Do you sometimes feel you kitchen is as drab and dull as the inside of a gross frozen dinner? Maybe you avoid cooking or baking, just because your kitchen isn’t aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps you’ve just moved and haven’t had the time to design your kitchen the way you want it.
If you feel blasé and uninspired anytime you step into your kitchen, rest assured, because it doesn’t have to stay that way. Regardless of your budget or inability to invest time in a total do-it-yourself renovation project, you can make simple changes that will transform a boring kitchen into a cooking space that’s both colorful and creative. Check out the some of the key tips below; you may be surprised to find that you can begin doing some of these right away.
- Transform the walls
This step is simple, in that it can be completed in just a few days and won’t empty your pockets as it only requires a can of paint or two. While the process is simple however, the result is not. Transforming your kitchen by painting the walls is a profound way to bring color and creativity into your cooking space.
- To get the most out of your new paint job, be sure to clean the walls first.
- As a first step in your kitchen transformation, airy and light colors like light yellow, beige, or cream will allow you to build upon the paint with your addition of colorful accessories and cabinets.
- These light and bright colors will also provide a warm feeling, and make the kitchen feel more homey.
- If the light colors sound too boring, try one bright wall in addition to the lighter shades. A bright orange or turquoise wall could be combined with hues that are much lighter and softer.
- Experiment with cabinets
One of the first things you think of when it comes to your kitchen is your cabinets. If yours are from the 1960’s and just ooze that outdated look, it’s time for some new cabinetry. However, cabinetry is expensive, easily one of the priciest investments for your kitchen transformation. If you can’t afford to replace, simply upgrade your current cabinets.
- The molding and styles of the cabinets can provide a creative touch for any kitchen—and can be chosen based upon your personal style and the look you’re going for when the kitchen transformation is complete.
- Wooden board panels, wire-mesh door fronts, funky knobs and handles, and antique glass panels can all be incorporated to provide an interesting splash of fun to your formerly boring kitchen.
- If you’re feeling daring, removing the cabinets altogether. Using open shelving instead is a great way to display the different shapes and sizes of your colorful and beautiful dinnerware.
- Paint is also an easy way to improve your cabinets without paying an arm and a leg. Warm colors like brown and yellow make the room appear to look inviting and pleasant.
- Monochromatic colors are an easy way to make the kitchen more bright and colorful, and stencils or bold colors that contrast are easy solutions to turning a boring kitchen into a lively one.
- Mix colors when accessorizing
Have you ever thought that maybe your kitchen looks so dull and drab because of everything contained within it? Are you beginning to notice that everything—from your toaster and microwave, to your refrigerator and coffee maker—is dark grey and black, and boring? Kitchen appliance manufacturers are beginning to realize this too, and the days of exclusively black and grey kitchen essentials are over.
- It is now easy to find kettles, toasters, microwaves, coffee makers, and pots and pans in nearly every color under the sun. Such an easy way to add a splash of color, these small kitchen appliances can really contribute to making your boring kitchen a more exciting place to cook (check out co.uk to find the best appliances for you and your new kitchen).
- Nowadays, even larger appliances like stoves and refrigerators come in a plethora of fun colors like magenta and turquoise.
- Your sink can even become a colorful focal point! Stainless steel sinks now come in fun colors like green, blue, and even lemon yellow.
- No money to purchase new appliances? No worries. Simple additions like flower vases, bar stool covers, wall clocks, and even jars filled with colorful foods (lentils, beans, dried peas, etc.) can be displayed to highlight various splashes of color.
- Fun and exciting glassware and dishes can also be displayed to enhance the agreeable mood of the kitchen, and cabinet doors can even be removed completely to highlight these fun kitchen pieces.
- Looking for multifunctionality? Adding color can also be accompanied by scent and taste when you hang or incorporate potted kitchen garden herbs.
- Add lights
It’s common sense to realize that the various colors contained within your kitchen can either be hidden or accentuated with appropriate lights. Your kitchen will obviously be dull with poor lighting, and fun light fixtures can also be incorporated to add more color to your cooking space.
- Try to avoid just having one light, using more than one lighting system will make the kitchen look brighter.
- Consider how the hues of color will look under different types of light (i.e. incandescent and fluorescent) and use ones that work well with your color palette.
- To add additional brightness and feature the colors of your cabinetry, try under cabinet lights or recessed lighting.
- Similarly, pendant lights work well in dining areas and spotlights for workspaces are functional and provide another way to pull out the colors of your kitchen.
Hopefully these tips have already got you thinking about what you can do to brighten and add color to your kitchen. However, don’t get carried away. Just because you have a boring kitchen, don’t go overboard and create a decorating disaster by trying to mix and combine every color you can think of. Take it slow and determine step-by-step which colors work well with each other and reflect your own personal style. By the end of the transformation, your boring kitchen will easily become your favorite room in the house.
Sara Worth
Sara is an expert reviewer and writer at Appliance Reviewer – a comprehensive and unbiased online guide, which helps readers to buy the right appliances for their home. She moved from Manchester to London where she studied electronics. At the same time, she was working as a freelance writer and also pursued her passion to be an independent interior designer. After graduating from university, she worked for over 10 years as an electronic engineer, consulting with some of the largest appliance manufacturers around the world. Sara has since joined the team at appliancereviewer.co.uk where she uses her vast knowledge of style and functionality to write about the best home appliances available on the UK market – Helping her readers to make an informed decision on their investment purchase without having to try each item first. When she isn’t writing or fixing things around the house, Sara can be found enjoying live music with her friends, or relaxing in front of the fire with her dogs.
