Many people are faced with the need to refresh their interior quickly and as cheaply as possible. This need may arise among people who have rented an inexpensive apartment for a long period. Or those who have spent all available funds on purchasing their own home, postponing repairs and changing furniture until better times. Those who live in temporary territory are also in no hurry to invest in the situation. In general, the situation is ordinary. Even if it’s temporary, I want to live in cleanliness and comfort now, and not someday later.
Is it possible to transform the interior for literally pennies without making a complete renovation or changing the furniture? Yes, and there are plenty of opportunities for this. Today we're going to talk about improving the appearance of your kitchen. We bring to your attention 16 ideas for a low-budget, easy metamorphosis. Of course, a patched-up kitchen will not look completely new, and an old kitchen will remain old, but if you approach the issue creatively, with imagination and sparkle, you can achieve an excellent result.
Paint the fronts of kitchen furniture
This will not only refresh the doors, hiding the signs of time, but also change the color to a more current/light/cheerful one.
To paint old MDF film facades, it is recommended to first remove the film. To do this, you will need to warm it up thoroughly. Then the MDF needs to be sanded, wiped with a dry cloth and degreased with a special product. The next stage is priming. Acrylic primer is suitable for wood and MDF. It is necessary to prime several times (allowing the previous layer to dry) until the MDF surface becomes completely smooth to the touch. The primer can be lightly sanded before painting. Acrylic paints are suitable for painting, including those recommended for woodworking.
Plastic-coated facades are painted in the same way, but the plastic (laminate) does not need to be removed. It is washed, thoroughly sanded, washed again and degreased. Then a primer with a high level of adhesion is used, intended for problematic surfaces (for example, glass and plastic). From paints, it is better to choose one that is recommended specifically for furniture.
Veneered doors should be washed with a degreaser and wiped dry, then sanded. Primer is basically optional. Acrylic paint on wood and metal is suitable for painting.
Any facades need to dry well after painting. It is better to leave them alone for several days and only then install them back, so as not to damage the painted surface (it should be borne in mind that the paint gains strength gradually).
Plastic in decor
A plastic apron is even cheaper than a ceramic one, and it is much easier to install. When choosing such a material, you need to consider the following factors:
- Ideally, it should be made of PVC, which is used to make plastic tableware;
- It is better to give preference to a solid plastic apron. An apron assembled from pieces will almost certainly collect dirt at the joints of the parts;
- The apron should not extend into the area near the stove. Plastic can melt at high temperatures;
- When cleaning, do not use hard sponges or cleaning powders, they will leave scratches on the plastic.
Remove the fronts from the upper cabinets, leaving them open
If the doors are really bad, and the frames are still nothing, only “boxes” can be left from the cabinets. This is a very current option - even new kitchens are sometimes ordered in a similar design.
The interior surfaces of the cabinets can also be painted or wallpapered.
Electrical work
When replacing electrical wiring, it is important to take into account how busy the kitchen is with various electrical appliances - refrigerator, electric kettle, microwave oven, washing machine and others.
It is better to lay a separate electrical line with a sufficient number of sockets.
In addition to the main lighting, additional lighting is also necessary. These can be spotlights that will highlight all the required areas of the kitchen. If you want to completely replace the wiring or install gas equipment, then the best option would be to use the services of professionals.
Remove the fronts of the lower cabinets by covering them with curtains
The use of “skirts” instead of doors is typical not only for country and rustic, but also for modern design (including loft).
Replace some or all of the upper cabinets with open shelves
Another common solution even for new interiors. Such storage spaces will cost mere pennies, but the work area will become lighter and visually lighter. By the way, shelves can be built from elements of old furniture.
Decorate facades
The doors of the set can be subjected not only to painting, but also to other finishing. For example, cover it with thick vinyl wallpaper. This method is suitable only for those cabinets that are located away from the sink and stove. Also, facades can be covered with PVC film or fabric (the fabric is varnished on top), faced with mosaics, sheathed with planks, etc.
The right style: examples of budget designs
There is a large selection of ready-made photos of kitchen interiors on the Internet. All of them were compiled by designers and meet the requirements for comfort and ease of use. Among the styles, Provence, country, scandi and modern remain the most popular.
Provence
French sophisticated style, which involves the use of light, pastel shades. An economical option is available, since Provence is achieved precisely through a certain arrangement of furniture, but not by the presence of any special set.
Kitchen in Provence style
Country
The second name is rural or rustic style. Inexpensive wicker furniture with simple finishing and minimalist design are welcome. Designers prefer to fill the space with decorative wooden furniture and flower pots.
Scandi
Kitchens in Scandi design are spacious and bright. In most cases, this style uses modular furniture, which significantly saves space not only in the dining area, but throughout the entire apartment.
Scandi style kitchen
Modern
Beautiful shiny surfaces combined with classic minimalism undoubtedly attract the eye of every average person. This version will be less economical than the first two, but with proper use it will last for many years.
Change handles
The fittings seem like a small thing, but very important. New modern handles will give the old set a much more modern look.
In the interior of one kitchen, you can apply several renovation options at once. For example: remove half of the upper cabinets by hanging shelves; remove half of the lower facades, replacing them with curtains; Paint the remaining doors, bottom and top.
