If your family is anything like mine, they simply love to hang around the kitchen. After all, as they say, it is the very heart of the home. Naturally most of us invest more money in the kitchen than we do in any other room but, let’s face it, it’s worth every penny. Who isn’t proud of having a kitchen that everyone admires? We love our kitchen and we love it when our family and friends share that love with a cup of Hoxton Coffee or a glass of wine.
A fully fitted kitchen is always beautiful – a great worktop, modern efficient fridge, freezer, oven, hob and other appliances and cupboards; that special designer feel to the room. Perhaps we can’t stretch our budget to cover all the latest equipment, coffee machines and gadgets, especially if this is our first step onto the property ladder, but we can still make our kitchen a fantastic place to be just by giving it a carefully thought our face lift. It is easy really: here are just a few ideas that will make the best that old tired kitchen and give it a real facelift:
Repaint the walls door and windows
Paint is really inexpensive, and even after you add all the extras such as paint brushes, sand paper and white spirit it isn’t going to break your budget. In just a few hours you can entirely transform how your kitchen looks and change that old fashioned space to one that is young and vibrant. A top tip is to choose light colours that will make your kitchen look larger than it really is. Neutral colours are a great idea; they can make a kitchen look brand new and bigger than it really is.
Another good reason for choosing neutral colours is that it is the best choice should you decide to sell your home as potential buyers tend to be put off by bright colour schemes; it is well established that neutral light colours can help the sale along.
Replace your cabinet doors
It is probable that your actual cupboards are fine, even if they do look a little old and outdated. The reason they do is almost certainly the cupboard doors. Fashions change and what was trendy several years might no longer be so.
Changing your cupboard doors isn’t expensive, and with so many different styles to choose from you are certain to find something suitable. It all depends on the kind of look you want to achieve. For instance, if you prefer the look of a traditional kitchen wooden doors are likely to be the best choice. You could go for solid oak or pine doors; both look great.
The modern trend is for high gloss doors in white and pastel or primary colours. Doors with smooth lines and no handles are a popular choice.
Replace your worktops
It is surprisingly easy to replace your kitchen worktops. Over time old worktops can get damaged, and laminated worktops that have been joined are vulnerable to moisture damage. Moisture can penetrate and cause the laminate to swell and bubble up around joins, taps and sink.
You could choose to replace a damaged laminate worktop with one made of similar material, alternatively you could choose one that is tougher and hard wearing. Granite is popular, but a little expensive, though there are cheaper composite materials that are just as tough and considerably cheaper. Marble is another possibility if you want something really exotic. There are many different colours and finishes to choose from too.
Renew your appliances
Appliances can be expensive to replace, but if you shop around renewing them might not be as expensive as you think. If you are replacing several appliances, you might be able to get a special deal; it’s always worth asking for one.
You might choose to create a new look in your kitchen, for instance by installing an American style fridge freezer, or maybe a new modern oven. Doing so will certainly give your kitchen a much more contemporary look.
Replace the kitchen flooring
In older kitchens it was usual to use Lino as a floor covering. The advantage is it is hardwearing and waterproof, so any spills can be easily cleaned, however today it looks old fashioned and can become dowdy over the years.
If you are happy to spend a little more, then there are several choices you could go for. Wooden kitchen floors look great. You could choose solid wood or a real wood laminate. Tiled kitchen floors are another practical option that can look clean, modern and stylish. You could choose ceramic tiles or, if you are willing to invest a little more, real stone tiles.
There are plenty of options so do some browsing to find something you really like that is within your budget. Please get in touch, if you would like any help extending your kitchen.