Lose the guilt about not loving your kitchen by updating it for less than the cost of a full remodel. Change the look of your kitchen with a little paint, time and select items. It’s not always about the function or the age of the kitchen; sometimes you just don’t love the finishes. I went from feeling blah to yeah, with the projects in this post. These 10 ideas can help inspire you to change a few things about your kitchen so you love your space again.
When we went to the design center to pick finishes for our new build, we weren’t in love with all of the options. Instead of paying a large mark up for things we didn’t like, we decided to keep our mortgage payment lower by keeping the standard selections until we saved money to upgrade to what we wanted on our own. It is a slower process making do with what you have, but later you can end up with purchases you feel good about.
Lighting
One of the easiest ways to personalize the space or upgrade the look is to change out the lighting. Changing out the pendant lights over the island and chandelier over the kitchen table from builder’s grade to lights that fit the style of the home was key. Our house is new but it’s not the clean line, sharp edge, modern style. There is more of an old world feel to our house. Having so many arches and dark wood in the house, I went with lights that had curves and details that felt like they had history. For example, the lights have rounded features and are made of recycled glass.
See bottom of post for link about lighting.
Paint
When we first moved in I did not know what colors I wanted to use in this house. Painting a room a few times is not daunting to me. Changing the initial paint color from the chalky almond color to one that I had used in previous houses was a welcome change. Sherwin Williams Blonde is a warm neutral yellow that can warm up a room and goes with almost anything. The problem was that I had lived with that color for many years and I wanted something different. I still lived with it in this house for nearly six years until I got around to changing it.
I really liked the paint color that I mixed up in the front of the house and realized that it would totally work with the existing granite counters. Even better, it would pull more of the gray tones from the granite and less of the yellow, which is what I was wanting. The dark espresso stained cabinets made things look heavy but painting them was a big NO from my husband. So, I worked around them. Painting the ceilings to match the light trim and then the walls to match the dining room and entry helped to lighten the room and give it a modern vibe without laying a finger on the cabinets. See, I can compromise.
NOTE:
The color of the walls and ceiling will reflect onto other surfaces and will affect the appearance, or color, of surrounding furniture or finishes. The bolder the color, the more color reflects. But on the flip side, if you have a dark room, a lighter ceiling and wall color can help reflect light all around. The type of light bulbs you use will also greatly impact the color in your room. Warm bulbs are more yellow and daylight bulbs are more blue.
Backsplash
Eventually I want to install some actual tile to change out the backsplash, but in the meantime I tried out a relatively new product. The peel and stick tiles from Smart Tiles were just too intriguing to pass up. In the end, I am fine with them as a temporary fix. Unless you have a perfectly smooth surface for them to adhere to, I am not convinced they are a long term solution. Click here for a tutorial link on Smart Tiles.
Opting for a vanilla or off-white backsplash as opposed to a bright white helped to provide cohesion with the busy granite pattern and the existing paint trim and doors. A bright white would have clashed with the cream of the woodwork. If your counters have a strong pattern, don’t add to the chaos by putting in a busy tile. The island was also going to have a pattern, so I really wanted to pick something that did not compete for attention.
Island
Since the backsplash and walls were such a neutral color, I was able to add a pop of bold color and pattern to the free standing island. The base coat of blue was a good complimentary, yet vibrant, choice against the neutral backdrop. The cost of real hand painted tiles was too much to spend until I knew I liked the look. Instead, I used a stencil to create the look of tiles with the blue and white paint. See how here.
Table and Chairs
The curved features of the dining set and repeating pattern in the chair caning echoed the circles of the chandelier, the arches in the architecture (neighboring rooms), and the existing valances. Ideally, the paint on the table and chairs would have been a creamier white, but I was testing a new paint brand and I am fine with it. No need to get hung up on it not matching exactly. Once the table and chairs were refinished, I covered the chair seats with a solid blue fabric with a circular texture. Repeating and enforcing that round shape once again. Link to fix cane back chairs here. Link for the table makeover here. See bottom of post for link on recovering a chair.
Sideboard
The blue sideboard utilizes the same paint as the island to tie in the kitchen’s dining section with the preparation area. Repeating the blue on the dining table in the next room provides cohesion throughout the entire house. See refinishing post here.
The hardware was just too charming to replace so I opted to polish the brass. You can find that tutorial here. Even though there are stainless steel appliances and brushed nickel hardware on the cupboards, I don’t feel the need to have everything match. This is a free standing piece that sits on the opposite side of the room from the other metals so I think it can get away with a different metallic finish.
Other Details
Some of the subtle details that can personalize the space and elevate it are window treatments, hardware and accents.
Not a fan of the rectangular widows but not wanting to block the precious natural light, I opted to make arched valances for the windows. With the help of plywood, L brackets, foam board, batting and fabric, I created curved valances that mimic the curve on the pantry door.
Inside the pantry door, I painted the inset as a chalkboard for others to easily add to the grocery list. Here’s the link.
Drawer pulls were purchased at Restoration Hardware, but I offset the expense with the cabinet knobs purchased at Home Depot. Hardware is like jewelry for the kitchen and adds a little shine or bling to the scene. Installing light up outlet covers in a matter of minutes was another great way to create some drama in the kitchen each evening. The snap on outlets were easy to change out and have a light sensor and will turn on when dark and turn off when light. So easy! Here’s a link to easy updates.
Well, there you have it. Hopefully this helped to inspire some ideas for your kitchen. The great thing about these updates is that the kitchen was never torn apart at any time. We could completely function as the transformation was taking place. Each project could be completed to fit the family schedule and budget. Sometimes you just need a little time, patience and DIY grit to make a house a home.
Related Posts:
How to Paint a Straight Line on Rounded Corners
The Proper Way to Clean a Paint Brush
Calculating How Much Paint to Buy
Different Types of Paint Sheens and When to Use Them
Tips and Tricks to Install Smart Tiles (with VIDEOS)
Farmhouse Kitchen Table Makeover
Tutorial on Re-Covering a Chair Seat (with VIDEO)
Stenciled Kitchen Island Tutorial
Guide to Successful Stenciling (with VIDEO)
The Best Way to Polish Brass (with VIDEO)
