The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home. It's much more than just a place to cook; matched only by the living room, it represents the central hub where family and friends congregate and enjoy each other's company.
It stands to reason, then, that the space gets a lot of footfall. It's easy for things to become a little shabby after a few years, but with so many options for revamping the look and feel, it can be difficult to know where to start.
If you're a bit stuck, this article is here to help you out. Here's how to refresh your kitchen in ten steps!
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1. Making a Plan
All projects must start with a solid plan. Your first port of call should be to put together a document on Word or Google Docs: attach some pictures, make note of current colours, feature sets, and so on, and from there, throw around some ideas for how you'd switch things up.
The benefit of a document like this is that you can link out to articles and unique ideas - think of it like a digital mood board.
2. The Decluttering and Cleaning Process
Then comes your first physical effort - decluttering. Decluttering is the process of getting rid of all the stuff that's accumulated in a room. Get yourself three large cardboard boxes, label them keep, rubbish, and donate, and just start sorting (you may need to do this process a few times).
You'll then find you have much more space to work with and can see the wood for the trees, so to speak. At this point, you can give the place a quick clean.
You've then got the decision to make of whether you want to DIY the whole thing or bring in kitchen makeover professionals to do the bulk of the work for you. If you have the cash and need the work completed to the highest possible standard, go for the latter.
3. Consider the Walls First
In most cases, the walls will be the ideal place to start, as it forces you to think about colour schemes, which is the most foundational part of this process.
If you're stuck for choice, a minimalist style always works great and looks timeless. For this look, you'll be utilising whites, greys, and pastel colours to provide a clean aesthetic you can then accent with other elements. You could also accent the look by having one wall feature wallpaper of your choosing.
4. Changing the Cabinetry
Your kitchen cabinetry, particularly the doors, is an essential aesthetic consideration, as it's the most outward-facing part of the room.
You have two options: either repaint your current doors and add new handles, or replace the doors entirely. You can do either option yourself, or the company you've employed will usually have their own doors you can choose from if you're going for a full replacement.
5. Refreshing the Countertops
One of the most important elements of all are your countertops - both from an aesthetic and functional perspective. They bear the brunt of your day-to-day activities, and depending on the sort of materials you have installed, they accumulate dents and scratches over time.
If you have cheaper, plastic-based countertops, it's usually best to replace them entirely if you can. Stone-based materials, however, can be resurfaced and polished to look as good as new again.
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6. Altering the Lighting
Lighting has a major impact anywhere in the house, but it's considered most important in the kitchen.
It's crucial to have your lighting properly illuminate your countertops so that you can see what you're doing while you cook. Fixtures with 360-degree bulbs work best, as you can install the lighting and then position it exactly how you want it for your space.
As far as bulbs go, LEDs are the ideal option, as they're cheaper, longer lasting, and more versatile than traditional incandescent bulbs (you could even add some LED strip lighting to your kickboards for a subtle but impactful change).
7. On Storage
A kitchen revamp represents a great opportunity to reconsider your storage options. There are many different changes you could make, from adding extra utility to your cupboards with new shelves, to using wall-mounted racks to make use of vertical space.
What you choose will depend on the size of your kitchen, what you already have in place, and how much stuff you're left with once you've decluttered.
8. Cleaning Your Appliances
You don't necessarily need to change your appliances as part of your refresh, but you'll want to at least give them a thorough clean.
This doesn't only involve giving the exterior and interiors a wipe (Bar Keeper's Friend is a great option for stainless steel, by the way). It's important to pull the entire unit out and clean behind it, and flush out any pipes if they're plumbed in.
9. The Personal Touch
Once all major elements have been taken care of, you can now think about adding a few personal touches. Anything goes here, just add a bit of yourself to the blank canvas you've created. This could include placing some wall art, for example, or buying an ornate new fruit bowl for the centre of one of your units.
Just make sure you're not adding too much clutter into the mix!
10. Add Some Plants
Adding greenery is an excellent way to bring a room to life. Get a couple of nice plants for the window sills, and consider a larger corner plant or tree to add some dimension.
Natural elements go particularly well with the minimalist look, as they contrast with the more muted, pastel colours you'll choose.
Wrapping Up
You should now have a good idea of how to go about refreshing your kitchen. It'll be a lot of work, but given how important this room is for spending time with your family and friends, it'll be more than worth it. Take your time, don't rush into anything, and you'll have yourself a brand new space that'll look great for years to come.
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