Before And After: 15 Kitchen Makeover Projects

Is your old kitchen starting to look less and less appealing? Maybe it’s time for a makeover. Even a small change can make a big difference. Change the look of your cabinets, reorganize the kitchen, change the layout or the color of the walls. Cooking and being in the kitchen should be a joyful experience so don’t let monotony take over the décor.

Give your old MDF cabinets a fresh look.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

Don’t wait for your kitchen cabinets to get ancient before you buy new ones or before you give them a makeover. These cabinets, for example, were in good shape except for some minor finish flaws. The solution for the problem was simple. The cabinets were painted in a super glossy white. In combination with the colorful backsplash they look wonderful.{found on sfgirlbybay}.

A change of color.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

Color is very important in any room, not just the kitchen. However, this space in particular needs to be bright and open. So paint the walls white and create contrast with some of the furniture pieces. This kitchen went from dark to bright and the change was based on a very simple concept.

Innovate but preserve the charm.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

If, for example, you’ve moving into a new home and the kitchen is very old-fashioned like this one, you might be tempted to make some radical changes. But it can be nice to also preserve some of the features and to mix the styles. In other words, choose a modern look and update the space but preserve the charm and include a few elements to link the space to its past like the hardware on the cabinets, the storage baskets or the lighting fixtures.{found on dearlillieblog}.

Sometimes a major renovation is needed.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

Although it’s easier to make easy fixes like a fresh coat of paint or a change of color, sometimes that’s just not enough. This kitchen was in horrible condition so it needed a major renovation. The furniture was old and had a lot of wear and tear, corroding hardware and leaky pipes made things even worst. Everything had to be replaced, including the drop ceiling, the floor tiles, the furniture and the backsplash. Now the kitchen is bright, chic and, although the layout remained the same, everything looks different.{found on manhattan-nest}.

Inexpensive solutions.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

You can do lots of great changes in the kitchen without wasting a lot of money. Take a look at this kitchen. The before and after pictures show a totally different space. However, not everything in there was replaced. The cabinets, for example, are the same. Only their color changed.{found on curbly}.

An update should also maintain harmony throughout the house.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

It’s understandable to want to have the latest technologies in your kitchen and the best when it comes to amenities and furniture. But you also have to take into consideration the rest of the space. There should be harmony throughout. This kitchen, for example, is in a 1908 Victorian with mid-century modern furniture so, when it was renovated, a modern style was chosen but without going too futuristic.{found on designsponge}.

Less is more.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

If you want your kitchen to look fresh and more inviting, the answer is not always adding more stuff. Sometimes it’s better to remove something. For example, do you really need all the furniture in your kitchen? Maybe you can remove some of the cabinets or reuse them somehow. Keep the elements you like, get rod of the others and then start the whole makeover process.{found on theinspiredroom}.

A little paint goes a long way.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

Sometimes all you have to do to change the décor in repaint the walls and the furniture. Try a different color palette, preferably something that contrasts with the old one. If you now have a dark kitchen décor with wooden cabinets and dark-stained features, try using colors like white or yellow to cheer up the décor.{found on justagirlandherlittledog}.

Go all white.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

Wood and its natural beautiful colors is wonderful in interior design because it adds warmth to the décor. However, you can maintain a warm décor without necessarily preserving those colors of the stained wood. What if you were to paint all the furniture white? Your kitchen would look much brigher and it would be a really big change without having a big budget.{found on younghouselove}.

Add color.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

To cheer up your kitchen’s décor you can use color. Yelow is a very cheerful and bright color and you can use it to create wonderful contrasts. Combine it with darker shades like gray or black. Also, don’t be afraid to use pattern and to mix accent colors. This kitchen has yellow cabinets with orange and turquoise accents.{found on curbly}.

Preserve the style but change the color palette.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

Usually kitchen makeovers mean updating everything and sometimes also changing the style. But if you love the way your kitchen is organized and the style you’ve chosen for it and simply want to give it a fresh look, then all you have to do is make some minor changes. Replace the hardware, the drawer pulls, the window treatments and give the cabinets a fresh coat of paint.{found on keepingitcozy}.

Work with what you have.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

Not all kitchens have the ideal size or layout but the key to a successful interior décor is being able to work with what you have and to make the most of the existing features. Take this kitchen for example. It definitely has a difficult shape and is not exactly spacious. Nevertheless, after a quick makeover it looks amazing. It went from outdated to chic. It got new floor tiles, new window treatments, new light fixtures and everything was organized perfectly.{found on modernsauce}.

Open up the kitchen.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

The kitchen should be a bright and open space so, even if it’s not particularly large, it feels spacious. In order to make sure that happens, you might have to make some changes. This particular kitchen didn’t have a great layout. The L-shaped furniture unit enclosed the space and the upper cabinets made things even worst.{found on jodimockabee}.

Expand.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

If you have a spacious kitchen, then use it properly, don’t clutter up everything in one corner. Place the sink on one wall, the oven on the other and make room for a table. Be ingenious and include all the elements you need in a simple design. You don’t need tons of furniture to have enough storage space.

Don’t forget the details.

Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1
Dramatic bistro kitchen makeover1

It’s important to remember that, although the kitchen is mainly a functional space, it still needs to feel inviting and elegant. So don’t forget the little details. Get a chandelier and hang it above the island or the table. Hang a painting on one of the walls. Be as simple and practical as possible but add that sparkle that makes your kitchen stand out.{found on curbly}.