3 Easy Kitchen Updates That Make A Big Impact
When you think of a kitchen renovation, what comes to mind? For most of us, it’s dollar signs. And then the dreamy thoughts start coming in… storage, good lighting, pretty details- yes please! While the cost of a kitchen remodel is very specific to your area, needs and unique space, it usually starts in the 20k’s and can go well above 100k. Not surprising, since there are so many amazing kitchen gadgets and add ons to incorporate that make life easier.
However, you can make massive improvements even if you’re not looking for an overhaul renovation in your kitchen. I love updates like these- any opportunity to bring joy to your day through your surroundings is so worth it!! It’s about more than just how it looks- it’s how it makes you feel. Little changes can take you from feeling frustrated with an endless to do list of “wish I could’s” to inspired and proud of your space. Which is huge- especially in the kitchen since we spend so much time in there!
a great example of wrapping a color- here I did the upper cabinets, walls and ceiling in the same color so not to draw attention to the gap above the cabinets. It makes the space feel so much bigger and we were still able to get a fun color pop in on the lowers! Adding the crown to the top and small detail to the bottom helped create a massive update for these existing cabinets.
Paint
Painting your cabinets is obviously a huge change, but even painting the walls- AND CEILING! can make a big improvement. Fresh paint will have your space feeling cleaner and brighter.
TIP: if you have a gap between your cabinets and the ceiling, keep the wall color (and ceiling color when it works) close to the color of the cabinets. Eliminating contrast here will allow the eye to keep moving and make the space feel bigger.
Here’s the before of the kitchen above. You can see how the pronounced contrast of the colors makes the space feel smaller- it gives all these spots for your eye to stop which makes the walls and cabinets feel shorter.
Change the Hardware
For the simplest switch, just change the hardware using the same size or style that you currently have. As in, knob for knob or keeping the same hole to hole length for your pulls. If you are thinking of painting your cabinets- keep in mind that you can pretty easily change your hardware style completely. In this kitchen we switched from pulls to knobs on all the doors and it changed the look entirely! They also function better in some instances because using the pulls was awkward for them on a couple doors.
You can change your finish, go from chunky to sleek, basic to thoughtful or country to modern- the options are endless!
In the kitchen above, we transformed the existing cabinets with paint, new hardware and trim to make them look brand new. Lighting went a long way here too with new pendants and new bulbs and baffle trim on all the existing recessed lights.
Update your Lighting
If you have overhead, recessed lighting in your kitchen you can make a huge impact by updating these. For about $20 a piece you can replace them with integrated LED lighting (like these) for a uniform, cleaner look. This is a fairly easy switch to make. If you don’t go this route- making sure that all of your bulbs are the same will make a big difference too! (you can also replace the baffle/trim which is what we did in here) Typically in a kitchen you want at least 3000k up to 4000k for your bulbs so you have a nice bright workspace. Ideally on a dimmer :)
If lighting is an issue in your kitchen, consider some simple under cabinet led strips- I’ve used these a few times now and love the versatility and ease of install and use. This is a super affordable way to give your kitchen a function facelift. You can use them for ambience or a nightlight on a warm, low setting or turn them up to daylight when you’re cleaning or cooking to really get good light on your workspace. They also have fun colors that kids (and adults!) love :)
As for updating pendants or other types of lighting in your kitchen- this is a great, fairly affordable way to transition your style and update the look of your kitchen! The pendants below are some of my favorites and you can really see the different styles and finishes available.
Still have questions? Stuck in decision paralysis on how to make the biggest bang for your buck?? Schedule a Design Power Session and we can get a game plan worked out for you. Seriously, this is what they’re made for!!
Happy home-ing :)
x
Kate
