How to Upgrade Your Kitchen Experience
Even if you haven't updated your kitchen in years, you may want to rethink the project before choosing a major renovation. By keeping the good parts of your kitchen that already exist and layering in a few changes, you can create a dazzling new kitchen, correct some functional glitches while still avoiding a big expenditure.
Everyone congregates in the kitchen. It’s the hub of activity and conversation, and most likely the favorite room in the house. Today, we’re sharing some budget friendly kitchen features that will be pleasing to the eye, create a perfect kitchen experience and welcome family and friends to stay and linger longer.
1. Built-In Bar or Beverage Center
Designate a table or nook as the beverage station and make all your surfaces user friendly. Group your coffee machine, teapots, french presses, and pour overs together then accent the counter space or shelves with a beautiful collection of cappuccino mugs in your favorite hue to create the ultimate espresso experience.
courtesy of Martha Stewart
2. Kitchen Island & Seating
Think “old-fashioned when it comes to islands. A built in island is costly and labor intensive. It requires a plan with drawings, fabrication, a custom countertop along with installation. According to Kitchen Advisor, Custom kitchen islands usually range in price from $3,000 to $10,000 compared to a solid pine wooden table from IKEA for $99 or a Serena and Lily beach house table for $3,000. Adding a vintage worktable feels authentic and homey. It serves the same purpose as a custom island but creates a cozier and more nostalgic feel to the space.
3. Incorporate Open Shelves
Create an airy and updated look by mixing in open shelves with your fixed cabinetry. It adds a bit of lightness to the kitchen while staying true to its functionality, making sure dishes and glasses can be seen and accessed quickly and easily. Use glass shelves, reclaimed marble slabs, glossy painted wood shelves to bring a feeling of casualness to the workhorse of the home.
4. Statement Lighting in a Kitchen
Lighting plays a significant role in the form and function of the kitchen and should never be considered an afterthought. Add pendant lighting over the counter to draw down the light, or perhaps a statement chandelier above a breakfast nook, striking pendants over the kitchen island or a schoolhouse style sconce in your pantry. Splurge on hardware too. Feel free to mix metals for an instant facelift. It finishes the room with style and with an element of surprise.
5. The Comeback of Color
In 1988, we decorated our kitchen walls with a charming, bold red paisley wallpaper. It was all we could afford, but it was transformational. It turned our dated and “everyday” kitchen into our comfort zone. So keep your kitchen personal and create an element of surprise! Try wallpapering inside your dutch cupboard, or built-in pantry. Paint your kitchen chairs with a pop of color. A strong color can be so much fun! If you’re not that daring, simply add an interesting color with a collection of china on open shelves, or update your pots and pans with your favorite hue of aesthetically pleasing LeCreuset pots. When choosing a new color palette for your kitchen, mix it up. Choose one hue for the walls, one for the cabinets and one for your built-ins.
Designer Audrey Interiors Photography Julia Dags
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and nothing can be more welcoming than a kitchen that invites families and friends to gather around. Whether you're considering a full kitchen renovation, starting from scratch or looking for a brand new kitchen on a conservative budget, consider its form and function, lighting and finishes. Combining just a few updates to the kitchen such as open shelving, pendant lighting, beautiful hardware and the use of striking colors and/or wallpaper will undeniably create the perfect kitchen.
If you're ready for an expert to bring function and beauty to your space, we've got your back! Contact us and let's get to know each other.
Warmly,
Audrey
