Want to invest in the part of your home that will get the biggest bang for your buck on a sale? Look no further than your very own kitchen. While the kitchen is definitely one of the top places buyers look for upgrades, you don’t need to spend a fortune to give it a fresh new look. There’s so much you can do with a little imagination. Here are 7 clever ideas to transform your kitchen on a budget!
Painting Kitchen Cabinets
If they are still in good condition, just paint rather than replace them. This is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to create a fresh new look for your kitchen. A good thing to always keep in mind is to prime them before painting. Make sure to pick a color that integrates with the rest of the kitchen. Whites, grays, and even blues are still in vogue today. The newest trends are lending towards warm earth tones.
Replacing Doors
If you are not satisfied with just painting them, you can opt to replace doors and drawer fronts - a different front is a sure-fire way to make a new style statement. It’s also an easy way to upgrade the cabinets without footing the bill for an entire tear-down and re-build of the most expensive kitchen upgrade.
Add a Wall Covering
Adding wall coverings instead of a traditional tile backsplash will add volume to your countertops and kitchen area. Plus, they are easy to install. Wallpaper is in fashion right now and it even comes in peel-n-stick, which is easy to apply.
Color Touch-Up
You don’t need to change the color of your whole kitchen, you can always choose to highlight one area with some color to wake up a flat wall or even kitchen island. Make sure the colors work together, and always think about using a neutral color to attract the most buyers. Again, grays and whites are all the rage, but the newest trends lend toward earth-tones and light woods. If you have a brown-toned space, consider using a greige to tastefully incorporate the gray and the beige or a light wood to add contrast to dark browns.
Install Knobs and Pulls
Aside from giving you convenience, this will instantly give your kitchen a professional feel and look. Consider using a simple brushed nickel, black, gold, or oil-rubbed bronze. Gold tones are back again, just choose simple and clean lines when looking at hardware.
Set Up Shelves
Not only will this give you a ton of storage space, you can display your fancy kitchen wares and pretty potted plants. Open shelving with wood shelves and black supports are all the rage.
Add More Lighting
There’s nothing better than a well-lit kitchen. Warm lighting is generally better. Recessed lighting will brighten your whole kitchen. If that's too much of a splurge, consider changing out the main light fixture to a more modern fixture or adding under-cabinet lights. You can also consider changing the light switch panels since they're extremely cheap and easy to replace.
Wishing for a new kitchen is one thing but actually paying for it is another. Each item on the list is relatively easy to pull off and less expensive than a full re-model. You don’t have to do all of them, just consider two or three refreshers and your kitchen will be more delightful and up-to-date in no time. Are you planning some upgrades to get your home ready to sell? Contact Team Thiel first so we can give you our professional opinion on what will yield you the biggest bang for your buck in resale value. If you're not located in the Washington, DC area, let us connect you with a trusted colleague in your area.
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