7 Cheap (& Easy!) Ways To Make Your Kitchen Look Expensive
Is your kitchen ready for an upgrade? Whether your design is outdated, you need a little *spice* after a long quarantine season, or you’re just ready for some change, renovating your kitchen is an exciting opportunity. However, if you aren’t careful, the expenses can really add up. But, as if there’s one thing we love, it’s finding hacks to make your home look great—without breaking the bank. From adding color to replacing doors with glass (and everything in-between), here are 7 cheap and easy ways to e your kitchen look expensive.
1. Lean On Color
Color is a no-brainer way to update your home (without tossing dollars into the wind). Whether your space is just too small to upgrade completely or you just don’t have the budget for a complete remodel, paint is one way you can take your space and make it look and feel brand new.
You can paint your cabinets (maybe a solid color or calming neutral… or, if you’re feeling crazy, an accent tone!). You can also paint your backsplash, baseboards, shelves, or even your wooden table or furniture to create a new color scheme in the space. Whatever you choose, paint is guaranteed to create a refreshed feel without having to completely gut and remodel.
2. Refresh Cabinet Interiors
Along the same vein as changing the color, you can also update the kitchen cabinet backs, faces, and interiors to create an entirely new vibe. First, you can swap your doors for glass. If you already have glass, you can play around with a back color (the part of the cabinet that’s flush with the wall) or wallpaper.
For glass-front cabinets, adding an accent color (with paint or wallpaper!) or even doing a deep clean makes a huge impact because everyone can see it as they pass by. For non-glass cabinets, having a bright and clean feel when opening the doors is a great (and cheap!) upgrade, even if it’s not as noticeable from the outside.
3. Update Your Light Fixtures
Nothing says ‘modern’ like the latest and greatest in lighting. Honestly, you can create an awesome look by just investing in how you light your space. There are so many different styles of lights—from hanging and low-hanging, to wall, floodlights, and even string lights that create a subtle ambiance during darker hours!
Upgrading to LED, albeit a little pricey, is another option that not only gives your kitchen an updated look but saves you energy (and thus, money!) in the long run.
4. Dress Up Your Cabinets
If you want to do more than add a fresh coat of paint, another option is dressing up your cabinet shelves. Add a display on top—anything from floral décor and leaves to dishes or even art!—and make use of the space between cabinet and ceiling. You can also build in smaller items on the underside of cabinets, for example, a wine bottle holder or area for holding coffee cups!
You can also take advantage of the above and below-cabinet space for stringing lights, storing cute decorative bowls, or even displaying pictures! The key is to make these spaces unique to you while matching the rest of the design for a unified look.
5. Replace Hardware (Handles & Knobs)
You don’t have to completely redo your cabinets to create an updated look. Swap out your handles and knobs for something more contemporary. Not only is this cheap, but it is a great way to coordinate and connect your cabinets to other colors in the space and build a new color scheme.
And, if you’re feeling really wild, you can even cut the price with a DIY install!
6. Add Molding to Make Your Kitchen Look Expensive
Molding is a great way to *level up* your kitchen cabinets without completely redoing them. Small pieces of cabinet molding, whether stacked on top of the cabinets, along the bottom edge or carved into the doors, can create a refined feel to your kitchen.
7. Incorporate Accent Colors & Items
Accent colors and items—for example, gold finish or brushed brass knobs—are great ways to create a classy mood in your kitchen (without having to recreate the room design from scratch).
Depending on the size of your space, the upgrades may be as simple as changing the handles, faucets, and light fixtures but could also be added to each and every item to give the room a stronger flare.
Ready to make your kitchen look expensive? Jump on a call with us (for FREE!)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marisa is a writer/editor, teacher, and bonus mama based in San Diego, California. She’s the founder of two small businesses and loves writing about anything related to career, home, organization, decorating, self-love, relationships, and parenting.
