Easy Kitchen Renovation Tips
We all love to spruce up our homes from time to time - and the kitchen can often be our first choice for a renovation.
But how? You don’t have to blow a massive budget on renovating your kitchen, just little bits here and there - fixtures and fittings that can help transform and give it a refresh. We know that not everyone can afford a complete kitchen remodel, and that's not always necessary.
So where do you start? Well, Plumbworld is here to help with some easy kitchen renovation tips that will help you make your kitchen feel like new, without spending a fortune.
Read to find out our top picks and tips for renovating your kitchen…
Sinks
This choice comes with a lot of options in itself but it can do a great deal in changing how your kitchen looks - fitting a replacement kitchen sink.
A replacement sink can transform a kitchen purely by it being new, but there are various types and materials you can choose from. The most common kitchen sinks are made from stainless steel or ceramic but you will also find granite composite, glass or even copper sinks.
They each have their own benefits but they can be paired with a range of kitchen styles and decors. Stainless steel sinks are the most popular and contemporary kitchen sink options. Easy to coordinate with other stainless steel appliances, they benefit from durability, ease of cleaning, and have a higher scratch-resistance than other materials.
Composite sinks add a real touch of personality to kitchens with a range of colours and versatility when it comes to bowl and drainer sizes. Extremely hard-wearing and scratch-resistant, they are made from a mixture of materials.
Ceramic sinks can provide a much more versatile and traditional look to the kitchen, especially where contrasting colours or classical fittings are used. These sinks look great in more traditional properties with Belfast sinks being a firm favourite in farmhouse kitchens.
Read more: Kitchen Sink Buying Guide
Taps
Like sinks, fitting new kitchen taps can transform a kitchen without spending a huge amount of money because you use them so much - they’re a small statement in a kitchen.
You could replace your taps by switching to mixer taps or an update in style. You have many choices because there is a massive range of kitchen taps available. They can include:
- Single lever taps: feature a single lever handle and one spout.
- Boiling water taps: an additional tap that can be installed to provide instant hot or boiling water.
- Twin lever taps: feature a two levers and one spout.
- Pull-out taps: a spray feature that makes rinsing vegetables and washing plates easier.
- Pillar taps: supplied in pairs - two individual taps - a great budget option.
Then, there’s the material or colour of the kitchen tap to match your decor or make a bold statement. Chrome stainless steel taps are one of the most favoured modern styles of taps because they offer excellent levels of durability and don't stain. This finish can make your kitchen appear bigger, even more so when paired with a stainless-steel kitchen sink.
Coloured taps, which are a growing trend, can suit all types of decor, from traditional to modern kitchen designs thanks to the range of finishes you can choose from. These include copper, brass, gold and, for an industrial look, black taps.
Brushed steel kitchen taps will also look absolutely gorgeous in any modern-day kitchen. This finish is the perfect choice for young families, as unlike normal stainless steel, fingerprint marks are greatly reduced, ensuring a fresh and clean appearance.
You also have traditionally-styled kitchen taps, with Edwardian-era design touches to bring classical elegance to your kitchen. Though traditional in style, these taps are all constructed using high-quality materials to ensure their timeless look.
Read more: Kitchen Taps Buying Guide
Lighting
Lighting can transform not only the look of your kitchen but the feel of it by providing more warmth or even through the design of lighting.
You can look for modern but inexpensive light fixtures that you can add over your kitchen island or space in general. You could even try hanging lights like you may see in your favourite coffee shop or restaurant.
Another option is to place lighting underneath your cabinets that will illuminate your counter work while adding some ambience. Make sure to use LED or other eco-friendly bulb options. You can have them fitted or buy stick-on versions that run off a battery.
Walls
Colours can change everything, from the look of a space to how you feel in it, which is why painting your kitchen can work wonders for a budget renovation.
Of course, painting your kitchen walls is a little bit different compared to the rest of your house. Cooking can create moisture, grease, and, in some unfortunate cases, smoke, which in turn can have an impact on the entire area – including your walls. So, you need special paint that’s easy to clean.
For painting a kitchen, you can do almost anything. Warm and neutral colours will create a welcoming atmosphere and also make your fixtures stand out. Soft whites, beiges, creams, and pastel or powder tones all work wonderfully.
For more modern kitchens, especially if you have dark worktops, white walls are excellent for creating a minimalist design trend. Finally, you can be bold and make a statement with colours such as blue, purple, grey, and green. You can even try a statement wall.
Cabinets
There are two things you can do with your kitchen cabinets as part of a renovation and you don’t need to replace them.
First, you can replace the doors or handles on your kitchen cabinets - you could even do both. Replacing the doors or handles on your cabinets is an affordable kitchen renovation option. Don't be afraid to mix and match colours and materials when remodeling your kitchen to create a truly unique feel.
The second option, and it’s an older renovation tip than you may think, is to paint your kitchen cabinets. Obviously, this is something you can only do if you have wooden kitchen cabinets. If you feel the colour is a bit dated, paint them in whatever colour you want. Neutral colours or bolder tones work well so long as it blends with your overall decor.
Furniture
Another budget option for renovating your kitchen is to update your kitchen furniture, such as stools and chairs.
These are one of the easiest things to replace, particularly if you have a kitchen island. Due to high use, stools and bar chairs tend to show signs of wear and tear before other areas of your kitchen, so consider buying a new set, which can make a strong style statement.
You can buy a high-quality that you can then have reupholstered if or when you go for a complete kitchen overhaul. But if you host or use a kitchen regularly, your furniture can be an easy way to transform how your space looks and feel to you and your guests.
Worktops
If your kitchen worktops are looking a bit tired and worn, then you might be thinking a completely new kitchen is the only option but there’s actually a few ways of rejuvenating your kitchen worktops without blowing your bank account!
The cheapest option is self-adhesive film, costing as little as £10 and can be applied directly onto your existing worktops. Available in a variety of patterns and colours from marble effect to plain black or grey.
Wooden worktops are beautiful but over time can become faded, scratched and stained giving a distressed look. However, you can easily give your wooden surfaces a simple refresh with a tin of varnish. Keeping the natural wood look but giving your kitchen a fresh new feel.
Lastly, if you want to splash out a little then worktop overlay is a great choice. Available in a variety of designs and finishes such as marble and quartz yet simple and easy to fit over your current worktop.
Accessories
Adding a new touch to your kitchen can be as simple as adding new accessories such as a new mug stand and mugs. You can easily achieve a new look by adding a colour theme to your kitchen by can simply buying a matching kettle and toaster or tea, coffee and sugar jars.
Think of all the accessories and extra items you use in the kitchen everyday, such as tea towels and bread bins. Buy all of these to match and you could have your kitchen feeling brand new in only a couple of hours!
A simple yet effective way of giving your kitchen a new lease of life without spending a fortune!
If you're looking for more kitchen inspiration, take a look at the following posts - Kitchen Taps Buying Guide - Kitchen Sink Buying Guide - 5 Ways to Make Your Kitchen Renovation Instagram-Worthy.
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