9 Easy Ways to Give Your Kitchen a Makeover

Though you may have visions of your dream kitchen dancing around in your head, doing a full-on renovation might not fit into your budget or schedule right now. That doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to give your favorite room a fabulous facelift. Making a few key changes can help you realize that Pinterest-perfect kitchen you’ve been envisioning without emptying your wallet. Here are nine easy ways to give your kitchen a makeover in no time.

1. Pick a Pleasing Palette

Start your kitchen makeover by choosing an accent color, then start swapping and rearranging your household items to fit the theme. Ensure your colorful dishes and ceramics are front and center in your glass cabinets. Replace the tea kettle—and any other appliances that sit out on the counter—with one in your new hue. Hang a few dish towels on hooks and place a rug or runner in front of the sink. By making these simple changes, you’ll give your kitchen a brand-new color scheme without having to open a single can of paint. This trick is particularly useful while staging your home for sale. 

2. Install Handsome Hardware

Another quick and easy way to transform your kitchen is to change out the cabinetry or drawer hardware. Select a brushed nickel finish for knobs if you’re looking for a colorful option; choose a faceted gold bin pull if you desire a sophisticated and luxurious look. For an artsy-industrial feel, use upcycled metal parts as wide-set pulls.

Regardless of your particular needs, make sure to limit your search to hardware that is installed using the same screw position as the ones you currently have (single knobs versus wide-set pulls, for instance), unless you’re prepared to use wood filler and paint to fill any holes. If you’re replacing the cabinets, don’t forget about the hinges. If they’re visible, match them to the new hardware for a pro finish. 

3. Get Acquainted with Paint

If you’re not in love with the look of your cabinets and a complete hardware overhaul isn’t in the cards, simply give them a fresh coat of paint. Citrus-like colors like soft yellow and green can brighten up the room, especially if your countertops are black. Consider light gray, a neutral color that compliments most decor, if you don’t need a pop of colors.

Another option is to paint the inside of the cabinets. It’s a nice surprise—especially if you go with bold or multiple colors—that doesn’t overwhelm the space. Try it with glass-paneled cabinets, which can serve as a display case for your pretty plates and bowls.

Not interested in spending hours painting cabinets? Here’s another kitchen makeover idea that will help you transform your kitchen cheaply and beautifully. Instead of spending so much time, thoroughly going over each one of your cabinets, quickly paint a single wall. Adding an accent color that’s two shades deeper than the rest of your kitchen is a statement move and doesn’t take much time or effort. 

4. Bare It All

To instantly lighten up your kitchen’s look, take off the front doors of your upper cabinets, but save them just in case you want to put them back on later. This is the best way to update your kitchen without replacing the cabinets. You can use wood filler to repair any holes left by the hardware and even give the cabinet a new paint color, too. Ditching the doors allows you to create that trendy open-shelf look. This allows you to showcase your favorite dishes and add a bit of personality to the room. To nail your kitchen makeover, visit one of California’s unique home decor boutiques and add an eccentric piece or two to complement your open-cabinet concept. 

5. Doll Up the Walls

Want to make your kitchen look expensive? Incorporating artwork can provide intrigue and character. Adding art is a brilliant way to bridge colors and styles between the living and cooking areas, especially in homes with open floor plans. If your kitchen is low on wall space and you don’t have room to hang a framed piece, try leaning a smaller one on an open shelf. Just make sure to place it out of the danger zone so food and grease splatters don’t get on it.

6. Parade Pots and Pans

Believe it or not, merely hanging up cookware can have a big impact on the appearance of your kitchen, especially if you have a set of pots and pans in shiny copper or rose gold, If you don’t, those lovely sets are a great kitchen gift idea for the best chef you know, you. The move is a win-win-win: It frees up cabinet space, makes it easier to grab what you need while cooking, and gives your kitchen a new focal point. Hang the cookware from a long, single branch for a boho feel; install a rack from a specialty kitchen store for a classic look. 

7. Festoon the Faucet

There are few things you touch more in the kitchen than the faucet, and it’s high time you replace yours if it’s outdated, corroding, or doesn’t match your style. If you’re looking to modernize your kitchen, consider a stainless steel or matte black faucet which adds a dose of drama. Articulated arms are functional and on-trend. For extra convenience, many faucets are now touchless so you don’t cover them in whatever you’re trying to wash off your hands. This kitchen makeover idea will instantly increase your property value, just in case you ever decide to sell. 

8. Lighten Up

Are the old-fashioned light fixtures in your kitchen driving you bonkers? Banish the builder-grade fixtures and install lighting that’s more in line with your style. Lighting is crucial in any room, so this one change alone can totally transform the space. If you have task lighting (such as puck or can lighting) over work surfaces, then almost anything goes for pendant lighting. Without task lighting, the pendant will need to do most of the work, so select a large fixture—or multiples of a small one—with shades that shine light downward. Since you’re already deeply invested in your kitchen makeover, make sure to invest in the environment and live more sustainably as well by replacing regular light bulbs with energy-efficient ones. 

9. Throw Some Shade

Nearly every surface in the kitchen is hard, so soften the space with window treatments. A fitted curtain or a fixed Roman shade can really spice up your kitchen and won’t get ruined by splashes from the sink if you adjust it while you’re washing the dishes. Choose a single classic color like white, or go with a pattern that picks up on the accent colors.