5 Ways to update the look of your kitchen

The kitchen: It’s one of the most used rooms in the home. How can you go about freshening up this room on the cheap? We have five surefire tips.

Paint is and always will be the least expensive yet most effective way to update a staid room. When opting to brush a few coats of colour on your cabinets, reach for semi-gloss finishes that will hold up against kitchen grease or airborne food particles. Great colours to make a kitchen seem larger include beige, eggshell and white. The same tips can be applied to repainting kitchen walls.

If you find your kitchen could use a little brightening, one of the fastest ways to go about doing that is to switch up the strength of your light bulbs. You can also swap out old fixtures for new ones. Pendant lights are on trend this fall and can be purchased inexpensively from your local hardware store. To let natural light stream through windows, change any outdated Venetian blinds for sheer curtains.

If you have a narrow kitchen, an effective way to make it appear larger is to add a mirror to one of the walls. You could even look to add a mirrored backsplash to the wall space between cabinets.

Speaking of backsplashes, these are a great way to add a pop of colour to a kitchen. They’re also simple to install on your own. Simply head to your local hardware store, and speak with a consultant to find out what type of splash will work best in your kitchen (everything from marble to ceramic is available). You can even find sheets of material that go on with an adhesive so you can avoid grouting!

Can’t afford new cabinetry? One of the simplest ways to refresh the look of cabinets — a focal point of almost every kitchen — is to swap outdated handles and hardware for new, contemporary ones. From chrome to silver to stainless steel, there are ample options you can roll with.

More on kitchens updates

Tips for renovating your kitchen
Eliminate kitchen clutter
Spruce up your kitchen on the cheap