A kitchen makeover is definitely a transformation worth your while, as it can boost your home’s resale value and generally improve the atmosphere of this room, thus making you more eager to spend time in it and cook some delicious meals.
In general, if you’re looking to invest in the most impactful kitchen upgrades, you should focus on your cabinets, appliances, safety measures, lighting and the overall design.
1. Boost the Look of Your Cabinets
Replacing old cabinets with newer model is definitely a way to go if you feel like the current cabinetry is a bit lacking or worn out. On the other hand, repainting and refinishing, and maybe even distressing the wood of your current cabinets may be the upgrade you’re looking for.
What’s bound to make a huge impact, though, is the look of your countertops; stone and marble are incredibly popular nowadays but you can also opt for a budget-friendly version and use a self-adhesive wallpaper over the countertop that mimics these natural materials.
Also, don’t focus on just the things that are visible when your cabinets are concerned. With right separation plates, storage boxes and hanging racks, you can organise the inside as well, and make more storage room. Less clutter is definitely a very impactful change.
2. Invest in Energy-Efficient and Functional Appliances
These days, there are plenty of different kitchen appliances and gadgets on the market, made to make your food prepping and cooking process quicker and easier. If you’re looking for a major impact when it comes to sustainability and electrical bill, definitely opt for star-rated appliances that don’t waste too much energy.
Also, smaller appliances such as toaster, microwave, blender, coffee maker, air fryer, food steamer, etc. are all amazing additions to any modern kitchen. If you’re looking for inspiration and motivation when it comes to cooking, you can’t go wrong with making things simpler for yourself with the right appliances.
3. Make an Impact with Increased Safety
You should never ignore the potential fire hazard that can often happen in one’s kitchen. After all, you never know what another day may bring, and, in that sense, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. This is why you can’t go wrong when protecting your home with fire ducts and proper ventilation system.
Basically, you’re securing the first line of defence for your kitchen area and then the rest of your home. Of course, don’t forget to install a functional fire alarm as well.
4. Go Modern with the Fixtures
How do you feel about the faucet in your kitchen? If you think it’s time to replace it, why not replace it in style? When design is concerned, you can definitely find an abundance of different kinds of faucets and sinks available as well as different metals and finishes.
These aspects alone can be very impactful but if you want to go all the way, consider installing an automatic faucet. Not only is this a rather nifty little trick that won’t ever cease to amaze you, but it will also help you save the water you use.
5. Grab Attention with Tiles and/or Wallpaper
The walls in your kitchen can make or break the whole impression and overall feel of this space. Aside from a fresh coat of paint, make sure to grab attention and create an impact with a smart and creative use of tiles and/or wallpaper.
For instance, bright and contrasting tiles look great as a backsplash. If you don’t have the budget for complete tile replacement, you can pick just a couple of random ones and replace them with new, patterned tiles for added oomph. And in case you don’t have tiles in your kitchen or they don’t cover the amount of space you want, you can always make use of vinyl wallpaper that comes in a variety of styles and designs.
6. Properly Placed Lighting
As you can probably already guess, lighting plays an important role in the kitchen, especially if you tend to both cook and eat there. A great way to make an impact is to choose an interesting cover for your fixture(s) but that’s not all there is to it.
Actually, the position of your lighting solutions and task lighting especially can definitely make an amazing impact and simply lets you see what you’re doing more clearly. In that respect, you might want to utilise the space under your hanging kitchen cabinets for some recessed lights or LED light strips.
Before you start actively planning your kitchen upgrades, make sure to assess and analyse your options properly. After all, the most important impact that you can create is the one that feels and looks amazing to you personally. Of course, it’s also essential to adjust different projects to your particular kitchen layout and space.
Kevin has gone through an extensive home renovation with his son, which he has both thoroughly enjoyed, and dreaded every morning. He is now the proud owner of half his dream house (the other half has been waiting for spring). You can read more of Kevin’s work at PlainHelp.