Cover an old countertop with tiles or mosaics
Usually, even with a budget kitchen renovation, the countertop is replaced with a new one. After all, the cost of laminated chipboard countertops is quite low. But if you don’t want to remove and remove the old surface, and then bring in and install a new one, there is a way out. A countertop that has lost its appearance can be covered with tiles or mosaics. Yes, it's not exactly cheap, but it's pretty fast. And you can buy the simplest tiles to solve this problem, on sale (leftovers).
If the leftovers are different, it’s okay. Combined cladding is quite acceptable.
Paint the tiles
The tiles on the walls and floor can be painted - this will refresh the surface and change the color. We wrote about this in detail in the article “How to paint tiles.”
Principles of budget finishing
Minimum costs usually do not imply any redevelopment. The owners limit themselves only to replacing wallpaper or wall paint; in rare cases, they buy other furniture. If you still want to see something new and stylish in the kitchen, then you should follow some principles.
General principles for designing kitchen walls
Finishing work on walls can be confusing, because stylish vinyl wallpapers are expensive, while cheap paper wallpapers are inferior in quality. The solution is to use decorative paint or plaster. It is enough to casually and unevenly apply the plaster on the walls and let it dry. Then use a knife to remove sharp protrusions and cover the walls with special paint.
Decorative plaster is an excellent option for modern design, which will be unique and inimitable.
Decorative plaster on the walls in the kitchen
Budget ceiling design
You should not choose suspended ceilings for the kitchen, especially if the height of the latter is no more than 2.5 meters. This is primarily due to safety measures, because the room involves exposure to a large amount of heat. Also, stretch ceilings are an expensive choice. It is better to limit yourself to painting or use wallpaper in light shades. As an original approach, you can use a decorative film, which is attached to the surface with glue.
Cover the apron with new material
If the wall in the work area has a more than deplorable appearance, you can hide it behind laminated chipboard, MDF panels, plywood sheets, a mirror, clapboard, etc. In this case, it is not necessary to remove the old apron finish.
Cover the floor with PVC tiles
There are vinyl coverings in the form of tiles, the size of which corresponds to the dimensions of the floor tiles. However, there are also variations for parquet. You can glue them directly onto tiles or onto boards. This will allow you to quickly and very inexpensively update and transform the floor. Of course, such a finish will not last too long, but as a temporary option it will certainly pay off.
What to look for when choosing furniture
Whatever manufacturer you choose, before purchasing you should familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the furniture, materials, coatings, and check whether all the most necessary modules are present (cabinet with sink, work table, cabinet for heavy dishes, wall cabinet for plates and cups).
It would also be a good idea to pay attention to the furniture and size of the cabinets (it should correspond to the height of the owners).
Decorate the wall near the dining table
A stylish and comfortable dining area can become the main decoration of the kitchen interior. It will attract attention, making the shortcomings of the old kitchen much less noticeable. Fortunately, it is much easier to transform a dining area than a work area.
Particular attention should be paid to the wall near which the table is located. If the decoration in the kitchen is very old and there is no way to change it, you definitely need to refresh at least this wall. It is not at all necessary to remove the old coating and thoroughly prepare the surface. Even on top of old wallpaper, tiles or paint, you can install, for example, lining, panels, laminate, mirror or glass panels, etc.
How else to save
When buying modular furniture for the kitchen, you should adhere to several rules:
- The more doors, the more expensive. A cabinet with one door is always cheaper than a two-door one;
- If space allows, take one wide module instead of two;
- Each drawer adds value to the set;
- Choose solid wall cabinets without glass elements;
- Avoid built-in appliances; they take up less space, but special furniture will cost more.
Introduce bright accents
Colored elements will make even the most gloomy kitchen more lively, modern and cheerful. However, it is important to avoid chaos and excessive diversity. Accents should be one or two colors. The number of bright details should also be limited. Everything is good in moderation.
In the photo: the tiles on the walls and floor were painted, the facades were painted, the fittings were replaced, and accents were added. The kitchen looks completely new.
Decorate the interior
Decorative little things turn the kitchen into a cute, cozy nest. Minimalism is good in an expensive interpretation, but the old interior needs to be properly decorated - new design elements will draw a significant part of the attention from old surfaces and shabby objects.
There will be wall decorations that hide old decoration (paintings, posters, mirrors), baskets and storage boxes, and living plants (visually refreshing the decor). However, don't overdo it! Don't let the decor clutter your kitchen.
Standard options
Let's look at the most common finishing options. Most of them were used by our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Perhaps one of these methods will appeal to you too.
Tiles - time-tested
Walls are most often decorated with tiles. Tile finishing is considered the most successful for such a room, since it has good quality, an affordable price and a long service life. In addition, the front part comes in different colors and structures, which will decorate the kitchen of any style.
The working wall is most often decorated with tiles. This material is also used for aprons due to the following advantages:
- impact resistance;
- strength;
- ease of care;
- not subject to aggressive influence of moisture, temperature and chemicals;
- When chosen correctly it looks beautiful.
The color of the backsplash should be similar to the countertop to complement the overall picture.
