A limited budget doesn’t have to hold you back from updating your home. Breathe new life into your kitchen with these affordable mini makeover ideas…
Consider having your existing doors professionally spray painted or spray painting them yourself. Unless you want a rustic finish, spray painting is way better than painting with a brush, which can cause blobs and drips in the grooves of the door profile.
Cabinets
If you’re looking for easy options, replacing cabinet doors might seem like an economical choice. However, bear in mind, especially with older kitchens, that you may have to replace the hinges as well. Also, take into consideration that not all cabinets are created equal – kitchen cabinet door manufacturers only supply standard sizes, and you’re going to battle to find doors for custom cabinets.
An easier solution would be to consider having your existing doors professionally spray painted or spray painting them yourself. Unless you want a rustic finish, spray painting is way better than painting with a brush, which can cause blobs and drips in the grooves of the door profile.
Before you start, give your cabinets a good clean out and check for any sagging or warping. If the shelving has water or mould damage, have new boards cut to replace these. You can have a wide range of board products cut to size at your local Builders store.
With a new paint job, you’ll also want to fit new hardware to complete the transformation. You’ll find a selection of knobs and handles at your local Builders or search online for your nearest supplier if you don’t find what you need.
Countertops
Modern pendants or other accent lighting fixtures add instant elegance to a kitchen.
Countertops play a functional and visual role in any kitchen, so if there is one area where you might want to splurge, this is it. However, replacing countertops with Formica laminate provides a wide range of affordable options to choose from, and you can easily tackle this as a do-it-yourself project.
Should you consider granite, quartz, natural stone or Caesar stone countertops, hire a specialist who’ll measure up and cut countertops to size for fitting. Take a look at the pros and cons for each product, as some require regular maintenance, and be sure to check references when obtaining quotations.
Lighting
Modern pendants or other accent lighting fixtures add instant elegance to a kitchen.
When shopping for lighting, it’s important to decide on the best light sources for fixtures. LED is an energy efficient alternative that might cost more upfront but lasts for years.
LED is also a softer option as opposed to glaring halogen fixtures and commercial-style CFL fittings.
Stools provide comfortable seating if you have a breakfast bar or nook.
Replace old-fashioned recessed lights with modern energy efficient styles with little or no repairs to the ceiling.
You can never have enough lighting in a kitchen. Most kitchens have insufficient lighting for all the tasks that take place in this busy room. If you don’t want to hire an electrician to install more built-in lighting, there are lower-cost options such as LED rope and strip lighting, which can be fitted under wall-mounted cabinets.
If you can’t afford to splurge on designer light fittings at the moment, put this on hold until you can afford to buy what you need to up the lighting in the kitchen.
Seating
Stools provide comfortable seating if you have a breakfast bar or nook. DIY savvy homeowners can easily make their own stools using supplies, some foam and fabric which is available at their local hardware store.
If you already have stools that are looking a little worse for wear, a fresh coat of paint and an upholstery job will soon make them look new again. Consider adding nail head detailing for a trendy finishing touch.
If you’re working on a tight budget, look at DIY options that will save you money. Most flooring solutions offer you the choice to do-it-yourself or have a professional installer to do the job for you.
Floors
Your budget might not allow for new flooring to be installed, but if it does, you have various options to choose from.
Nowadays, you’re not just limited to tiles, tiles and more tiles. Consider installing DIY laminate flooring, luxury vinyl planks – look at the new inkjet-printed tiles that replicate concrete and wood or check out the options for a polished concrete floor.
If you’re working on a tight budget, look at DIY options that will save you money. Most flooring solutions offer you the choice to do-it-yourself or have a professional installer to do the job for you.
Declutter and accessorise
When planning a mini makeover, set yourself a budget and aim to stay within its limits. You can cut costs by simply adding new kitchen accessories to refresh and add colour at minimal cost.
You should also never underestimate the power of paint. Use paint in a variety of ways to give the space a brand new feel.
Even something as small as cleaning and decluttering can make a big difference to the space. We all tend to accumulate stuff over the years. For a fresh look, keep your belongings and accessories to a minimum.
Make or buy new window treatments. Coordinate fabrics and colours with the style of the kitchen or use fabrics to introduce pattern and colour to liven up a bland kitchen. Roman blinds are easy to make too, and you can choose your own fabric and style.
Storage space in a kitchen is at a premium, and you can incorporate open shelving for both a visually attractive and practical solution. Use shelves to declutter countertops or display some of your favourite pieces.
Article courtesy of www.home-dzine.co.za.
Source: www.property24.com
