A bit of paint, vintage furniture, and a few light fixtures can make your kitchen look like a whole new space with minimal investment.
Kitchen renovations can be time consuming and expensive. But what if you don’t have the time or the money?
Maybe you’re renting and don’t want to invest in someone else’s property. Or maybe you just have more important things to spend your money on than new cabinets and countertops.
There are many ways to upgrade your kitchen without tearing everything apart, and the results can still be impressive. Even professional designers sometimes leave parts of the kitchen intact in both client projects and their own homes to avoid waste and unnecessary expenses.
Here are some of the shortcuts she and other designers use to save money without sacrificing style:
First Step: Paint the Cabinets
When Elbaum was working on a client’s kitchen with outdated, orange-toned wood cabinets, she kept them but sanded them down and painted them with navy lacquer. “The overall layout and most of the appliances were fine,” she said. “Painting was the best option.”
In that project, Elbaum hired a professional to spray paint the cabinets. But they can also be painted by hand with a brush. Brush painting leaves visible strokes in the finish, but that’s something many designers actually prefer.
When Kimberly Bevan, from the New York based firm Bevan Interiors, was updating the kitchen in her weekend home in Andes, New York, she wanted the brushstrokes to show. “I chose that hand-painted look instead of a spray-finish from a workshop, which looks very smooth,” she said. “For the traditional style of these cabinets, the hand-brushed look really worked better.”
Small changes like paint and lighting can completely transform your kitchen without a full renovation.
Swap Out the Backsplash
Instead of painting the backsplash, you can replace it entirely (or install one if there’s only drywall).
When Jessica Geller, founder of the interior design firm Toledo Geller, moved into a home with a newly renovated kitchen, she changed the backsplash to better reflect her personal taste.
“The previous owners had installed a glass panel that didn’t look like it belonged to the original architecture,” explained Geller, who also works with the New York Design Center’s Access to Design program. “The biggest change we made was removing it and replacing it with hand-painted terracotta tiles.”
Try New Lighting
Another high-impact move: installing new light fixtures. Many kitchens rely on recessed lighting, but swapping those out for sculptural pendant lights can instantly transform the space.
“I don’t like kitchens that feel like hospitals, where you could perform surgery on the island,” said Zaveloff, who prefers using vintage chandeliers and oversized pendants to light kitchen islands. In one kitchen where the ceiling height didn’t allow for a hanging fixture, she used a Stamp Square ceiling light in bronze from Urban Electric Co.
In her previous home, she used a plug in swing arm lamp to light the kitchen dining area. “It mounts to the wall and I love it because you can take it with you when you move,” Jenkins said. “If you’re renting, it moves with you.”
In a small kitchen, she noted, a rolling island also adds flexibility: “You can move it around. You can place it in the center or off to the side. You can prepare food on it, but also use it for serving.”
Add Furniture
Need more space for storage or meal prep? That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to invest in traditional built-in kitchen cabinets.
Freestanding furniture can do the job and like plug-in lighting, it can move with you if you relocate. In a kitchen Jenkins designed for herself, she used an antique French baker’s cart on wheels as an island. “I love mixing new pieces with antiques,” she said. “I like that contrast.”
Ready to Transform Your Home’s Exterior?
If your home’s exterior needs a makeover, now is the perfect time to act. Final Touch Home Improvement Inc. is ready to bring new life to your home with our professional exterior painting services. Our team will guide you through every step of the process, from color selection to final touch ups, ensuring your complete satisfaction.
Carlos Guzman
Founder & Owner
Final Touch Home Improvement Inc.
