How to Upgrade Your Kitchen on a Budget

Deck out your kitchen in a million-dollar style—without paying anywhere near as much

Family and friends are coming over for the holidays, so you want your kitchen to make a great impression. Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

The dog days of summer are long gone, the leaves have fallen from the trees, and the last of the fragile outdoor potted plants have been brought inside. The kitchen is once again the social center of the family universe, and you’re noticing that it has become a bit drab.

No worries! There are plenty of ways to make your kitchen look like it’s had an expensive update without breaking the bank or enduring the major upheaval of a renovation—if you could even find an available contractor at this time of year. In fact, you may love your “new” kitchen so much that you put off any thoughts of renovation entirely.

Family and friends are coming over for the holidays, so you want your kitchen to make a great impression. Here’s how to do it and still have money left over for gifts.

Lighting has the power to transform the mood of a room. Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Completely Free

The first things to do don’t cost anything. Deep clean your kitchen, and we mean every surface; it’s amazing what a pristine sink, countertop, cabinets, nooks, crannies, and sparkling appliances can do for the place. A clean kitchen provides a calm and relaxing environment, makes cooking more convenient, and is more hygienic. Put on some music as you work, and you’ll feel like a celebrity chef.

Another instantaneous boost comes from moving things around. Nothing major, just rearrange countertop appliances, knife blocks, spice racks, and other knickknacks (or store them out of sight), shift a moveable kitchen island, or rearrange the seating layout at the breakfast bar. If it isn’t permanently installed, you can relocate it.

Once the kitchen is clean, you can bring those fragile outdoor plants into the kitchen, where they will lend a summery ambiance, help to purify the air, and be steps away from the sink for easier watering.

Artwork and rugs are another way to instantly enhance a drab kitchen.New Africa/Shutterstock

Frugal and Effective

New knobs give cabinets a vibrant refresh in minutes. A new faucet can be a focal point that makes something as simple as filling a pot fun. Towels, curtains, storage canisters, cutting boards, knife blocks, paper towel holders, and more can all be replaced inexpensively and are an easy way to change the color theme of the room without whipping out a paintbrush. Or, just go neutral, with one or two items for a pop of colorful pizzazz.

Speaking of the magic of the paintbrush, light colors brighten a room, make it seem larger, and therefore can accomplish a lot for the cost of a gallon of paint and a brush or a roller with a tray. White is a classic for a reason, but the kitchen walls are a great place to have a little fun. Like a modern lady’s foundation, yellow, light green, pale blue, cream, misty gray, and similar shades reflect the light to hide the signs of age (dings, dents, and scratches) on walls—and if you’re feeling daring, on the cabinets, too.

Dark colors have their place as well, especially on cabinets, where colors such as dark green are both trendy and timeless. While you’re at it, why not add some crown molding along the top of your cabinets to add a custom look to stock boxes?

A Light Touch

Lighting has the power to transform the mood of a room. Replace the standard center-of-the-ceiling utilitarian light fixture that comes with many homes and rentals with a new chandelier or pendant light that will add elegance, style, or even whimsy. If living in a rental, get the landlord’s permission, of course; you can reinstall the old fixture when you move out.

Puck lights installed underneath cabinets enhance work areas and illuminate dark corners. Set on a dimmer, these lights can be used as nightlights for children or guests, or to illuminate midnight snacks without disturbing others.

Perhaps the most overlooked space in a kitchen, the kick plate on the base cabinets can be easily illuminated with rope lights. This also works well as a nightlight, while the ground lighting adds a soft sophistication to even dated cabinets.

No More Ugly Appliances

Modern appliances have a definite life span. The refrigerator and dishwasher will ultimately wear out to the point where it’s no longer cost-effective to repair them. These necessary purchases are an opportune time for replacing that fridge with the scratches on it from the kids’ rough play when they were 5 years old, or one with a rusted stainless steel that can no longer be polished, or one with a 1970s dark brown or drab green surface that you’re tired of, for the glamor of stainless steel.

But why wait? Stainless steel contact paper is a rust-resistant, waterproof, peel-and-stick option for the refrigerator, dishwasher, and range hood. It also works on backsplashes and countertops, and is available in brushed nickel, black, and bronze black.

Artwork and rugs are another way to instantly enhance a drab room. Big prints make a room seem larger. When choosing a rug, remember to follow the 60–30–10 rule: 60 percent of it should match the room’s dominant color (usually the walls or cabinets), 30 percent should match the primary accent color, and 10 percent can be an additional accent color. Or, choose something neutral, as you don’t want to upset the final balance.

Dark-colored cabinets are both trendy and timeless. Archi_Viz/Shutterstock

Looking New Again

Kitchen remodels can get very costly, very quickly. Happily, you don’t need to spend thousands to enhance your kitchen space.

Cool Countertops

Nothing brings down a kitchen faster than a worn, outdated countertop. Replacing it, however, can be very expensive. So consider a marble-look epoxy countertop kit, which will last for years and can be applied over almost any existing surface.

Beautiful Backsplash

Prior to the 1950s, backsplashes were only a few inches tall to protect the wall from minor cooking spills and splashes. Today, they’re a key design element. Subway tiles, mosaic tiles, or cut-price remnant quartz or granite pieces all make attractive, affordable options.

What’s Underfoot

Peel-and-stick vinyl floor tiles can be applied over just about any level surface. Other cheap to moderately priced flooring options include vinyl plank, sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tile (that can be grouted), laminate, and plywood. Or, simply put down a rug.