Budget Friendly Kitchen Makeovers Ideas and Instructions

The kitchen is more important now than it has ever been in the overall design scheme of our homes. Over the years it went from being a purely functional space for cooking and meal-prepping to becoming the heart of every home, the area that everyone gathers around and socializes.

Now comes the question: are you happy with your kitchen? If the answer is no, these kitchen makeovers should help.

Start the Kitchen makeover with Countertop

Start the Kitchen makeover with Countertop
DIY Concrete Kitchen Countertops: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Kitchen countertops are one of the most noticeable aspects of a kitchen…for better or worse. If your countertops are damaged, dated, or simply not to your taste, it’s a good idea to change them out in your kitchen makeover.

But if installing entirely new countertops isn’t in the budget, this simple faux concrete countertop installation tutorial is not only possible for even beginning DIYers, but it also provides an instant facelift to the entire kitchen. Plus, because concrete is all the rage lately, this project will place your kitchen squarely on the “updated kitchen” game board.

Improve your Kitchen Tile Backsplash.

How to remove a kitchen tile backsplash step by step
How to Remove a Kitchen Tile Backsplash
How to Install a Subway Tile Kitchen Backsplash
How to Install a Subway Tile Kitchen Backsplash

As a vertical surface, the kitchen backsplash has a disproportionately large visual impact, even though it is generally a small space. If you’re unhappy with your tile backsplash for any reason – maybe it’s generic, builder-grade, old, or not to your taste –our tutorial on how to remove your kitchen tile backsplash will provide helpful hints and instructions.

But we certainly don’t want to leave you without a backsplash altogether! Follow another tutorial on successfullylaying a subway tile backsplash to get the job done effectively and efficiently…and beautifully!

Upgrade Kitchen Lighting.

Above-the-sink kitchen light
Above-the-sink kitchen light
Under-cabinet LED lighting
Under-cabinet LED lighting

Lighting in a space is kind of like shoes for an outfit…when it’s right, it makes the whole thing work (and, sadly, vice versa). Outdated lighting in the kitchen is a relatively easy fix during a kitchen makeover, but for some reason it can feel a little intimidating. This tutorial illustrates the huge impact a kitchen light upgrade can have, and you can also discover tips and tricks to installing under-cabinet LED lighting. The result of improved lighting in a kitchen is an immediate clean, contemporary, and completely updated feel.

Put in Your Own Kitchen Faucet.

How to Upgrade and Install Your Kitchen Faucet
How to Upgrade and Install Your Kitchen Faucet

Few things seem as mysterious or perhaps overwhelming to the massesas plumbing-related DIYs, but the truth is, with some photographic instruction such as what’s included in this tutorial, it’s not as hard as it might seem. And the effect of an updated kitchen faucet is instantaneously modern and sleek, not to mention more functional. Learn how to remove an old and install a new kitchen faucet in this step-by-step guide, complete with photographic tips and methods. For relatively little money, a new faucet in your kitchen makeover can bring a contemporary update to even an old sink in a minimally remodel-invasive way.

Install a USB Wall Charger.

How to Install a USB Wall Charger Outlet
How to Install a USB Wall Charger Outlet

Often overlooked when it comes to makeovers are the simple things that make life so much easier and less complicated. With the increasing number of battery-powered technological gadgets in a household, it makes sense that having plenty of places to plug and charge the gadgets is not only helpful and useful, but it’s also becoming a necessity. Enter: installing a USB wall charger, so that your electrical outlets required for kitchen appliances need not be used up charging the phones and tablets. This is a simple DIY project, and one that has the potential to improve the function and convenience of the entire household.

Add some floating shelves

Add some floating shelves

It’s super nice to have a kitchen that feels open and airy but at the same time that’s hard to achieve when you also want it to be storage-efficient and practical. Luckily, floating shelves are just perfect for this.

Transform your kitchen without breaking the bank just by hanging a few floating shelves or perhaps by replacing one of the cabinet modules with a couple of shelves just to make it look less heavy and claustrophobic. 

This strategy did wonders for this gorgeous kitchen makeover project shared by @the.orange.home. The shelves are just one of the changes that were made to its design. 

Redesign the windows

Kitchen renovation Tips

When it comes to kitchen makeovers or interior design projects in general we tend to ignore certain elements like the doors or window frames just because they’re already there. But what if you were to redesign these so they better match your design and color palette?

Consider integrating the windows more seamlessly into your kitchen’s décor by matching their color to the rest of the room. These ones for example are black and match the cabinets and the island which gives the whole kitchen a cohesive look. Check out @eightmulberry if you want to know more about this makeover.

Make it all white

Make it all white

This is not a look that everyone appreciates in the same way but it surely is an idea worth considering. There’s usually a lot of things that go into a kitchen and that usually means lots of storage is required. There’s also a multitude of appliances and fixtures that need to be included in a kitchen’s design.

