Keeping it Simple on a Budget
Did you know that only 9% of homeowners in a recent survey made it under their budget (according to Which)?! But don’t worry, the team at Design for Me has assembled some tips on renovating your kitchen on a budget, but keeping it super stylish at the same time!
There are a few areas in particular that you should pay attention to if you like saving money (that would be all of us wouldn’t it?).
Worktop
Alright, let’s start with one of the main elements in the kitchen, the worktop. If you can’t afford granite or stone, you don’t have to substitute it with a plasticky, laminate one. Consider using oak or beech worktops – they’re natural, beautiful and cost effective. The one pictured below is from British Standard Kitchens, a fantastic, affordable offshoot of Plain English.
Cabinets and Carcasses and Doors
Why replace existing cabinets, carcasses, and doors in the kitchen that are in good condition when you can just paint over them? Indeed, founder of Home Jane, Jo Behari remarks, “If there’s one thing that would give your kitchen a completely new look, it’s painting the doors of your kitchen units.” Painting existing cabinets and doors with bright neutral colours can really emphasise central items in the kitchen with bold colours. Before applying a fresh layer of paint to cabinets in the kitchen, it is always recommended to degrease them to ensure a smooth appearance. Finally, installing new hardware and handles can be a quick, inexpensive way to complete the transformation of major doors and cabinets throughout the kitchen.
Need new cupboards? We love the Laxarby kitchen design (below) from IKEA. Don’t dismiss IKEA too quickly! They produce a LOT of kitchens to can offer economies of scale, keeping their cost low, but providing a good quality product. Laxarby is a little more expensive than some of the other IKEA ranges, but the benefit is that it’s solid wood, rather than laminate so can be painted. Shaker style and unfussy, it looks great painted in deep rich colours. I’m not 100% sure of the colour in the picture below but it looks very similar to Farrow and Ball Off-Black.
Flooring
Updating the flooring can also be a cost-effective way of improving the overall appearance of your kitchen without having to replace everything. Vinyl flooring is a good cheap option that can be relatively simple to install. An additional benefit of vinyl flooring is that it is waterproof, and will tend to hold up well against everyday ‘wear and tear’. Otherwise, have you had a look to see what is underneath you’re existing floor finish? If you’ve got timber floorboards, how about hiring a sander and painting or varnishing them?
Painted wood flooring from Pereen, Architect on DfM
These are just a few of several strategies that can be implemented to renovate your home on a budget. Remember that the trick to saving during the renovation process is considering practical options that will make certain objects in your kitchen stand out whilst not going overboard on your spending!
Austin, Design for Me
References:
Follow Design for Me’s board Extension Ideas on Pinterest.
Which? Designs on Property Huffington Post UK
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