Is your basic kitchen a bit too blah? With a little creativity and a minor investment, you can improve the style and flow of the most popular room in your house. Try one of these ideas from the design experts at Better Homes & Gardens.
Have standard wood cabinets? Get creative with paint! Choose a color that blends with your backsplash tile, such as cream or white, to open up a small space, or be on trend and paint the lower cabinets a darker color, such as charcoal gray or dark blue, and the upper cabinets white.
Feeling closed in? Consider converting a cabinet or two to open shelving. Remove the door and leave the existing shelving and back of the cabinet in place to create continuity with your other cabinets. Then stock this open space with decorative plates and glassware.
Update, don’t replace appliances. If older appliances are still in good working condition, but looking a little worse for the wear, don’t waste money on replacing them. Instead, research the possibility of using appliance-approved paint or magnetic stainless panels.
Get trendy with details. Making a design statement is all in the details, so have fun with small items, like drawer pulls, cabinet knobs or the faucet and sink handles. Changing out these items can quickly change your look.
Remove a door or two. Create your own version of an open floor plan by taking down some doors in your kitchen area. For example, if you’ve got a pantry closet, do away with the door, install some nice painted shelving, and stock it with attractive containers, like baskets and glass jars. Your closet has now become an attractive extension of your kitchen space.
Making such enhancements to your kitchen will not only give it a welcome refresh, it will most likely add to your home’s resale value, should you be thinking about listing anytime soon. If that’s the case, consult a real estate professional to find out which updates will yield the best return.
