Makeover Not Startover

It’s possible to create a big impact makeover in your kitchen without having to start again with a full on renovation.
You know what we’re talking about, right? You’re tired of your kitchen, its lost it’s inspiration, and short of Gordon Ramsay walking in and sweeping you off your feet, nothing’s going to change without some effort.

So, we’re happy to give you ten great ideas that make an impact without making a dent in your bank balance. Ten? Yes, five now and five later, so come back soon!
Take your pick from the following, and our next set of five. You can pick n mix, do them all, or do one or two. They’ll all have a positive impact, so go for it.

Freshen Up

The easiest and fastest way to refresh any room is with some new paint. Even if you don’t want to make a dramatic change of colour, getting fresh new paint on the walls can make a great positive change. Your kitchen will be cleaner, brighter, and smell lovely and new again.

If you do want to change up the colour scheme, go for it because the effect will be far more dramatic and you’ll get more bang for your painting bucks.

Lighting Switch

We’ve talked about lighting before and we’re big believers in using light to transform a room. Well, guess what, it works in kitchens too. Change up your ‘task lighting’, the down lights and spots. You can also introduce some new lighting that is functional and decorative at the same time. Pendant lights fit the bill here. You could even get radical and install a skylight to bring more natural light into your cooking and prep areas.

Better Benchtops

Some benchtops give you the opportunity to paint them. Tile, timber and laminate will often work with a fresh coat of paint. Have a chat to your local hardware paint person to see what will and won’t work because there’s often a specialist paint for different surfaces. Sometimes, with outdated finishes and materials, your only real option is to bite the bullet, replace them and move forward with something new that you’re in love with.

Before you replace, do your research and double check because with some bench tops you can apply a new surface to an existing bench, which is always going to be a cheaper option.

Splashback Flashback

Many splashbacks dominate the look and feel of the kitchen, simply because they represent a large surface area. We know that many people find the choice of splashback one of the more stressful kitchen decisions because they have a dramatic overall effect. Changing your splashback can have a powerful and instant effect on the whole kitchen. If you splashback dominates, it might give you the opportunity to create a dramatic difference by changing only one element of the room.

Can-do Cabinets

Cabinets can be given a fast and easy makeover too and it might be easier and cheaper than you think. Keep the internal structures just as they are and change up the doors and handles, or even just apply some fresh paint if that works for your cabinetry. You can make a huge visual impact by changing the materials or finishes of your doors. You can insert perspex or glass or mesh to make changes that can be functional as well as visually very lovely.

Ok, there you have it, 5 ideas, with 5 more to come soon. Watch this space.

And remember, you don’t have to take major steps to create significant change in your kitchen. Take a look at your space, choose the smaller things, and start with them. Soon you’ll be cooking up a storm of creative change in the heart of your home.