Dreaming of a designer kitchen? You can make your kitchen dreams come true without a full-scale remodel. The beautiful kitchens in home design magazines all share commonalities, including unique fixtures, stylish paint colors and perfect lighting. Whip up a new look in your own kitchen with these three easy upgrades — no work boots required.
1. Cabinetry Fixtures
A few decorative cabinetry fixtures can give outdated cabinets a refreshed look in a matter of minutes. When choosing new cabinetry hardware, be sure to keep your current kitchen theme in mind. Mixing metals works in some cases and spaces; however, keep it cohesive for a put-together look, rather than a mix-and-match mishmash. Not only do cabinetry fixtures play an essential role in the function of your kitchen, they lend purpose to the style of your kitchen area, too. A quick change can make a dramatic impact, at an affordable cost.
2. Fresh Paint
There’s a simple way to spruce up your kitchen. All you need is a free afternoon, a few paint rollers and brushes, and a can of the perfect paint color. Painting your kitchen, or even your kitchen cabinets, is one of the easiest projects you can take on to dramatically change the look of your kitchen space. But before you put any paint on the walls, choose your paint colors wisely.
Gray is a great neutral that’s been dominating interior design schemes lately. This hue makes for a great base to build on in the kitchen. Lighter shades of blue hues give kitchens a crisp, clean look. But be sure to use caution, blue is best used sparingly, as it can sometimes overpower a room. A kitchen classic, the color yellow can brighten up virtually any room. This color can also make some small spaces feel larger, which is fabulous news if you have a kitchen on the smaller side. Finally, a paint color like green can seemingly boost the energy in the room. When working with green, choose a bold emerald, soft mint or apple green shade, as these colors pair well with wood accents.
Remember, before you start painting be sure to give your kitchen area a good scrub down. Remove any grime and grease on the surfaces you will be painting, and prime the area before adding a new coat of paint.
3. Task Lighting
Ample light is the main ingredient in the recipe for a functional kitchen. While your kitchen may have plenty of light sources, whether it’s natural light from a window or overhead light, you might find that the recipe for your own functional kitchen needs a special ingredient. That’s where task lighting comes into play. This style of lighting is essential for illuminating the working areas throughout your kitchen. In many cases, task lighting can be installed easily. Under-cabinet lighting options such as puck lights, bar or strip lighting options, or tape lights can all be used to transform the working spaces in your kitchen, whatever your lighting needs may be. In addition to being a great resource for task lighting, under-cabinet lighting can be used to create a pleasant ambiance in your kitchen.
Mix the right lighting, paint color and a few new decorative fixtures and you’ve got a recipe for a kitchen that looks brand new.
