Kitchen WOW Mini-Makeovers
Creating a mini-makeover for a kitchen with the wow factor is easy to accomplish with a minimal budget. The budget can expand as you wish. Easy changes be made to the kitchen to achieve a new look rather quickly.
When cabinets are in great condition, it can be fun and simple to change the cabinet hardware knobs and pulls. This switch can be as inexpensive as you like depending on the hardware chosen. Hardware changes can be based on different shapes, as well as different finishes.
If the kitchen cabinets are looking a little rough, painting or re-varnishing with stain or lacquer will give the appearance of new cabinets. You may choose a new color for the cabinets or repaint or re-varnish with the same color. Either is perfect for a kitchen face-lift. Depending on the condition of each cabinet, it is best to do a light sanding to get rid of any marks, dents, or small gouges in the wood. When choosing to re-varnish cabinets sanding is mandatory, as this eliminates the old coat of varnish.
When using paint for cabinets, after the light sanding, apply a good primer to further prepare the wood for the paint. The primer readies the wood to take the coat of paint by smoothing the surface and readying the wood grains for an optimal outcome. If the cabinets are metal, priming with an excellent primer is crucial to the painting process. This will allow the new coat of paint to remain on the cabinets longer, with no peeling of the paint.
If the kitchen contains windows, blinds, curtains, and/or valances may be changed to a new color scheme. This new pop of color will be pleasing to the new look of the kitchen. Replacing towels, wash cloths, hot pads, and oven mitts to color-coordinate with the blinds, curtains, valances, or cabinets colors is another fast way to bring a small, but enjoyable change.
Painting the walls is an excellent way to transform the color palette of the entire room. Choose any color you feel will bring cheer and light to the kitchen for a fresh look. Choosing pale to mediums hues of yellow for paint casts a sunshine bright look if the kitchen has fewer windows. Choosing any light hues of pastels will always brighten a room tremendously, in addition to making the room appear larger.
For some tastes, a darker room can actually suit the kitchen well when there are plenty of windows for natural lighting. If there are few windows or no windows, be sure to have an abundance of artificial lighting. Choosing one wall to be a darker hue and the other three walls yo be a lighter hue is a good way to accent the kitchen. It can also bring attention to decor chosen for the dark wall, in particular.
Changing the back-splash can give the kitchen a wonderful new look. Using subway tile, glass panels, or metal tiling for the back-splash will create and help set the mood desired for the kitchen. You can coordinate any and all changes made to the room with the back-splash change.
The simplest change of all is to replace your current decor. Wall and counter-top decor can be quickly replaced with new trends in decor. This includes changing small appliances, useful containers, and canisters that may set on the counter to ones in different colors. Switching out decor pieces can be done easily without changing anything else in the room. It can be done cost effectively and as often as you please.
Some ideas for the changing the decor can include opposite hues of the color chart resulting in a stunning, fabulous completion of design to the kitchen mini-makeover. For example; using yellows with purples, reds, blacks, or greens will look great. With yellow walls consider purple floral designs or pictures that contain purple hues. Choose whatever type of look you want. Some examples are: modern, victorian, asian, shabby-chic, or rustic. For any look you want to achieve, it is possible to find the perfect decor.
Another great color combination for decor is light blues with lavenders, yellows, or light greens. Red or burgundy walls with black decor can make a lovely statement. Corals can be mixed with blues, reds, or various oranges, as well. Combining decor pieces of terra-cotta pottery with these colors can achieve a western look. Variegated shades of pink with blacks, blues, yellows, or purples will all add pizzazz to the definition of the kitchen look.
Consider adding decor that has different metallic looks, also. Bronze, antique bronze, and brushed bronze can giving an interesting, texturized look. Gold, antique gold, brushed gold, silver, brushed silver, or brass metallic looks also work well. Matching the metallic decor with cabinet hardware of the same hues will give a cohesive decorating approach.
Another fast change for the makeover is to install new sink hardware, New faucets that match the cabinet hardware are fantastic. There are many different kinds of faucets to choose. Some are standard with two knobs for hot and cold water. Some are one lever to turn on the faucet and for temperature control. There are faucets that have sprayers included. Some included sprayers detach from the faucet arm to better reach items you may be washing in the sink or for filling pots and pans with water.
For a little more change, choose a different set of daily dishes, silverware, and drinking glasses. Pick out coordinating place mats, napkins, and napkin rings. Then, set places at your kitchen table, counter, or nook with the new place settings for meals. Add a new set of salt and pepper shakers, and a creamer pitcher with a matching sugar bowl to the center of the eating area.
New major appliances or new dining furniture can also add a nice appearance to your kitchen makeover. This is a more costly renovation. Yet if your appliances are older, purchasing a new refrigerator, stove, and/or a dishwasher is always a good investment. A new set of furniture is always a welcome improvement, also. A new microwave, can opener, mixer, blender, and food processor in coordinating and matching colors can be chosen, as well.
For older flooring, it does not necessarily need to be replaced. For vinyl flooring, use a cleaning brush or pad with a scouring cleaner to remove old stains and grime. For tile, use a good grout cleaner with a brush. If you have wooden or laminated flooring scrub it with wood soap, then dry it well. Next, place a coat of fresh wax atop the flooring. Buff the wax until it shines. This can also be done for vinyl flooring that has lost its sheen.
No matter which of these ideas are chosen to be incorporated into the kitchen mini-makeover, a fresh look is always uplifting. You may choose one or two of these ideas to implement or three or four of the ideas. You may even choose to implement several of the ideas. The end result will be bound to be pleasing and give you a WOW decor for your kitchen. Happy Kitchen Mini-Makeover!