A kitchen can be the hub of any home. While someone is cooking other people will sit and chat, kids will do their homework and it can be where the family all sits down together to enjoy their meals. After a while, they can start to look a bit unloved but there are lots of things you can do that do not involve spending fortunes.
Here are just a few suggestions of ways to revitalise your kitchen. You do not need to do them all but just pick the best options for you.
Start By Decluttering
Before you do anything else you should start by decluttering your kitchen. You should go through every food cupboard and your fridge. Check the dates on packets and tins and dispose of any that can no longer be eaten. In just those cupboards alone you will create some extra space, and when you start emptying the others of things that are never used, you will suddenly find you have more free cupboard space than you could have imagined.
You can use this to clear things off the work surfaces and only keep out items that are used every day. If you only use your food mixer once a month it could be in a cupboard and just be fetched out when you need it.
When you have cleared you worktops you will be surprised how much more spacious your kitchen looks and if you carry on with the decluttering around the whole room, it could well be that you do not need to do anything else. If you declutter bigger items like cookers and fridges, be sure to call a professional fridge recycling company to ensure you can get rid of it quickly. Doing so will also ensure it’s disposed of safely and legally.
Buy Colourful Small Appliances
Small appliances and kitchen gadgets such as kettles, blenders, food processors and toasters do not have to be white or metallic, which seems to be the default for an awful lot of people. They all come in a variety of different colours that can add some extra interest to your kitchen. You do not need to have them as matching colours, as sometimes a mixture will look even better.
Hang New Window Dressings
Change your kitchen curtains for blinds, or vice versa, to create a new look and feel to your kitchen. The way your windows are dressed can make a big difference to the overall effect of everything else in this very important room.
Add Some Plants
Some people do not seem to have much luck growing plants, but the kitchen can be the ideal room for them. Even if you forget to water them they can soak up some of the moisture from the cooking so they will thrive for longer than they would in a living room.
Plants will help to keep the air fresh and research has shown that the vision of them lightens our moods. A few dotted about your kitchen could make it seem more homely. If you choose ones that do not flower so often they are generally simpler to care for too.
Change Your Lighting
You could change the main lights in your kitchen or add some under cabinet lights. Being able to see what you are doing on a work surface can be vitally important for safety reasons, which is why the under cabinet lights have become so popular. They are inexpensive to buy and easy to install but can add extra atmosphere to your kitchen.
Change Your Canisters
If you have some things that will always be on show, such as a tea caddy and canisters for coffee and sugar, treat your kitchen to a new set. These are cheap to buy and come in so many different varieties you will be spoilt for choice. There are so many places to buy them from and you will find that a new set occasionally can give your kitchen the lift it needs.
Get The Paint Out
If you change nothing else in your kitchen but buy a pot of paint, you can make a huge difference to its appearance. It could be the walls you opt for. You could change the colour totally or just refresh the existing one. Painting the walls is not a difficult task and can make your kitchen feel like new.
Some people opt to paint their cupboard doors too. Although not as easy as the walls to paint as they need to be sanded first, the effect of these having their colour changed can be quite striking.
Newly painted walls, and cupboard doors will transform your kitchen into a new looking area that is a great place for the whole family.
Hang Some Shelves
If you have nooks and crannies in your kitchen that are pretty useless, try putting some small shelves in them. These can be used to hold plants or ornaments and turn a useless space into something attractive. If you have wall space for larger shelves, they can be useful for storing pots and pans and many other things that will help to clear your work surfaces.
Add A New Splashback
Adding a new splashback can be much simpler than you think, as you no longer have to use tiles and grout. Now you can buy stick-on splashback panels that you just cut to the size you want. These could not be simpler to use and come in a huge variety of textures and colours.
Change The Furniture
This might not be the cheapest option on this list but it still does not need to be too costly if you shop around. Find a new kitchen table and chairs and you will see the huge difference that some new furniture can make to your kitchen.
If you prefer, just paint and recover the chairs to get a new look. Then put a tablecloth on the table and you will have some new furniture without spending more than a few pounds.
Make The Changes One At A Time
If you like several of the ideas mentioned above, you do not have to rush and do them all at once. You can do them over time to help spread the cost and the effort needed to give you an upgraded kitchen.