8 Great Kitchen Updates That Don't Require Renovating
You will love these cost-effective ideas for improving your kitchen
If you’d like to update your kitchen but a full renovation isn’t in your budget, a little DIY might be just the thing. Think flea market shopping, a can of paint or two, even a little sewing if you’re up for it. Which one would you like to try in your home?
2. Create interest with contrast
Here’s another great example of how paint can really make a space sing. By juxtaposing elements in this room in different finishes and colours, the homeowner created an interesting space. The sink base is painted a dull black with touches of silver for an industrial feel, while vintage signs with red and a smoky grey painted chimney offer a fun contrast.
Read about more DIY projects in this home
Here’s another great example of how paint can really make a space sing. By juxtaposing elements in this room in different finishes and colours, the homeowner created an interesting space. The sink base is painted a dull black with touches of silver for an industrial feel, while vintage signs with red and a smoky grey painted chimney offer a fun contrast.
Read about more DIY projects in this home
3. Sew your linens
This homeowner gave her built-in seating area a finished look by sewing bench covers, pillows and a Roman shade in coordinating colours. To keep the price affordable for something similar in your own home, look for clearance fabrics or fabrics left over from someone else’s project.
This bench seating was built by the owner. If you already have a seating area but no table, you could incorporate an unexpected item like this antique Singer sewing machine base topped with a scrap piece of marble.
Trunks, Crates and Sewing Machines: Set These Aside!
This homeowner gave her built-in seating area a finished look by sewing bench covers, pillows and a Roman shade in coordinating colours. To keep the price affordable for something similar in your own home, look for clearance fabrics or fabrics left over from someone else’s project.
This bench seating was built by the owner. If you already have a seating area but no table, you could incorporate an unexpected item like this antique Singer sewing machine base topped with a scrap piece of marble.
Trunks, Crates and Sewing Machines: Set These Aside!
4. Add an unusual island
This factory cart, painted and updated with a vintage marble top, injects a fun colour and an industrial vibe into this kitchen. Look for similar vintage pieces to adapt as kitchen islands. Spray-paint the cart a fun colour and contrast it with rugs in complementary colours to add drama and interest.
Read more about this factory cart
This factory cart, painted and updated with a vintage marble top, injects a fun colour and an industrial vibe into this kitchen. Look for similar vintage pieces to adapt as kitchen islands. Spray-paint the cart a fun colour and contrast it with rugs in complementary colours to add drama and interest.
Read more about this factory cart
This homeowner purchased a used Ikea kitchen island on Craigslist and had its countertop replaced with a larger one, expanding her countertop space while creating an eating area. Greenery layered around the room makes the space come alive.
Read more about this first home
Read more about this first home
5. Warm it up with texture
One way to refresh an all-white kitchen on a budget is to layer in texture. In this kitchen, texture comes in the form of a tree stump wine bucket, a wicker basket, a Scrabble letter holder and live bouquets and plants.
10 Bright Ideas for Inserting Colour Into a White Kitchen
One way to refresh an all-white kitchen on a budget is to layer in texture. In this kitchen, texture comes in the form of a tree stump wine bucket, a wicker basket, a Scrabble letter holder and live bouquets and plants.
10 Bright Ideas for Inserting Colour Into a White Kitchen
6. Add beautiful lighting
Replacing standard ceiling lights with a fabulous pendant or a chandelier adds a wow factor to a kitchen, and there are ways to do it for less. The old iron light fixture in this kitchen was found in Europe and repurposed for this English-style kitchen.
Read more about the DIY work in this home
Replacing standard ceiling lights with a fabulous pendant or a chandelier adds a wow factor to a kitchen, and there are ways to do it for less. The old iron light fixture in this kitchen was found in Europe and repurposed for this English-style kitchen.
Read more about the DIY work in this home
7. Add open shelving
For a more eclectic vibe, layer in open shelving on a wall without upper cabinetry. Adding a shelf allows you to introduce a bold accent colour, like the red of the teacups shown here. Another option is to paint the walls yourself with a warm, inviting wall colour like this yellow.
Read more about this home
For a more eclectic vibe, layer in open shelving on a wall without upper cabinetry. Adding a shelf allows you to introduce a bold accent colour, like the red of the teacups shown here. Another option is to paint the walls yourself with a warm, inviting wall colour like this yellow.
Read more about this home
8. Bring in bar stool
Introducing interesting or statement stools such as these, which the homeowner purchased from a local bar, is a great way to add style to a kitchen. This homeowner renovated his old barn and wrapped his island in reclaimed barn wood, which adds warmth and texture.
Shop for bar stools
TELL US
What minor work have you done to your kitchen to refresh it? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
MORE
20 Budget-Friendly Updates for Your Kitchen
Introducing interesting or statement stools such as these, which the homeowner purchased from a local bar, is a great way to add style to a kitchen. This homeowner renovated his old barn and wrapped his island in reclaimed barn wood, which adds warmth and texture.
Shop for bar stools
TELL US
What minor work have you done to your kitchen to refresh it? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
MORE
20 Budget-Friendly Updates for Your Kitchen
Adding a fun accent colour can be a great way to bring personality to a kitchen. By painting the door with red chalkboard paint and adding messaging that shows off her sense of humour, this homeowner created a fun farmhouse vibe. Repeating the door colour in a tray and some details in the photos created a pleasant colour echo. The nearby vintage bar cabinet painted a dark neutral, along with photo frames in the same dark colour, adds contrast. The great thing about a charming door like this is that paint is one of the least expensive ways to bring a new look to your space.
Read about more DIY projects in this home