A high end kitchen makeover is a smart way to increase the value of your home. The average kitchen remodel can cost you between $20,000 to $50,000 depending on size and finishes. Ouch…right?
What do you do if you don’t have that kind of budget?
If you are looking to give your kitchen a high end look you can, even on a small budget. There are ways to save money and still design a stunning kitchen that will look like you spent a lot more money.
I want to show you how get the most out of a kitchen makeover without spending the average cost of a kitchen renovation. You’re budget will not be a barrier keeping you from starting a kitchen makeover this year.
12 Ways to Make a High End Kitchen on a Budget
1. Change Out Cabinet Hardware
A simple way to upgrade the look of your existing cabinets is changing out the cabinet hardware. Knobs and pulls are like jewelry for cabinets. So buying new hardware is an inexpensive way to makeover your kitchen without buying new cabinets.
New knobs and pulls can cost a lot money but when you are looking to get the biggest bang for your buck you need to shop smart. To help you save money, here are some smart places to shop for a good deal.
2. Add a Backsplash
A kitchen backsplash can quickly transform a boring kitchen into fabulous place to cook dinner in. A classic, timeless and inexpensive way to add a backsplash is by using white subway tiles.
You can install 3×6 subway tile for about $2.00 a square foot. You could easily add a backsplash for less than $100. Especially if you are doing the tiling yourself, which is easier than it looks.
3. Switch Out the Kitchen Faucet
Buying a new faucet can help give your home a high end look. If you decide to do this there are two things to consider: finish and function. On the finish side, I recommend sticking to brushed stainless steel. This looks better than chrome faucets and adds style.
When is comes to function, I recommend faucets that have an integrated sprayer and not a separate sprayer. Also, a faucet with a higher arch makes it easier to clean and fill pots. Here are some faucets that are budget friendly with high end style.
4. Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets
If you have outdated cabinets that are still in good shape, you are in luck. Painting your cabinets is an inexpensive and easy way to bring new life to old cabinets. Just like making over a piece of ugly furniture, a new coat of paint goes a long way to giving your kitchen a high end look.
If you are unsure what color to paint your cabinets, a smart choice is staying neutral. You can’t go wrong with white cabinets. Other good colors to consider are black, gray, taupe, or cream. However, if you want to add a splash of color to your cabinets and your kitchen makeover you can have some fun by painting the island or base cabinets an accent color.
5. Add Stainless Steel Appliances Cheaply
It seems that no high end kitchen is complete without stainless steel appliances. To save you money on buying new appliances, you can get stainless steel look by applying a metal film and paint.
If you are worried about painting your appliances I recommend peel-stick stainless films. They are easy to apply and the appliance will still be magnetic. You can get the rolls sized for a dishwasher and refrigerator. For a more durable finish, I recommend painting your white or black appliances with Rust-Oleum Stainless Steel Appliance Paint. Simply follow the installation and paint your way to “new” high end appliances.
6. Add New Lighting
Lighting is so important in any room in your home. A key to creating a high style kitchen is great lighting. How do you add new lighting without spending a fortune? Don’t you worry, put your credit card away, and cancel your meeting to get a bank loan because there are smart ways to get the high style look with a reasonable price.
First, focus on what I call “blinge lighting.” Blinge lighting are fixtures that showcase or focal lighting. For example, pendants over a kitchen island, sink, or eat-in kitchen table. The idea is to spend your money where you will get the most bang for your buck. Second, add under cabinet lighting. The glow for from under cabinet lighting will make a blah kitchen look expensive.
Third, shop around and look online for sales and clearance items. One of my favorite websites to shop all things decorating is Wayfair.com. There you will find a large selection and pricing to fit any budget.
Lastly, you can create your own lighting fixtures to save big money. There are some great ideas and DIY tutorials on Pinterest that show you how to create your own lighting. Check out my {DIY Lighting Project} Pinterest Board for some examples of the possibilities.
7. Add a Kitchen Island
If you have room in your kitchen, adding a stationary or mobile island is a high end kitchen feature easy to add. Kitchen islands are great for food prep, extra storage and eating around. For less than a $100 you can build a functional kitchen island that will add a high end element to your kitchen.
8. Reduce Kitchen Counter Clutter
One thing you wouldn’t see in a high end kitchen is clutter. As you work toward making over your kitchen declutter your counters and visual clutter. Limit items on the counters to things you use everyday (i.e. Coffee maker). I would suggest that only 20% or 3-6 items should be on the counters. Remember less is more.
9. Stage & Style Your Kitchen
Staging your home is not just something you need to do when trying to sell your home. Staging a home will help your home look spectacular and well designed all the time. Plus, staging your kitchen adds a high end look. Adding a few decorative items adds personality and style.
Some ideas of accessories you can use to style the kitchen are filled apothecary jars, colorful utensil holders, flowers, tea kettles, bowls of fruit, and hand towels. Add a few of these home decor and functional decorative elements to stage your kitchen for success.
10. Add a Wainscot
Wainscot trimwork can be added to your kitchen to add style and value. Wainscot is paneling that covers the lower portion of a wall. An easy and inexpensive way to to wainscot is adding bead board. Bead board comes in 4’x8′ sheets and can simply be applied to the walls with finish nail gun or liquid nails. Finish the top of the bead board with chair rail molding to complete the look.
11. Add Open Shelves
I am seeing a big trend of open shelves in kitchens. These shelves not only add more storage, but also create other areas in your kitchen to add style. Floating shelves look great, but for a high end look use decorative brackets or corbels as shelf supports.
12. Get Rid of Ugly Counters
New counters are a costly item for a kitchen makeover. Granite or quartz countertops can easily cost $6000+. If you have updated counters and a small budget you can still get new counter for less. There are other counter materials that cost less and will still give you a high look. Laminate and tile counters are budget-friendly counter options.
A High End Kitchen Makeover is Possible on a Budget
Are you ready to add a high style look to your kitchen makeover? You can do it by simply adding a few of these budget friendly updates. I recommend spreading your updates over the course of a year to spread out your budget. Follow these suggestions and truly make your kitchen the place everyone wants to hang out.
