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Redoing your kitchen can be a daunting task. Some projects need weeks, cost thousands upon thousands of dollars and lock you out of your personal hearth for an unbearable amount of time.
But what if you could refresh your kitchen for just three figures in a weekend or less? With a good amount of planning and smart shopping, you can accomplish a modern kitchen renovation without ripping out walls, replacing the appliances or building custom cabinets.
To begin, you want to establish a budget. This can help guide your decisions and figure out what is doable on your dime. Maybe you want a new stove, but can only afford to replace that broken burner. Decision made.
Look below for more ideas on how to get yourself a new DIY kitchen that won’t require weeks of contractors traipsing through your house.
Paint the Cabinets
There are packaged kits designed to make repaint cabinets easy. Before you start, you have to mark which cabinet door and hardware goes where so you don’t have a difficult time returning everything to its proper place. Remove all of the hardware and store it in one place — this is particularly important if you re going to reuse it. You make also want to tape where the cabinets meet the walls and ceiling, to keep the lines clean.
Remember, not just the wood can be painted, but also the hinges and even the handles. Be sure to buy the right type of paint for metal and prepare the surfaces properly. Some lower quality cabinetry may not be easily repainted because the plywood or fiberboard isn’t designed to be refinished.
Instead of sanding and priming, you may be able to use a deglosser kit to prep the cabinets. These kits contain most of what you need to do an average size job. Be sure to measure your cabinets to be sure how much coverage you need and how much the product you’re buying promises.
Repainting cabinets may require several coats of paint, particularly when you’re using whites and light colors over dark woods.
If you don’t like the look that comes with using paint brushes, you may want to consider a semi-professional spray gun to apply the same paint, particularly to the doors.
Contact Paper
You’ll be surprised at how easily you can turn contact paper into wallpaper and redo the counters and walls of your hearth. If you want to do add a layer of durability, brush on a polyeurethane topcoat. If you’re a renter, you’ll likely need to forgo this step if you ever want to see your deposit again.
New Cabinet Hardware
A different style of handles and hinges can change the look if your kitchen cabinets, even if you don’t repaint them. Trade in that colonial homestead brass that came with the bicentennial ‘70s and update to a modern, streamlined style. If you can’t find the perfect replacement for your hardware, you can spray paint what you have and still have an impactful upgrade.
Peel and Stick Backsplash
Numerous options exist for restyling the area behind your stove where all of the grease and soup stains wind up. You can get peel and stick tiles in a dollar store or home goods store. You can also get peel and stick vinyl wallpaper to restyle the blank wall. In preparation for adhering the paper, you’ll probably need a plastic paint guide to help ensure the paper sticks evenly and an X-acto knife to cut out rectangles to get access to the electrical outlets and trim off the edges.
Change the Light Fixtures
Replacing a light fixture may not seem like an obvious move. Sometimes kitchen lights can be painfully utilitarian fluorescent strips or out of date chandeliers. Getting a new light figure can be a relatively easy way to greatly impact the look of the whole room. You can switch the style from stark utilitarian to boho chic or upscale farmhouse with just a little basic electrical knowhow. Most lighting changes don’t require major rewiring, but if you’re handy with wcrecutters, you can make a room look very different with the right fixture.
Accent Wall
You may not want to paint an entire kitchen or all of the cabinets, but you can still apply color strategically. Consider painting one part of your kitchen to make a visual statement and draw attention or hide stains. It can add a lot of interest and visual depth in a room that often winds up being forgettably off-white.
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