How to give your dated kitchen a makeover on a budget

Article summary

• The kitchen is the heart of the modern home, so kitchen renovations are most effective at boosting the value of your home.
• Focus on countertops, cabinets, flooring and lighting.
• Avoid any renovations that affect the drainage; as this will significantly increase the cost and time of the renovation.

The kitchen is the heart of the modern home, being not just the place where food is cooked, but a social gathering spot and a place to get work done.

So if you’re looking to improve the value of your home, kitchen renovation is the way to do it; and if you can do it on a budget, all the better. Whatever your level of investment, you’ll be significantly boosting the value of your home.

6 Tips for a Budget kitchen makeover

Through these alterations, you can:

• Make a dated kitchen look modern.
• Make a small kitchen look larger.
• Make a cluttered kitchen look neater.

Areas to focus on:

1. Countertops.
2. Cabinets.
3. Paint.
4. Flooring.
5. Lighting.
6. Going green.

Our recommendation:

Leave the drainage and sink alone! Moving drainage is the most expensive and complicated part of kitchen renovation, so you want to avoid touching the plumbing. Any kitchen renovation plans should involve working around it.

1. Countertops

Admittedly, new countertops can be expensive, but it’s one of the most popular kitchen renovation options for a reason.

• Quartz and granite are sought-after materials.
• Butcher block and wooden slabs are more affordable options that bring a rustic and homely feel to the kitchen.

2. Cabinets

• Want an easy kitchen renovation option? Simply replace cabinet handles. It’s cheap to do and makes a massive difference.
• Refacing cabinets is also an option, in other words, replacing the cabinet “skins”. This achieves a modern look without requiring you to replace the cabinets.

3. Paint

• A repaint is the go-to option for any room. The choice of colour is pivotal. White is a popular choice as it helps create a sense of spaciousness (the classic Scandinavian kitchen is defined by white colouring).

4. Flooring

• Flooring is visible throughout the kitchen. Optimal flooring should match with the kitchen’s overall theme.
• Laminate wood, ceramic and vinyl floors are popular options.

5. Lighting

• Light are easy to replace, and new lighting enhances the ambience and mood of a room. This is especially important in a room that will frequently be used for social gatherings.
• Pendant lights are a new kitchen trend. Not only do they effectively light up the space, they provide focal points for the kitchen.
• Homeowners like to place the lights over critical points of the kitchen, such as the island (the counter in the middle of the kitchen, usually removed from the workspace) and the sink.

6. Go green

• This makes  renovations more expensive in the short-term, but saves on costs in the long-term.
• Employ eco-friendly materials for cabinets, countertops and flooring.
• Bamboo countertops are becoming popular as they are sustainable and aesthetically appealing.
• Replace appliances with energy-efficient versions where possible.

All of these methods allow you to reforge the kitchen in your image and boost the value of your home with minimal investment.