Shane Inman is an interior designer located in New York, New York. Today, he’s sharing his tips to help you update your kitchen with any budget.
Paint cabinets. Your cabinets are the most expensive item in your kitchen to replace. If your cabinets are in relatively good shape – meaning that the interior shelves are still holding up and the doors are not falling off – you can paint them. To end up with a great paint job, you must remove all hardware (hinges and door handles), give the cabinets a good cleaning with a degreaser, and prime them. Then, finally, you are ready for paint.
Update backsplash. If there is currently nothing but paint on your backsplash, adding tile will give your kitchen a much more finished look. Put up your favorite color to accentuate your style. Using the smallest possible grout line and placing the tile on the diagonal will help you achieve a more custom look.
Flooring. Replacing your flooring with a material that is more up-to-date will single-handedly transform your current kitchen from old to brand new! Tile is always more practical than linoleum and more resistant to wear and tear. Porcelain tile is gaining in popularity over ceramic tile because of its through-body composition, which gives it superior durability and beauty. As with the backsplash, a diagonal layout and the smallest possible grout line will create a more special look – and will make a small kitchen appear larger. Smaller grout lines are also easier to keep clean.
Lighting. Installing under-cabinet lighting (task lighting) in your kitchen will help you see better while prepping food on your counter. In-cabinet lighting (accent lighting) will draw attention to attractive decorative items on the shelves (this only works with open cabinets or those with glass doors).
Paint walls. Applying a fresh coat of paint is the most inexpensive way to update any space. It is important to use one of the new paints specially formulated for kitchens and bathrooms so that you can wash and scrub the surfaces without causing damaging side effects over time.
And when it’s all done? You’ll feel like you’re in a new home – in fact, even if you were planning to put your house on the market, you may love your updated kitchen so much that you’ll decide to stay!
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