7 Easy and Affordable Ways to Update Your KitchenEUGENE CHRINIAN

7 Easy and Affordable Ways to Update Your Kitchen

Modernizing your kitchen can not only make cooking more fun, it also can add significant value to your house if done well. Kitchen projects can yield more return than bathroom renovations, and even minor renovations can add to the value of the house. One reason? When potential buyers estimate how much a kitchen remodel would cost, they often assume too much.

All kitchen remodels aren’t equal, however, and homeowners should take several considerations into account when planning an update. First, make sure that the style of the updated kitchen will match the overall style of the house. A farmhouse kitchen, for example, would look out of place in an ultramodern house. Homeowners, especially those looking to save money by doing part of the project themselves, should carefully weigh which projects they should leave to the professionals and which they can confidently handle themselves.

Significant cost savings are available for the homeowners who are willing to put in some labor on their kitchens. When homeowners make the following affordable kitchen updates, combined with professional renovation, the end result can be both stunning and cost effective:

Paint

Regardless of the room, paint is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to update décor. However, the color choice can make a significant impact—bad or good—on a potential buyer. Neutrals are always a safe choice, but if you’re dying to try a bold color, choose wisely. Buyers may be turned off by a dark green kitchen wall and the prospect of having to paint over it.

Do-it-yourself painters also should take care to apply paint carefully. That means properly prepping the walls and taping to ensure smooth edges. If you’re painting over a dark color, use primer first and make sure to cover all traces of the former hue.

Add Art

Kitchen wall art is trending, and a well-chosen piece can brighten up the room and even become a conversation piece. To stay on budget, choose a print rather than original art, and use the piece to fill a large, empty wall space.

As for the artwork’s theme, don’t feel limited by traditional “kitchen art” that depicts wine glasses or bottles of olive oil. Almost any design, whether it’s a colorful abstract or a pastoral scene, will work in a kitchen.

Reinvent Your Cabinets

New cabinets can run thousands of dollars and aren’t necessary if your existing cabinet doors are in good shape. With some paint and sand paper, you can refresh your cabinets’ look yourself.

One option is to remove cabinet doors and their hardware and give them a fresh coat of paint. This will require some work, including sanding the doors first and possibly adding a coat of gloss, but the results can really transform your kitchen.

If you have glass-front cabinet doors or cabinets with no doors, you can jazz up your cabinets by painting the interiors a bright color.

Install New Hardware

Changing out handles and knobs on cabinets and drawers can give your kitchen a new look. Hardware is not difficult to replace, and it is readily available at big-box home improvement retailers and online.

Hardware is a great way to give a kitchen a little flair. If your room is heavy on neutrals, shop for quirky or colorful hardware to add some pizzazz to the space. Plus, if a potential buyer doesn’t like your choice, hardware is easy to change out.

Shop Smart

Finding deals on materials for your kitchen renovation can significantly reduce your budget. This can take some time and dedication, as kitchen renovators on a budget have reported hours spent trolling Craigslist, roaming big-box stores for bargains, and visiting countless second-hand stores.

Some of the biggest savings can come from used and refurbished appliances, as high-end, pre-owned items can be purchased for one-third of the cost of a new item. For example, Craigslist may offer leftover materials, such as tile or flooring, from job sites at a fraction of their original cost.

Organize

A major kitchen frustration can be drawer clutter and messy cabinets, but you don’t have to install custom organizers to keep your kitchen items in check. Vertical dividers can separate pots and lids in drawers and keep cookie sheets and cutting boards upright and organized in a tall cabinet.

For drawers, you can use adjustable organizers sized to fit your drawer to provide sections for flatware, measuring cups, and other small items. Dividers that include foam blocks where you can safely store knife blades also are available.

These organizers, which are generally available off the shelf, are very affordable. They can also make your kitchen tidier and more usable.

Divide the Work

Once your contractor has done the heavy lifting, you can take over the cosmetic work and save thousands of dollars in labor costs. Whether it’s touching up paint or installing drawer knobs, any work you can do yourself will lower the cost of your renovation.