, especially if it is a closed off space.
Also, think about the color scheme you have going on throughout your house and try to stay within the same palette so you can have a cohesive feel from room to room. The main star of any kitchen are the cabinets, countertops, and appliances so you’ll want to find a color that isn’t going to take away from those pieces in your kitchen.
Paint is pretty cheap and since most of the walls in your kitchen probably have cabinets or appliances on them, it shouldn’t take much to get the job done and have the desired effect.
#6 Add Kitchen Décor
Another easy way to start freshening up a dated kitchen while you are still saving up to tackle some more expensive upgrades is adding some simple decor.
Some important things to keep in mind when looking for kitchen décor is the amount of space you have to work with in your kitchen. If you have a “cozy” kitchen with limited space, you’ll want to be extra mindful about what you are adding because your first focus should be maximizing utility and storage.
Check out this post for some of my favorite kitchen décor ideas.
#5 Add a Backsplash
Adding or changing your kitchen backsplash can have a big impact on the look of your kitchen. Adding a backsplash to your kitchen is certainly easier then replacing an existing one, but in either case it is something you can do yourself – no professional help needed! I was nervous when we added a backsplash to our first kitchen, but it ended up being one of the easier projects we’ve tackled.
The first step of course is finding a backsplash you like. While there are endless options in most home improvement stores to choose from, I caution you to be mindful of what you select. I recommend staying away from bright colors and designs and just try to keep it simple.
The backsplash is simply a background in your kitchen, so you want it to be subtle. It’s always good to keep in mind resale value, and just because you are into floral designs, the person who may buy your house in the future might not be. There are other ways to add your personal design style to a kitchen that aren’t as permanent.
#4 Change the Countertops
There are so many options to consider when looking to upgrade your kitchen counters. If you have a laminate countertop you can simply paint or stain it to give it a whole new look. Then of course there’s always countertop replacements you could look into depending on your budget. Concrete and butcher block are some of the more inexpensive types you can consider and then of course granite, marble, and more expensive stone options.
If you are looking to paint your countertops, checkout this blog post from Ugly Duckling House. It’s a great step by step guide on how to paint your cabinets using Rustoleum’s Countertop Coating kit.
We were able to upgrade our counters to granite for pretty cheap because we had a connection with someone who is in construction. He was finishing up a kitchen remodel for one of his clients and he had several pieces of granite left over that we were able to use. All we ended up having to pay was the labor to install the countertops, so we definitely lucked out. It pays to know people!
#3 Re-Do the Flooring
Now we’re really getting into some of the more expensive and time-consuming projects to uplift your kitchen. Flooring can be expensive to upgrade depending on how big your kitchen is and the material you are looking to upgrade to.
One budget friendly option you can consider is painting your existing floors. Tasha from Kaleidoscope Living painted the wood floors in her kitchen and they turned out stunning. There are so many stencil options now thanks to amazon and Etsy that you really have endless options. If you go the route of painting your floors you will just want to make sure you properly seal them and maintain them to minimize chipped paint later on.
Just make sure you do your research before painting or upgrading your floors to a different material. You’ll want to make sure they are water resistant and able to stand up to a lot of foot traffic.
#2 Freshen Up the Cabinets
So many people have the misconception that the only way to upgrade your tired looking kitchen cabinets is by replacing them. New kitchen cabinets are EXPENSIVE, not to mention you could lose your kitchen for weeks as they are being installed.
If you have wooden cabinets that are in good condition you should consider painting them. We did, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. We followed this tutorial by Ashley’s Conscious Life did on YouTube (though we painted our cabinets white) using Rustoleum’s Cabinet Transformation Kit.
It’s amazing what paint and new hardware can do to freshen up the space and make it look brand new! It takes some time and a little bit of elbow grease, but it is well worth it.
#1 Upgrade the Appliances
Lastly, the appliances. Now this is definitely the most expensive way to upgrade the look of your kitchen, but again it makes a big difference since they are often prominent fixtures in the kitchen.
Check out this post by Money Crashers to figure out the best time to shop for new appliances to take advantage of sales and clearance events.
I hope you found this list helpful! Just remember there are many things you can do on any budget to put your personal design touch in your home. You just need to be a little open minded and not afraid to break a sweat.