10 ways to make your Kitchen look better

There are a lot of different ways to spruce up a kitchen on a budget.  Over the past week we have renovated our kitchen and I wanted to share some simple ways for you to change things up. Make sure to have a budget written out so you know how much you can spend, its really easy to overspend when renovating.  If you prepare well, your remodel should go smoothly and turn out great!  Here are ten practical ways to make your kitchen look better.  

1. Paint your cabinets! Part one of this post was all about how to paint your cabinets like a professional. Make sure to follow all of the steps and when you finish your cabinets will look brand new!
2. Add new Hardware to your cabinets.  Our cabinets did not have any hardware when we moved in, when they were added it changed the whole look of the kitchen.  There are so many to choose from so make sure what you choose goes with the style of your new kitchen.

Tip: Check amazon for good deals on hardware I purchased mine as a 25 piece set for just over a dollar a piece, the same hardware was at Lowes for $7.99 per handle.

3. New flooring. There are a lot of different ways you can change the flooring in your home, we went for new porcelain tiles but there are a lot of different options out there.

4. New Counter tops.  We took out our old laminate counter tops and had granite installed.  This can get pricey but there are lots of options for this too.  Quartz is the best type of counter top out there right now because it is more durable, granite should be a little more affordable and you can also buy new or resurface your laminate counter tops to save money.  We have a small kitchen and were able to get a really good deal by getting factory direct pricing instead of using a big box store. Also when you are getting your counter tops done its a good time to update your sink and faucet too.

Tip: Make sure to keep in mind the install price when creating your budget for your kitchen remodel.  Also bring your paint colors and flooring color with you so you know which counter top will match your kitchen.

5. Update your appliances.  Matching appliances can really make your kitchen more cohesive, try to get all the same finish and brand if possible.  

7. Add a new back splash.  We used a white subway tile for our kitchen because it’s affordable and I think it looks great.  Back splashes will really make your kitchen pop and it’s something easy you can do by yourself.  

8. Paint the walls.  Have fun painting your walls make sure to tape everything off with painters tape so you do not have to repaint cabinets or try to get paint off your appliances. 

Tip: Don’t buy the cheapest painters tape it will either not stick well enough or stick too much and hurt the surface of what you are taping. We bought some for $5 for one role and it didn’t work that well, I would suggest getting the better brand that will work best.  

9.  Add a herb garden.  I haven’t done this yet in my kitchen but I really love plants and they add so much to a room.  I am always using herbs while cooking, I am planing on doing a hanging garden in the corner where the two windows meet so the plants can have plenty of sunshine.  Try making a Macrame plant hanger, they look great and are easy to make! 

10. New lighting.   Lighting is very important in a room.  Our kitchen has a lot of natural light which is great but its also important to have good lights for when the sun is not out.  I added a little bit of color to our kitchen by installing a light blue pendant.  I also switched out some of the light bulbs because they were giving off a yellow color and it was making the granite look more tan than grey.  Little things like lighting can completely change the space.  

Make sure to finish strong.  I am still doing the finishing touches in our kitchen, and I am so excited to get everything totally completed!  There are a lot of little things to consider like paint touch ups, caulking, pulling off painters tape, and cleaning everything.   When you remodel, things will get dirty it’s not a clean job, so be prepared to have a lot of clean up.  That being said, its so worth it and you will love your new kitchen!