Revamp Your Kitchen – No Sledgehammer Required!
Houzz showcases 11 fabulous ways to update your kitchen, without blowing the budget on a full reno
OK, so you have a perfectly good kitchen. The layout works and the cabinetry is solid, but it just needs a little uplift. There are plenty of relatively minor changes you can make that don’t involve restructuring your life or your house. Here are several you can try.
2. Upgrade your benchtop
Changing a dated benchtop will give new life to your entire kitchen and add immediate value.
More: 7 Easy-Care Kitchen Benchtops to Make Your Life a Breeze
Changing a dated benchtop will give new life to your entire kitchen and add immediate value.
More: 7 Easy-Care Kitchen Benchtops to Make Your Life a Breeze
3. Install a new splashback
If your cupboards and benchtop work nicely but your room lacks pizzazz, a new splashback can add loads of personality and really boost your kitchen. A bit of texture, sparkle or gloss will give simple cupboards plenty of presence.
More: How to Choose the Right Splashback for Your Kitchen
If your cupboards and benchtop work nicely but your room lacks pizzazz, a new splashback can add loads of personality and really boost your kitchen. A bit of texture, sparkle or gloss will give simple cupboards plenty of presence.
More: How to Choose the Right Splashback for Your Kitchen
4. Make a statement
New jewellery always picks up a mood, and it can do wonders for your kitchen, too. New hardware can dress up plain cupboards, while standout lighting fixtures can add a surprising wow-factor.
More: Push and Pull: Kitchen Hardware That’s as Practical as It Is Pretty
New jewellery always picks up a mood, and it can do wonders for your kitchen, too. New hardware can dress up plain cupboards, while standout lighting fixtures can add a surprising wow-factor.
More: Push and Pull: Kitchen Hardware That’s as Practical as It Is Pretty
5. Change your tap fittings
A detachable spray hose comes in handy for so much more than just giving a bath to the toy poodle. Try a spout with a flexible braided water-supply hose. It looks better than a plain black rubber hose and will last longer.
More: Designing Your Kitchen: Terrific Taps to Tap Into
A detachable spray hose comes in handy for so much more than just giving a bath to the toy poodle. Try a spout with a flexible braided water-supply hose. It looks better than a plain black rubber hose and will last longer.
More: Designing Your Kitchen: Terrific Taps to Tap Into
6. Expand your horizons
Need more surface area? You may not need to start from scratch. If you have an island, you can introduce a different material, such as wood, on an added eating counter either below or above the island level.
The standard benchtop/island height is 900mm. A nice option, like you see here, is to add an extension at dining table height (about 760mm is typical). The great thing about adding an extension like this is that regular kitchen and dining chairs will pull up to the counter comfortably. If you prefer a higher surface, you could opt for bar height (900-1200mm).
More: Kitchen Inspiration: 10 Creative Kitchen Islands to Escape to
Need more surface area? You may not need to start from scratch. If you have an island, you can introduce a different material, such as wood, on an added eating counter either below or above the island level.
The standard benchtop/island height is 900mm. A nice option, like you see here, is to add an extension at dining table height (about 760mm is typical). The great thing about adding an extension like this is that regular kitchen and dining chairs will pull up to the counter comfortably. If you prefer a higher surface, you could opt for bar height (900-1200mm).
More: Kitchen Inspiration: 10 Creative Kitchen Islands to Escape to
7. Consider refacing
New cupboard fronts and doors can provide a welcome face lift if the layout already works and the cupboard boxes are solid.
More: 15 Low-Effort, High-Impact Updates for Kitchen Cupboards
New cupboard fronts and doors can provide a welcome face lift if the layout already works and the cupboard boxes are solid.
More: 15 Low-Effort, High-Impact Updates for Kitchen Cupboards
8. Rethink the uppers
Open shelving offers an opportunity to display collections or just keep frequently used items accessible. Wine and oil bottles are great for showing off.
Open shelving offers an opportunity to display collections or just keep frequently used items accessible. Wine and oil bottles are great for showing off.
9. Pop in cosy touches
A runner is a great addition to a galley kitchen floor. I don’t know why we are disciplined to treat our kitchen like it has a different set of rules when it comes to decor. For example, I’m all for adding a table lamp for an unexpected element in a kitchen.
A runner is a great addition to a galley kitchen floor. I don’t know why we are disciplined to treat our kitchen like it has a different set of rules when it comes to decor. For example, I’m all for adding a table lamp for an unexpected element in a kitchen.
10. Add a floating island
If a new bank of cupboards is beyond the budget, try a ready-made freestanding piece to add extra storage and a surface for working and eating. Why not add a new top to a freestanding piece of furniture and extend the edge for an eating benchtop? The minimum overhang would be 25-30cm, but there are a few considerations to note when extending the benchtop. Take care not to shift the balance of weight so much that the piece is unstable (people love to rest their elbows, adding weight to the surface). Also you may need to add brackets to support the overhang.
More: 12 Stylish (and Smart) Cantilevered Kitchen Benches
If a new bank of cupboards is beyond the budget, try a ready-made freestanding piece to add extra storage and a surface for working and eating. Why not add a new top to a freestanding piece of furniture and extend the edge for an eating benchtop? The minimum overhang would be 25-30cm, but there are a few considerations to note when extending the benchtop. Take care not to shift the balance of weight so much that the piece is unstable (people love to rest their elbows, adding weight to the surface). Also you may need to add brackets to support the overhang.
More: 12 Stylish (and Smart) Cantilevered Kitchen Benches
11. Install a showstopper
A simple kitchen with simple cabinetry is downplayed by a showpiece range hood. Playing up one feature is a great way to detract from less interesting elements.
MORE
Budget Decorator: 15 Decorating Updates That Won’t Cost a Cent
10 Low-Cost Tweaks to Make Your House Sell
20 Budget-Friendly Updates for Your Kitchen
A simple kitchen with simple cabinetry is downplayed by a showpiece range hood. Playing up one feature is a great way to detract from less interesting elements.
MORE
Budget Decorator: 15 Decorating Updates That Won’t Cost a Cent
10 Low-Cost Tweaks to Make Your House Sell
20 Budget-Friendly Updates for Your Kitchen
A fresh coat of paint can transform a kitchen from dark and dingy to light and airy. If you are a few years away from that big kitchen reno, this is a great time to have some fun with colour.
More: 20 Gorgeous Kitchen Colour Pairings