11 Ways to Update Your Kitchen Without Remodeling

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The kitchen is the workhorse of your home. Family and Friends tend to gravitate to the kitchen whether you’re hosting an event or simply trying to prepare dinner for your family. No matter what it may be, not only do I want a functional kitchen but a pretty one at that. These 11 Ways to Update Your Kitchen Without Remodeling will provide big changes and save you a lot of time.

The good news is there is a great way to make affordable updates with a small budget for an outdated kitchen. These 11 Ways to Update Your Kitchen Without Remodeling to give it new life make it look pretty and inviting and add value at the same time.

When we purchased our home a little over four years ago, I knew that when we had the budget, we would change the layout of our kitchen. But we had to tackle some other projects first, such as installing the plumbing & electrical for the laundry room. So, we had to deal with the kitchen as it was. However, over the last four years, we would work on little things that would be Inexpensive ways to update a kitchen to give it new life, like adding a vintage kitchen sink, replacing the faucet, and changing out the drawer pulls and cabinet handles to freshen up the look, and I could live with the other issues for now. It’s amazing how those little changes gave the whole room a whole new look.

There are new things to consider for kitchen update ideas without spending a fortune for an average kitchen remodel when working with a limited budget. I have waited a long time to make changes in my kitchen, I mean, four years may not seem that long, but I wanted to give it an updated look without spending a fortune on labor costs.

What are some budget kitchen ideas?

• Our old cabinets were in good shape, and I did not think we needed new kitchen cabinets, so adding new cabinet hardware gave it a whole new look. Not to mention, new cabinets are very expensive, especially when you are working with a tight budget.
• Although the cabinets had this dated cabinet stain color, we felt the simple way to freshen up this old kitchen was to give the cabinets a good cleaning with some murphy’s oil which did the trick.
• We use a butcher block as a kitchen island, but if you do not have one, a table is an easy way to give your kitchen extra workspace.
• This may be a lot of money, or maybe you have it in your budget is add a new countertop. That will make a huge impact on your kitchen.
• Change the wall color by adding white paint or a pop of color to brighten the space.
• Changing out the backsplash tile will make a big difference.

We have visions of our dream kitchen, but for now, we have to work with what we have and create an affordable kitchen update. We also had to prepare for new appliances because the ones we had seen had better days. One evening, as we were cooking dinner and wondering why the chicken wasn’t done yet, we realized the oven had stopped working. Needless to say, we were not happy. We were trying to find affordable ways to find a stove at least, but what we saw did not look so good. So, we made a trip to our local hardware store, the home depot, for new kitchen appliances. We decided on stainless steel, which greatly impacted the look of your kitchen.

Here are 11 Ways to Update Your Kitchen Without Remodeling

These easy ideas to update a kitchen Without Remodeling are the best ways to get started!

1. Add new flooring, maybe wood floors
2. Change out the kitchen hardware to new hardware
3. Install Ceramic Tiles
4. have custom cabinets installed
5. Rope lights under cabinets & cabinet lighting
6. Update Light Fixtures to Pendant lights
7. A fresh coat of paint to add a pop of color or even bright white
8. Design an Accent Wall or an entire wall
9. Add Open shelving
10. New Backsplash like tile backsplash
11. Change out the door or drawer fronts

Where do I begin?

First, The most important thing is you need to have a realistic budget set. Also, you remember you want to keep a budget aside for unexpected issues, especially if you renovate an old kitchen. A motto to keep in the back of your head is always to expect the unexpected! 

Secondly, have a time frame for the amount of time you will need to complete the project, and always allow a little wiggle room for any issues that may arise unexpectedly; for example: removing the old tile may have mold behind it or now you have a mold issue that needs to be taken care of before adding that beautiful white subway tile you have been dreaming of for your kitchen. 

Furthermore, you will want to keep a list of what is needed to be replaced for the problems you just became aware of that needs to be remedied. 

Lastly, as you go through your list of what needs to be taken care of, you will also need to create a list of supplies and measurements. Creating this list will surely help you keep track. You may also run into issues when renovating, so don’t forget to add what needs to be tackled to your list.

Pro Tip: Steer clear from cheap ways of doing something just to do it. It will save you money in the long run.

How much does it cost to renovate a kitchen?

It really depends on the size of your kitchen, and it also depends on how much you want to do. A complete kitchen renovation for an average kitchen can start between $10k-$25k. Also, keep in mind that it also depends on many factors, such as if there are problems with electrical or if the plumbing needs to be replaced, so you have to plan that there could be issues that can exhaust your budget.

When should I update my kitchen?

• When you have visual clutter that tells you that you are lacking space.
• Counters are showing wear & tear is a good sign that it is time.
• Lighting that is not placed in the appropriate area causes bad lighting.
• The flow of the kitchen is just not working.
• Appliances & Cabinets are outdated.

I hope this post and tips have helped you! Let me know in the comments with any questions you may have!

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