How often do you get your kitchen’s interior all sorted out? I’ve used the expression “get your kitchen’s interior sorted” because it means redecorating or renovating, so I’m sticking to informal language. But don’t worry about that – active vocabulary is best learned on the job! Let’s start with some of the simplest ways to freshen up your kitchen.
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There are a lot of simple ways to give your kitchen a new look. The easiest way is not to do much at all! Just clean it really well and get rid of any clutter that’s been hanging around for ages. If you have plenty of storage space, that means you can organize your stuff – get rid of the things you haven’t used in years, get containers for all your new utensils, get a rack to hang cups on, get decorative storage boxes for smaller items. I’ve found that there are three different looks people want to achieve with their kitchen:
1. The rustic look of natural woods and neutral colors.
2. The industrial look of metal and concrete finishes.
3. The modern high-tech look with lights, smooth surfaces, and fancy gadgets that don’t seem to have any purpose at all.
If you’re going for a rustic kitchen, think about wooden countertops and cabinets, maybe a few small rugs on the floor, and decorative things like bamboo or wicker baskets. If you want industrial, think about metal walls and floors, brushed steel for metal counters and cabinets, and clean lines everywhere with not a soft surface to be seen. And if you’re going for the modern look, choose very light colors that look cool in the daytime or dramatic under lights at night, lots of smooth surfaces that are easy to clean, and interesting but not distracting kitchen gadgets.
There’s just one more thing you can do to freshen up your kitchen: paint it. Don’t use too many colors – one light color with a darker accent is just fine, or else just go for white if you want a really bright look. Don’t forget the ceiling, unless you want your head to feel like it’s spinning!
That was easy. Here’s more work for you – if you really want to spruce up your kitchen without spending too much money, see what can be fixed or improved. You can put a new handle on a drawer or cabinet door instead of painting it. You can replace a light fixture or switch plates with something modern and clean-looking. Replace the hinges on the cabinets to optimize the storage space – you don’t want them falling apart any time soon, do you? And if your countertops are worn out or cracked, install new ones starting with either tile backsplash behind the stove to give you something to grip when your hands are wet, or a new countertop that goes all the way up to the ceiling for an interesting touch.
I hope these ideas will help you fix up your kitchen. And remember – it’s not too late to make some changes!
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