Sometimes an aging kitchen simply needs to emphasize its inner appeal. The great news is that if you have an aged kitchen that needs a blast of appeal and color, you don't need to go through complex and endless stripping and refinishing; you can regenerate the look of your kitchen more easily. Here are some suggestions on how to love what you have, and have what you love.
Vintage Cabinet Facelift
Many older kitchen feature the retro charm of all white cabinets and black and white checkered counter tile. Brighten up the scheme with cheery yellow wall paint. For kitchens with curved corner shelves, outlining the edge of them in a perky blue shade is another great way to add color. You can add an open shelf trimmed in the same blue above the kitchen sink to display collectibles, coffee tins, vintage vases, and the addition of blue and white checkered curtains on kitchen windows adds retro polish. Brightly patterned ceramic canisters on the counter work to keep the color and the retro feel going. Add a spice rack or wooden shelf painted in blue on a bare wall to add a pop of color and a little extra storage. This color scheme is ideal for a number of themes, from Tuscan accents and sunflowers to roosters and cherries.
Fix it Quickly
- When cabinets must have a facelift, it's much easier to paint than to strip and refinish. To paint cabinets, you just need to lightly sand the existing surface. It's easiest if you remove doors and drawers, remove all hardware and work on a flat surface. Use a paint roller to make things go more quickly.
- Replace old cabinet fronts with glass for a quick facelift. Simply paint the interior of the cabinets with a deep shade that will allow you to showcase the contents of the cabinets.
- Change hardware on your cabinetry for a quick and easy update. This one small and simple change can work to provide inspiration for an entirely fresh and different color scheme and style that you can reinforce with the use of wall art, chair cushions, curtains and other accents. Glass knobs are ideal for hardware changes when you want to add some sparkle to a kitchen that is lifeless.
- Try a new backsplash to brighten things up. Green and white tiles add cheer to a dark kitchen. Open up the entire area and reflect light by making a backsplash from mirrors. You can have custom cut glass prepared at any glass store.
- Replace upper cabinets with open shelving. It is much more affordable to hang shelving than to buy new cabinets, and you can choose to paint new shelves or adorn them with scrolled wrought iron brackets to fit the retro theme. Open plate racks and storage let you introduce color and charm into a kitchen while also opening up the space. Hang cups or cooking utensils below the shelving for convenience and decorative appeal.
- Be a bit more risque and try a totally unanticipated theme in the aged kitchen: Experiment with bolder colors like mango and yellow to use as a backdrop in a tropical-inspired kitchen; complete the look with palm tree wall art and tropical wall hangings.
As you can see, there are other options that most homeowners can easily undertake to bring color and brightness to the kitchen rather than refinishing or even replacing the existing cabinetry. Bright accessories, wall paint, cheerful window treatments, stylish wall art, collectibles arranged on the top of upper cabinets, and improved lighting can all make a big difference.
Vintage Cabinet Facelift
Many older kitchen feature the retro charm of all white cabinets and black and white checkered counter tile. Brighten up the scheme with cheery yellow wall paint. For kitchens with curved corner shelves, outlining the edge of them in a perky blue shade is another great way to add color. You can add an open shelf trimmed in the same blue above the kitchen sink to display collectibles, coffee tins, vintage vases, and the addition of blue and white checkered curtains on kitchen windows adds retro polish. Brightly patterned ceramic canisters on the counter work to keep the color and the retro feel going. Add a spice rack or wooden shelf painted in blue on a bare wall to add a pop of color and a little extra storage. This color scheme is ideal for a number of themes, from Tuscan accents and sunflowers to roosters and cherries.
Fix it Quickly
- When cabinets must have a facelift, it's much easier to paint than to strip and refinish. To paint cabinets, you just need to lightly sand the existing surface. It's easiest if you remove doors and drawers, remove all hardware and work on a flat surface. Use a paint roller to make things go more quickly.
- Replace old cabinet fronts with glass for a quick facelift. Simply paint the interior of the cabinets with a deep shade that will allow you to showcase the contents of the cabinets.
- Change hardware on your cabinetry for a quick and easy update. This one small and simple change can work to provide inspiration for an entirely fresh and different color scheme and style that you can reinforce with the use of wall art, chair cushions, curtains and other accents. Glass knobs are ideal for hardware changes when you want to add some sparkle to a kitchen that is lifeless.
- Try a new backsplash to brighten things up. Green and white tiles add cheer to a dark kitchen. Open up the entire area and reflect light by making a backsplash from mirrors. You can have custom cut glass prepared at any glass store.
- Replace upper cabinets with open shelving. It is much more affordable to hang shelving than to buy new cabinets, and you can choose to paint new shelves or adorn them with scrolled wrought iron brackets to fit the retro theme. Open plate racks and storage let you introduce color and charm into a kitchen while also opening up the space. Hang cups or cooking utensils below the shelving for convenience and decorative appeal.
- Be a bit more risque and try a totally unanticipated theme in the aged kitchen: Experiment with bolder colors like mango and yellow to use as a backdrop in a tropical-inspired kitchen; complete the look with palm tree wall art and tropical wall hangings.
As you can see, there are other options that most homeowners can easily undertake to bring color and brightness to the kitchen rather than refinishing or even replacing the existing cabinetry. Bright accessories, wall paint, cheerful window treatments, stylish wall art, collectibles arranged on the top of upper cabinets, and improved lighting can all make a big difference.