Here comes the holiday season! While it may be too late to fit in a big update to your kitchen before this year’s gatherings and celebrations, it’s not too late to make less disruptive updates that may freshen up the look and feel of your space. Here are some ideas:

Update Your Countertops for a Fresh Look

If your long term plans do not include replacing your cabinets, then updating the counters and adding a new decorative backsplash can often breathe new life into a tired space.

Going from dark to light or light to dark may be just what you need to make your kitchen feel new. Counter replacement is generally a one-day job, and a new backsplash is usually completed in two to three days. You can paint or reface cabinets after a countertop change, so this update won’t get in the way of future changes. Sidenote: you may want to plan to repaint the walls to go along with the new counters and repair any damage incurred from changing the counters or backsplash.

Refresh with New Cabinet Hardware

Putting new hardware in the existing holes is an easy do-it-yourself update for someone with any level of handiness, and it’s usually not super expensive. If you have knobs (single screw) then you’ll want to compare diameter or width and projection with any new hardware you’re considering. Tight corners can be a challenge with hardware, so test out the new hardware before committing to changing all of them. If you have pulls (two screws), then you’ll want to measure the width center-to-center. That means you’ll be measuring the width from the center of one screw hole to the center of the other screw hole. Open the cabinet door and measure this on the backside of the cabinet door. This measurement will be the size hardware you’ll need to buy. If you don’t currently have any hardware and want to add some, then you have more flexibility with size and placement, but the installation is a bit more challenging. Depending on your skills, a YouTube video or a handyperson service may be helpful.

Illuminate Your Space with Updated Lighting

Lighting updates can be pricey but will help you make the most of what you already have. Replacing outdated fixtures over your table, peninsula or island with newer options is straightforward to for an electrician to do. Always a good idea to cut out some cardboard in the size of the fixtures you’re considering making sure they’ll work well. Also pay attention to the height of the fixture. Most fixtures ship with a way to adjust the height (removing/adding chain links or combining different length rods). Adding LED recessed lights or undercabinet cabinets are more involved projects but add a lot of value to your space. If your kitchen is truly outdated, don’t spend too much money on the new fixtures and look for timeless styles that won’t make the older elements in your kitchen look worse.

Upgrade Your Appliances

This sometimes opens a can of worms, but new appliances can extend the life of a kitchen and make cooking and meal prep more enjoyable. If you are planning a more extensive renovation in the future, you may want to skip this idea. Ranges and dishwashers are fairly standardized, but refrigerators come in an array of sizes so measure carefully!

If the small changes aren’t cutting it for you, then the holidays are a perfect time to evaluate what does and does not work well for you in your current kitchen. Does it have a good layout but a dated look? Do you have enough seating, storage, and counter space for the type of entertaining you’d like to do? Are there now multiple generations coming together to cook and they have different needs? Start a list on your phone of everything that comes to mind, and then give us a call!

Ready to Transform Your Kitchen? Contact Kitchen Tune-Up

At Kitchen Tune-Up we want to help you make the most of your home. We would love the opportunity to see your kitchen, show you door and hardware samples, and create a plan to update and upgrade your space to meet your needs. Contact us today for a free design appointment and estimate.

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