8 tips to get that new kitchen look without the new kitchen pricetag
Complete kitchen renovations are pricey, especially if you go for high-end materials and fixtures. But there are ways to give your kitchen a facelift and bring it more up-to-date and ‘on trend’ without spending a fortune. If you have granite tastes and a laminate budget, here are some ideas:
1 Repaint or reface your cabinets
You can give your kitchen a whole new personality by simply painting the wooden cabinets. You can do this yourself, but it is tricky because you need to remove the cabinet doors and hardware and sometimes they don’t fit back as easily as you’d hope. Rather, you can turn to the pros like Kitchen Painters of Collingwood, who will give your kitchen a whole new look. Soft grey is the current favourite colour for painted cabinets.
Dave Spires, co-owner of Kitchen Painters, says his business has grown considerably over the past several years, and now does much more than just painting because customers are asking for it.
“We most of the time do considerably more work than just painting, but it’s still a big savings,” says Spires. “We can take an existing kitchen and make it brand new by just making a few modifications – new kickplates, end panels, etc. – with something more in trend.”
He adds that refacing cupboard doors is gaining popularity over simply repainting them, as this gives homeowners the ability to remove dated paneled doors and replace them with more modern Shaker or contemporary style doors. “We’re really into refacing now – I would say in 7 out of 10 kitchens we do, we’re refacing the doors now.”
The cost savings for keeping the ‘bones’ of your existing kitchen and giving them a facelift can be considerable. Spires says the average price for repainting is about $3,000, while the average price for refacing and doing some other updates is $5-6,000. “It’s a great way to get a new look on a budget when you consider that the price of a brand new kitchen is $20-25,000 if not close to $30,000.”
2 Use engineered materials
Stone generally costs five times more than laminate, but new printing technology has made it possible to have laminate that looks like stone or granite. Check out the new line from WilsonArt, which is realistic looking and comes with decorative edges just like stone or granite.
3 Choose a mix of countertops
If you can stretch the budget a bit, put stone on your island, then save money by choosing a similar look in laminate for the other countertops.
4 Play up your cabinetry with stylish new hardware
This is an easy update when you paint the cabinets because the hardware holes can be filled in and you can choose something contemporary like round tubular pulls.
5 Add an island
You don’t even need a built-in island to get ‘the look’ and convenience. Consider adding personality to your kitchen with something different like an old factory cart, farm table, store counter, or other salvaged piece. A store-bought island on casters (Ikea has a good selection) is perfect for small kitchens because it can be moved around.
6 Get new innards for your drawers and cabinets
There are plenty of new options here that will keep your implements smartly organized. New European designed storage systems are revolutionizing kitchen cabinets, making them much more functional.
7 Add a stylish look with a new backsplash
Most DIYers can create a new tile backsplash without having to hire a pro. A new trend that is gaining popularity is the mirrored backsplash – it’s a great way to expand space, especially if the mirrors will reflect a window and create a feeling of indoor/outdoor.
8 Think green
Tearing out perfectly good cabinets and countertops and sending them to a landfill is wasteful and environmentally unfriendly. Check with Habitat for Humanity, ReUse Centres, Salvation Army or local charities that might be able to use old cabinets, light fixtures, countertops or appliances. Another thought is to move old kitchen cabinets into the garage or basement for added storage. That way you’ll also save on dumping fees.
With a tight budget and some creativity, you can have a stylish new kitchen that will give the illusion of being a lot more costly. ❧
