Update Your Kitchen for $100 or Less
Paint is your new best friend when it comes to inexpensive kitchen updates. It can be used to change the look of outdated cabinets, bring that harvest gold appliance into this century and even make your counters look like new.
To wake up tired cabinets, take off all of the doors, pull out all of the drawers, remove hardware and empty everything. Clean all surfaces to be painted with TSP (available in paint stores and most hardware mega-stores). All surfaces need a good sanding with #150 or #200 sandpaper or liquid sander. Wipe all surfaces off with a tack cloth then apply a coat of primer. Once that’s dry, apply at least two coats of oil-based enamel paint in a medium shine. The best finish is one where you have applied two thin coats of paint then one medium coat. If you are going to change hardware from a two-screw handle or knob to a one-screw handle or knob, fill in the extra hole with a strong wood filler before sanding. Staining is another option, but because you have to strip off all of the finish on all surfaces, it is a little more time-consuming.
If your kitchen hardware is wooden, you can paint it the same color as the cabinets or an accent color. If the hardware is metal, you can spray paint it in a metallic finish or flat black. If you don’t have too many drawers and doors, you might just consider replacing the hardware. While you can buy inexpensive hardware, do bear in mind that it will not last as long as more expensive pieces.
Stoves, refrigerators, and dishwashers and also be spray painted. Clean well and allow, allow to dry, and tape off areas you don’t want to paint. Then spray with a primer before applying your color. Several coats will give you a better finish.
Painting your walls can change the kitchen almost as much as changing the cupboards. With all of the appliances, cupboards and doorways, most kitchens don’t have that much wall space so you can get a little more daring than you might be able to in a bedroom. When choosing a color keep in mind that both yellow and orange are said to stimulate appetite (citrus orange is also associated with healthy foods) and violet is said to suppress appetite.
If you are able to miter corners, you might consider adding a chair rail or molding at the ceiling to add interest. The wood for these projects is relatively inexpensive. You might also consider stenciling; again, another inexpensive option that can add a lot of interest. Change up the dÃ?©cor with some new hand towels and dishrags, a new set of canisters, or some new window treatments. Watch for sales and shop discount homeware stores or stores such as T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s or Tuesday Mornings to find new things for less.
If your kitchen is really in need of an update, it would be impossible to do a good job of it for under $100. But you can make a difference for that with some paint and hard work. If you are just looking for a new look in your kitchen, paint is the quickest way to make a difference. Update your tired window treatments; there are a lot of terrific inexpensive ways to dress your windows. If you’ve got room above your cupboards for display, shop around your house for interesting things to display. Baskets are an obvious choice. You can also make an interesting display using wine bottles and your wine glasses. Do you have beautiful serving pieces that rarely get used? Display them.
What ever you choose to do, remember, you’ll spend a lot of time in your kitchen so make it a place you enjoy being and a place that truly reflects your interests.
