Kitchens are often described as the busiest rooms in a home. Kitchens are where meals are prepared and tend to be go-to gathering spots on holiday get-togethers and during other events when homeowners host family and friends.
With so much time spent in the kitchen, it’s easy to see how homeowners might grow a little bored by these rooms. The cost of a kitchen remodel is… expensive. The home improvement resource Angi.com notes that the typical cost of such a project in the United States is between $13,000 and $38,000. Angi.com estimates even indicate that a high-end remodel could cost homeowners as much as $61,000. That’s beyond many homeowners’ budgets. But the good news is that there are many quick and easy, not to mention less expensive, ways to give a kitchen a new look.
Repaint and restyle the cabinets. Cabinet space is an undeniably precious commodity in a kitchen, especially as more and more homeowners embrace their inner chef and cook more complicated meals at home. After all, the more expansive a home chef’s culinary repertoire, the more space that person needs to store all the tools of the cooking trade. A full cabinet replacement is unnecessary if the cabinets are still functional and not overcrowded, so repainting them can be a great way to give the kitchen a new look while keeping costs reasonable. During the painting project, homeowners can install new cabinet knobs and/or drawer pulls to freshen up the style of the cabinets even further.
Install under-cabinet lighting. Another inexpensive way to give a kitchen a new look is to install under-cabinet lighting. Under-cabinet lighting serves both an aesthetic and practical purpose. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, under-cabinet lighting can make a kitchen feel warmer and keep the kitchen illuminated when meals aren’t being prepared and homeowners don’t want to have their overhead lights on but still want to be able to navigate the kitchen safely. During meal prep, under-cabinet lighting can illuminate counters so it’s easier to chop, peel and perform other prep tasks.
Replace existing backsplash. Replacing backsplash is another simple, inexpensive, and effective way to give a kitchen a new feel. Homeowners can opt for something neutral that won’t upset their existing decor or go with a bolder backsplash that immediately draws the attention of anyone who enters the room. This simple job can be done by the average do-it-yourselfer and the cost of new backsplash won’t break the bank. Cheap and quick is a fresh coat of paint to perk things up. A high gloss finish will be easier to clean. Cheap but more labor intensive is peel and stick tiling.
Replace existing seating. Whether you have an island countertop with bar stools or a breakfast nook with cushioned seats, replacing the seating is a budget-friendly job that can create a new look when entering the room. Countertop bar stools come in many styles, so giving this area of the kitchen a new feel can be as simple as shifting from classic, high-back stools to more modern swivel stools with a chrome base. For the breakfast nook, replacing a light-colored bench cushion with a bolder alternative can instantly transform the look of the space.
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