The past century witnessed the evolution of the function and interior design of the traditional kitchen. It has magically transformed from being a mere service area into a multi-functional room which is central to the family's activities.
Updating the interior design of a kitchen requires a considerably huge budget. Would you believe that five years ago, remodeling an average kitchen can go as high as $26,000? No wonder the National Kitchen and Bath Association consider it to be one of the most expensive remodeling projects undertaken by American homeowners!
Don't despair even if you among the thousands (and perhaps even tens or hundreds of thousands!) of people inspired by the pictures of ideal kitchens featured in glossy magazines but don't have enough funds to undertake a remodeling project. There are several ways to furnish your kitchens with that modern interior design without going broke!
Truth is, updating the interior design and improving the functionality and value of the kitchen do not always need to be expensive. You will be pleasantly surprised at the number ways in which you can cut costs!
Practical Fix-It-Up Ideas
If you are currently financially strapped in, you may consider updating your kitchen's look rather than undertaking a major remodeling project. You may want to consider these low-cost fix-ups in updating the interior design of your kitchen.
Update your lighting. Installing modern lighting fixtures are one of the surest, fastest and most economical ways to boost a kitchen's look and value.
. Halogen lights directed towards the ceiling bounce off to provide indirect working light. They also come with a dimmer so you can adjust the lighting intensity to fit your needs. Brighten it up or tone it down, how you set it is completely up to you!
. Consider installing task lighting. Task lighting mounted to provide efficient lighting in the countertop, the sink and near the cooking area makes preparing dinners a breeze!
. Provide accent lighting. If you want to highlight unique architectural designs, your antique china collection or any items of interest, you may do so by installing accent lighting. This will surely bring the interior design of your kitchen into focus!
Play with paints! Another surefire hit in cutting kitchen remodeling costs is by modernizing its look by splurging on a fresh coat of paint.
. Hesitant to paint stained wooden cabinets? There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of! Painted wooden cabinets are just as good and as efficient as stained ones. Plus, painting them up allows you to get the color and finish that you want for a fraction of the cost!
. Old kitchen appliances can also be given a smarter look. Appliance refinishing companies and automobile repainting shops can indeed give your range, your dishwasher and your refrigerator a brand new appeal!
. Get artistic with your walls! You can get creative and spend your energy in painting your walls for that updated look. Special painting techniques such as sponging, mottling and rag-rolling can definitely work wonders!
Install new moldings. Installing moldings can transform an otherwise unappealing kitchen into a visual delight. What a great and economical way to improve the interior design of your kitchen!
Put sparkle into your kitchen! Heightened visual interest can be achieved by simply installing new knobs and pulls on your cabinets. You may pick anything from the wide choices available since they come in almost all materials and styles imaginable. Cabinet knobs and pulls are available in glass, resin, metal, rubber, stone and wood.
There you have it, some of the most affordable ways to enhance your kitchen's visual appeal and functionality! Now, do you agree with me that updating the interior design of your kitchen does not necessarily have to be such an expensive project after all?
If I was choosing a color scheme for my living room I would go to the cooler colors on my color wheel chart - the blues and greens which can be used in different shades to achieve a 'joined-up' look of cool elegance. I always make sure that, when I paint my ceiling, I use a light shade of the room's main color on my ceiling so, if my color scheme was blue, I would use the lightest eggshell blue I could find for my ceiling and then a slightly deeper shade of blue for my walls. If you have mouldings you could paint those completely white, or go for a darker shade of blue to both the walls and the ceiling. I would use matt paint on my walls and a paint with some kind of sheen on the mouldings.
For windows, to add height, place the curtain pole as high as possible near to the ceiling. This will give your curtains plenty of drop to achieve an elegant drape. Modern décor arrangements always suggest that the fabric should be allowed to pool on the floor - never in my house. To me, artistic though it evidently is, this 'pooling' idea for the fabric is just a dust collector and, if you have dogs like I do, is just asking them to make a bed out of the fabric! Why did I mention this? Find out what the trends are, but that does not mean you have to follow the trends slavishly. Adapt styles to suit you and your lifestyle.
You would think, wouldn't you, that a large picture placed on the wall in a small room would be overpowering. Surprisingly, it isn't. I have the tiniest lounge you can imagine and, on the wall above the fireplace I have a really large picture of the Defence of Rourke's Drift, depicting the British soldiers of 'B' Company, South Wales Borderers. This picture is very loud, very busy, with plenty going on in it. However, it looks absolutely fantastic in that room, almost as if the room was made to fit the picture!
