If you’re looking at renovating your kitchen but don’t want to spend tens of thousands on a demolition, then there are ways of upgrading it that cost a lot less. Not only that, but they’re likely to have a significant impact on the workflow, visibility and maintenance of your kitchen.
From the lighting plan to strategic landing zones, there’s plenty to do with your kitchen to upgrade it and make it more appealing without having to spend a fortune.
This is a contributed post.
THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE LIGHTING PLAN
Most kitchens will have one light in the centre, and this can cast a shadow exactly where you’re prepping your meals.
It’s therefore useful to embrace the golden triangle of lighting, which is where you’re opting for multiple lights that help to illuminate the space more effectively.
The upgrade you add to your space on this occasion could be plug-in LED under-cabinet strips. This helps in eliminating that shadow.
INTELLIGENT STORAGE
A lot of problems occur when you have deep lower cabinets that are hard to get down to without having to bend down uncomfortably.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to install after-market, pull-out drawers into existing base cabinets. It brings the back of the cabinet to you and also helps you to stop buying duplicates of jars and food products because you can finally see the full contents of the cabinet. It also benefits your back and legs.
THE FAUCET
The faucet is the most touched object/appliance than any other object in your home. With that being said, it’s a good idea to upgrade your faucet to one that has a high-arc, pull-down sprayer with a shield spray function to help prevent splashing.
It makes rinsing large pots and cleaning the sink a lot more effective. You’ll be able to skip the touchless sensors that come with more battery/electrical maintenance. A high-quality manual lever is often much more reliable and helpful to use.
LANDING ZONES
A common kitchen flaw is having no place to put your hot pans or those bags of groceries that need putting away.
When you lack space, it’s worth adding an upgrade where you clear a sizeable stretch of counter next to the stove and fridge. Failing that, you could always add in a heavy-duty rolling butcher block island. These kitchen benchtops are a nice touch for any home needing a bit of modernisation in this space.
QUIET THE CHAOS
If your kitchen is an open-concept, then noise is likely the enemy. Therefore, it’s good to swap a noisy dishwasher for one that has a lower decibel and replace any slamming cabinet hinges with soft-close adapters instead.
It means you can run your dishwasher while watching TV or having a conversation without feeling like you’re in a factory.
DEEP CLEANING AND HARDWARE REFRESHES
Finally, give everything a deep clean and refresh the hardware. Replace any dated or grime-ridden knobs with long, ergonomic handles instead. Opt for stainless steel or granite composite over plastic sinks.
Simple upgrades that don’t break the bank can help improve your daily life greatly, so adopt some of these changes to your kitchen this year.
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