8 Fairly Simple Things You Can Do To Refresh A Kitchen When On A Tight Budget

Kitchens can take a large chunk of your budget, especially an older kitchen that is outdated. Here are eight fairly simple and fairly inexpensive things you can do to a worn out kitchen to make it look much better.

1. Paint the cabinets: When painting kitchen cabinets, it is always best to have the cabinets professionally sprayed, but you can also use an oil based paint and a nice brush. Using a brush is OK if you do it right, although it will never look as good as being sprayed. But if money is tight and the cabinets look a little gnarly, then go for it. A fresh coat of paint always looks better than gnarly looking cabinets.
2. Stain the cabinets: Even better than painting the cabinets with a brush, staining the cabinets can make them look like new again. Be sure to clean the cabinets very well and lightly sand with some very fine sandpaper and/or steel wool.
3. Change the hardware: Adding new drawer-pulls, knobs, and hinges can dramatically change the appearance of the kitchen. Purchase a few different styles and colors and see what they look like first, when you're happy, purchase and install the remaining hardware.
4. Paint the appliances: You can either have the appliances professionally painted, or just grab some appliance paint and have at it. Be sure to mask off the parts you don't want painted, and ventilate and protect the area from overspray and fumes.
5. Hidden Dollars: Some dishwashers come with extra panels stored behind the front panel. See what's back there ...if you have a black dishwasher, there may be a white front stored away just waiting to be used, and it'll look great with those freshly painted white cabinets.
6. More Light: Add a light fixture, or two. People like lots of light in the kitchen area. Also consider adding some can lights, and some area specific lighting to add even more light to islands, cooking areas, etc.
7. New Sink: Replacing the sink and faucet isn't too big of a challenge, and can really make a big visual difference. Stainless steel sinks are the least expensive and will provide the new owners with something new that they use most everyday.
8. New Countertops: The countertops can be replaced fairly inexpensively if you choose a laminate type surface. Also, consider tiling the countertops. Both laminate and tile are much cheaper than a granite or quartz top, and can look just as good depending on the style of the house in general.

The kitchen is one area where you have to make it look the best you can with the budget allowed. Pretty much anything that can be done should be seriously considered if your budget is low and the kitchen is in need of some TLC.