Your kitchen is the heart of your home—the place you cook, eat, entertain and bond with your family. You want this important room to be beautiful and luxurious, but you can’t spend your entire nest egg on renovations. Thankfully, you don’t need a massive budge to create a fabulous kitchen. All you need are a few dollars and these five creative ideas.
Decorate with fresh flowers
Even though fresh flowers are easy to find today, they still feel as luxurious and rare as they once were. To beautify your kitchen, add some interesting flowers that you love, from tiger lilies to tulips, to your kitchen. Place two or three small arrangements in cut glass or crystal vases. If you don’t already own vases, visit a thrift store; you’ll find great options at low prices. Display your flowers in high-traffic, visible places, like kitchen islands, the counter beside the sink or the areas next to windows.
Install a new sink
The sink is undoubtedly the focal point of any kitchen. You can stretch your budget by splurging on a sink, but DIY-ing the installation. When choosing a sink, look for one with sleek lines or a distinct style. The design should match your kitchen, but not totally blend in with it. When you’re DIY-ing the install, be sure your ball valve is tightened enough that it doesn’t leak. Nothing says “anti-luxe” like a dripping faucet!
Use white
Color brightens up a room, but it can also date your space. If you’re aiming for timeless elegance, choose white. White walls look clean and modern. They also open up your kitchen and make your ceilings appear higher. For cabinets that have seen better days, white paint is an easy solution. Take cabinet doors and handles off, sand and prime the surfaces and apply several thin, even layers of glossy white paint. Whether it’s on your walls or your cabinets, white will bring a refreshing sense of luxury to your kitchen.
Add crown molding
Wide crown molding, painted white to match your walls, will make your kitchen feel decadent. If you haven’t yet installed trim, look for the thickest version that fits in your budget. If you already have crown molding that’s a bit on the thin side, create the illusion that it’s larger. Add a narrow piece of standard trim about three inches below the existing molding. Then, paint the crown molding, drywall and new trim the same color. Your molding will appear thicker and more elegant, and you’ll be spared the hassle and cost of entirely replacing it.
Make your own modern art
Handmade, unique art always appears refined and expensive. However, you can easily create your own modern art using a canvas, two colors of acrylic paint, a painting sponge and a repurposed paper towel role. Start by painting the canvas entirely in a muted color. Once that paint has dried, dip the paper towel role lightly in a neutral color, such as gray, black or white, and use it to stamp a pattern of perfect circles on the canvas. If you don’t want to frame the art, make sure to use an artist’s canvas and paint the sides as well as the front of the piece. When you’re done, you’ll have an individual painting that matches your kitchen perfectly.
Decorating your kitchen to look more luxurious than its price tag indicates isn’t difficult. All you need is some creativity and an eye for detail to create the perfect kitchen for your budget!
Originally posted on April 24, 2013 @ 1:27 am
