5 Upgrades for a Wow-Worthy Kitchen

5 Upgrades for a Wow-Worthy Kitchen

Kitchens are fundamentally the lifeblood of any home. Sure, the living room and bedrooms are important, but it’s the kitchen that makes a house into a home. When the kitchen is impressive and inviting, the whole family can picture themselves in and about it in their everyday lives. But too often we forget about how important the kitchen is, and it falls behind the rest of the house’s modernity. To remedy that, here’s five ways you can upgrade your kitchen to make it wow-worthy.

1.Paint a Fresh New Color

One of the best ways to update and upgrade your kitchen is to give it a whole new style. To accomplish this, without cost-intensive and lengthy renovation, is to give it a new coat of paint in an exciting new color. Redoing the colors of any room makes it look new and different, but the kitchen is unique in that cabinets are a primary of source of the room’s feel. Depending on the kitchen, your cabinets either replace the walls as the primary coloration or they’re an exceptionally large accent on your wall color. So when you approach repainting, consider the lighting and what colors will make it a friendly and relaxed space to do your cooking. Avoid dark colors in kitchens without a lot of natural light, and use the countertops as a reference for what sort of coloring works best.

2.Add Under-Cabinet Lighting

On the subject of cabinetry, paint isn’t the only way to update your kitchen to an enviable status. Make a show out of your kitchen by adding a theatrical flair with under-cabinet lighting. While it won’t make much of a difference in the day with your cooking, the under-cabinet lights can shape the shadows later in the evening to give your kitchen dramatic and classy look. These softer lights also have a more relaxed quality than overhead bulbs. The lights can come in multiple types, including some that are simple stick-on LEDs, so the upgrade won’t hurt your wallet, but you’ll reap aesthetic benefits well above the price tag.

3.Open Up Your Cabinetry

This next idea for the kitchen revamp is, again, about the cabinets. Your entire kitchen can feel more open and refreshed by converting some—or all—of your cabinets to open shelving. For some cabinet types, this can be as simple as removing the doors. However, not all cabinets are so simple, and just removing the doors can make your kitchen look unfinished, rather than new and exciting. Experiment first on how you like your cabinets without the doors, though do remember to keep any screws and other parts together, should you decide to reattach. Optionally, you can simply add some open shelving in other parts of your kitchen. With open shelving of either type, you can show off your dishware and glasses in creative ways that accent your décor. Otherwise, you’re missing out on a slew of decorations that you otherwise hide behind cabinet doors.

4.Revamp Your Hardware and Appliances

Moving on from cabinets, you can start to take stock of the little accents of your kitchen. Things like the outlets, faucets, and some of the smaller appliances should get surveyed to see how they’re holding up, especially if your kitchen has seen frequent use for several years. Damaged or worn parts should be replaced, particularly if they’re not functioning well. The shine of a new faucet or sink bed can be just what your kitchen needs to look brand-new, and all you did was change out part of it. Likewise, if your mixer, coffee maker, or microwave have seen better days, that replacement can go a long way in re-inventing your kitchen for that sought-after “wow” factor.

5.Improve Your Flooring

Lastly, look to the floor! This is both literal and relative. A new polish on your tile can be exceptional in presentation, but also consider replacing the kitchen mats or rugs that are worn out. Match them to your new paint job on the cabinets to really commit to your kitchen’s upgrade. Your lower cabinets could also probably use some attention, particularly near your appliances, as that’s where your feet are most likely to scuff and chip away at the paint and baseboards. If you identify particular problem areas—like say, in front of the microwave—make a note of it for future maintenance. 

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If you’d rather not deal with upgrading your kitchen to be the kitchen of your dreams. Let us help you find a home that has a wow-worthy kitchen without the hassle of renovating!