With that in mind, kitchens can easily look over-furnished, robust, heavy, dark and cluttered. A simple way to avoid that is by going it with a very light and bright color palette. An all-white kitchen can look absolutely amazing.

There’s multiple ways in which you can ultimately transform your kitchen to make it look this bright and stylish. One option is to paint your existing cabinets white. It’s inexpensive and it doesn’t take that long. If you’re willing to invest a bit more in this project, replacing some of the cabinets is also an option. 

Apart from looking bright and airy, a white kitchen also looks super clean and fresh and maintaining it this way is actually pretty easy. If you’re still unsure, take a tour of this gorgeous white kitchen featured on stonegableblog

Add some wood tones for entire kitchen renovation

Add some wood tones for entire kitchen renovation

Using wood in one form or another in the kitchen allows you to create a design and an ambiance that feel warm, inviting and timeless. Light, natural wood tones look gorgeous in combination with white cabinets and countertops.

There’s a variety of different ways in which you can introduce wood into your kitchen’s makeover such as replacing the floor with wood panels or replacing the countertops with wooden ones. Hanging a few wooden floating shelves can also be super effective and cost-efficient as well. Check out how beautiful this kitchen featured on nutritioninthekitch looks after the makeover if you want some inspiration.

Paint the cabinets 

Kitchen renovation Tips

If your current kitchen furniture is still in good shape there’s no point replacing it and wasting money on new cabinets unless you want to change more than the appearance of the room. 

If you want to change the color palette and overall aesthetic of the kitchen without doing any structural changes, consider painting the cabinets. You can see how much of a different this does by checking out the kitchen makeover project shared on julieblanner.

Get rid of the upper cabinets 

Kitchen renovation Tips

A lot of times we think we need a ton of furniture in the kitchen when in reality we could do without a lot of it. Take the upper cabinets for example. They seem practical but they just make the whole space look so heavy and claustrophobic. 

Instead of spending a ton of money on new cabinets your next kitchen makeover can focus on getting rid of the upper modules in order to open up the space and make it look more airy and inviting. 

Don’t worry, you won’t completely lose all that storage space. You can install floating shelves and still use this space in a very practical way. Check out christinamariablog to see how big of a difference this small change does to a kitchen. 

Add farmhouse-inspired details

Add farmhouse-inspired details

It’s not just the furniture that matters when designing and planning the layout of a kitchen but also the details that give it charm and character. With that in mind, imagine adding a few farmhouse-inspired elements to your kitchen.

These could consist of things like a farmhouse sink to replace your old and probably smaller one, a new faucet with a more retro design, perhaps an inexpensive area rug for some added texture and comfort and so on. 

If your kitchen is linked directly to the backyard installing a Dutch door could look really cool as well. Similarly, you could also make changes to the walls if you wanted to. How about shiplap walls for a cozy look and feel? You can find more inspiring ideas for your next kitchen makeover on theinspiredroom.

Add something above the fridge

Add something above the fridge

As much as we try to make out kitchen space-efficient, there’s always ways to do better. Look around for any little nook and spaces that you’re not using efficiently, like the area above the fridge for example. 

Put this area to good use by adding something up there. It could be another cabinet or perhaps you’d like to turn this into a little wine storage space. Install a little wine rack and perhaps also a little storage module for some wine glasses. Check out the kitchen makeover featured on thehoneycombhome for more ideas.

Install corner cabinets

Install corner cabinets

It’s always a bit tricky to deal with corners in interior design. However, in the case of the kitchen it’s important to do your best to take advantage of every little inch of space and that includes the corners. 

One way to do so is by installing corner cabinets. This applies to both the lower and the upper kitchen cabinets. You can create a smooth transition between the adjacent walls with corner cabinets plus this is a great way to maximize your kitchen’s storage capacity. For details and inspiration head over to apartmenttherapy. 

Use hanging racks 

Kitchen renovation Tips

Not everything in your kitchen has to be stored and hidden inside the cabinets. Some things can stay in plain sight without looking out of place. In fact, it’s more practical to keep a few things out in the open like your chopping knives, cutting board and your favorite pots and pans.

Add hanging racks to neatly store and organize these things in the kitchen. If you’re short on space, add a hanging rack above the window. It’s a cool little trick that we found out from @denversquared.

Hide the hood

Hide the hood

Some things are necessary in a kitchen but don’t really look great or fit naturally in the room’s décor. One example is the range hood. With that in mind, one project you can include in your next kitchen makeover can be to hide the hood and make it look better. 

This is a pretty easy and inexpensive thing to do. You can build a custom surround for the hood to give it a more streamlined and minimalistic look. Use plaster or a different material to do this based on your preferred style or your skills. You can learn more about this on camillestyles

We hope you enjoy looking into and learning about ways to simply, affordably conduct a kitchen makeover yourself.