5 Ways to Breathe New Life into your Tired Kitchen

The kitchen is often the heart of many homes and along with the bathroom, it can be the most costly part of your home to update. If your kitchen is looking a bit tired, dated and in need of a makeover, you may be thinking you can’t afford the time, expense and effort it takes to remodel. Thankfully, redesigning your kitchen doesn’t have to be an expensive undertaking and a few small changes can make a world of difference and help your kitchen both look and feel brand new.

Here are some simple ideas for you to consider, which will breathe new life and style to your kitchen space.

Splashback Makeover

Changing those 70’s style wall tiles to a more modern and up to date design can lift your kitchen and brighten the entire room. If you’re not a fan of tiling or can’t afford to get an expert in, you could consider painting them with specialised tile paint, and if your grout is looking a bit grimy, you can freshen this up with a grout paint pen – easy to use and really effective.

If your tiles are already plain and you would like to update them with some eye-catching and chic designs, it’s worth considering tile transfers or stencils. Be sure to use high-quality brands to increase durability and avoid using transfers on tiles nearest your sink.

If you can’t stand the sight of your tiles at all, you could try an alternative like mirrored glass or acrylic splashbacks, which can bring a modern and sleek finish to your room.

Reviving Cupboard Doors

Whilst you may feel that your kitchen cupboards have no life left in them, you will be amazed at what can be achieved with a lick of paint and some new handles. Yes, it does take a bit of time to achieve but the results can be quite remarkable. If painting isn’t your idea of fun, then all is not lost! You can achieve even more stunning results by replacing your cabinet doors and drawer fronts entirely. By using cut to size mdf this can be both easy, affordable and gives you more options when it comes to the style and look you are hoping to achieve.

Fresh Flooring

Flooring can have more impact on the look of your kitchen than you might expect. If you loathe your faded lino, it might be worth trying some new flooring options to refresh the space. There are lots of affordable options – laminate wood panels, laminate tiles, floor tiles and acrylic lining. You may even be lucky enough to find real wood floors lurking underneath that lovely lino, in which case a simple sand and varnish or a lick of paint may be the best option. 

Re-think Your Storage

Whilst this option can be a daunting one, it is well worth the consideration – what if you ditched your wall units and opted for a more streamlined, open look? By exposing more wall space, you can create a clean and less cluttered style, which works particularly well in smaller spaces. What do you do with all that wall space? Paint the walls in a strong colour, add eye-catching and elaborate artwork, mount open shelving of your choice, highlight architectural features or simply get creative and go all out with unique alternative storage solutions which best suit your space.  

Declutter

Is your kitchen drowning in gadgets and appliances? Do you have more spices than you know what to do with? Having a clear out of items that are on display in your kitchen might be a great option if you want to create a more workable and clean space to enjoy cooking in. That bread maker you bought 5 years ago, sitting there gathering dust – yes, it’s time to put it away or better yet, give it away! Clearing your surfaces and choosing the flow of your space can improve how inviting and indeed user-friendly your kitchen space can be. Be selective about what you display and put as much out of sight as you possibly can!

Are your kitchen appliances mismatching and dated? Purchasing some shiny new ones will help create a more up to date look, and if you go for colourful options these can add substance and act as features and accessories to your space.