How to Renovate a Kitchen on a Budget

It seems impossible to renovate a kitchen on a tight budget, and a full-kitchen overhaul can cost between $5,000 and $80,000. So, without using every credit card at your disposal, how do you renovate your kitchen cheaply?

We have the answer to this question, just read below.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Making your kitchen look new is not the same as replacing everything with expensive equipment. Small fixes and upgrades can make a huge difference to your kitchen’s look, until you can afford a kitchen design expert for a full renovation. Here are some ideas:

#1 Revamp Your Kitchen Cabinets

Made-to-measure kitchen cabinets will take up a large part of the budget, especially if you hire a professional to install them. But if your existing cabinets are in good condition, there is nothing to stop you from making them look new.

Older cabinets will be solid wood and worth keeping, chip-woods cabinets can still provide a good base if they are in good condition.

Simple changes to your existing kitchen cabinets include:

• Giving the old cabinets and doors a rub with sandpaper to remove dents, scratches, and chips. Then, with a clean surface, you can repaint them in vibrant and fresh colors.
• Solid wood cabinets may come back to life with light sanding and a fresh stain. Rubbing out years of scratches and splash marks will give cabinets a new lease of life.
• Changing the hinges on the doors for smoother soft-closing ones. You can also replace the handles or knobs.

#2 Search for Countertop Deals

Kitchen countertops are the areas that take the most abuse – even the undersides will get greasy. Not all renovation savings come from recycling what you have. You can find great deals on kitchen countertops if you shop around; many shops want to rid themselves of old stock.

It is worth going around to different providers to see where the bargains are at. If you feel brave, you can even try to create a countertop with concrete or resin kits. Butcher’s block countertops stand up well to abuse, and they develop a character.

#3 Make Your Kitchen Shelves More Accessible

Sometimes it is not the look but the function of a kitchen that needs the upgrade. We waste a lot of space in kitchens with dead corners and high-up shelves. Turntable shelving in corners means you can store more out of sight.

Roll-out cabinets help you to pack more into the same area. Roll-out shelving will help you to access storage at the back of cabinets. The more you can store at a level you can reach, the less you need to store in high-up overhead cabinets.

#4 Creative Lighting

Light sets the mood in any room, but even more so in a kitchen. The right color lighting sets the tone for your guests and those preparing food. Bright lighting is better for food preparation areas, but try to use warm color bulbs.

It is also tempting to use dim LED strip lighting – these are good for ambiance but difficult to work under. Most kitchen lighting is easy to research and buy online. In an ideal world, you should use a strong central light, then add many ambient lights under hanging shelving.

Photo credit: Pixabay

#5 Colors and Curtains

A fresh coat of paint and some new blinds can make a huge difference to an old kitchen. Paint is inexpensive, and it is a task that most people can cope with. There are many programs and phone apps that you can download to test how a new color will look on the walls.

Blinds and window decals can soften the light coming in from the outside and alter the mood. Curtains can change the appearance but not considered a good idea in a kitchen as they go moldy and can be a fire hazard. A few small hanging decorations and pictures will also help with the tone.

#6 Change the Faucets

Hard water clogs up valves and eats through the chrome on taps. As with the kitchen countertops, you can find bargains if you are willing to hunt around. Faucets come in a huge range, some better for simple washing up, and others with flexible necks for washing larger items.

The advance of new materials means that a faucet can be resistant to corrosion and scale. You may also want a faucet to match the new colors that you have painted your kitchen with. Black and brass faucets are popular and tend to match with most kitchen designs.

#7 Add a Backsplash

Backsplashes make it easier to clean up water and spills, but they also act as traps for water if not correctly sealed. A backsplash is easy to change, and they are a far cheaper alternative to tiling the whole kitchen.

A backsplash with modern colors and styles will complement the rest of the kitchen. If kept small, you can choose wild patterns for your backsplash tiles or wallpaper without having a big effect on the kitchen scheme.

#8 Buy a Less-Famous Brand

A new appliance is a sure way to spend money, and most people do not seem to realize that they are paying a premium for the badge. With some shopping around, you can find appliances with the same features as the more expensive brands.

There is also no more assurance that a well-known brand will be any more reliable, so look for functionality. Some kitchen appliances are a waste of space – stick to your list when you go shopping.

Published in: Kitchen | Author: Lynn