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Published July 01, 2023

How to Remodel Your Kitchen on a Tight Budget

Home Remodeling by Dana Laksman

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With countless bills, higher living expenses, and inflation rates on the rise, remodeling your kitchen on a strict budget may seem impossible. Remodeling your kitchen is possible even when you're pinching pennies. The key is to create a budget and prioritize your remodel and find the best kitchen remodel ideas on a budget.

Replace Your Outdated Countertops for a High Impact Effect

The trick to remodeling your kitchen on a tight budget is to remodel specific things in your kitchen that can be replaced or upgraded inexpensively and that also have the biggest impact.

The smallest changes, like replacing your outdated countertops, adding new light fixtures, enhancing your cabinetry hardware, replacing your sink fixture and faucet, or adding a backsplash and a new coat of paint, can have a high impact effect. Ways to replace your outdated countertops for a high-impact effect are to

  • Use self-adhesive countertop laminate. The cost for this project is anywhere from $0.25 for each piece to $10.00, depending on the type of material you choose.

  • You can also use stick-on marble prints or another stick-on material.

  • Use a refinishing kit.

  • A faux-concrete finish is another great way to update your outdated countertops and update the look of your kitchen on a budget.

  • Install Butcher Block countertops to add a new, updated style. Butcher block countertops are wooden countertops that come in a variety of colors and styles that are affordable. They are easy to install and can be installed in a few hours.

  • You can also just sand, prime, and then paint your countertops to increase their appeal.

Adding New Light Fixtures

Adding new light fixtures in your kitchen can add style and make a huge difference to a dull, outdated kitchen. Some ideas for new, inexpensive light fixtures for your kitchen are:

  • Farmhouse beam pendant

  • Linear glass chandelier

  • 4-light island pendant

  • 4-light wood pendant

  • LED flush ceiling lights

  • Dome lights

  • Multidirectional lights

  • Dimmable lights

The cost for a new kitchen light fixture is anywhere between $50 to $200.

Kitchen Remodeling on a Budget: Update the Hardware

Updating your hardware can have a huge impact on the aesthetics of your kitchen. It's possible to update your cabinetry hardware with bold brass hardware that matches your light wood kitchen cabinets with the new coat of paint you added and keep your kitchen remodel underneath your budget. Some ideas for updating the hardware in your kitchen are to replace all of your interior knobs, handles, and hinges.

The estimated cost for this project is about $30 to $50, depending on how many knobs, handles, and hinges you need and what type of metal or material you choose.

The national average for hardware is approximately $0.30 per hardware. You can find great deals for kitchen hardware at your local hardware and home improvement stores.

Upgrading Your Fixtures

Upgrading your kitchen fixtures such as your sink faucet can have a dramatic impact for less. It's relatively inexpensive to replace your sink faucet. If necessary, when you replace your faucet, get new budget friendly pipes. You can also DIY with plumbing, however, make sure you get the right size pipes and all the necessary hardware to properly install it.

Delight Your Kitchen With a New Backsplash

The cost of a new backsplash tile will run you anywhere from $25 to $50 per square foot, depending on what type of material you use. Ceramic is a great matierla to use for a backsplash and it still adds style while still being budget friendly.

Adding a backsplash is top for a budget kitchen remodel ideas because you don't have to use a full backsplash to complete a modern look. Simply adding a backsplash behind your kitchen sink or could make a major difference and help you to remodel on a budget.

If you already have a backsplash and want to save on your kitchen remodel, try using paint to enhance its appearance, instead of replacing your current backsplash tile.

Brightening Your Kitchen With Fresh Paint

Try to keep the color of your paint light or neutral to brighten your kitchen and keep it looking clean, more spacious, and give it a modern feel. Some of the best colors to use for a kitchen remodel are eggshell, taupe, soft gray, cool gray, beige, gray-green, and blue-gray. Other colors that compliment a kitchen well are aquamarine, light blue, medium blue, turquoise, and teal, especially if you have wood cabinets.

Neutral colors and shades of blue or green blend well with just about any type of wood. If your kitchen cabinets and cupboards are oak or made of other natural woods, try colors that accent the natural wood like earthy tones.

Use budget friendly paints by buying in bulk if you plan to repaint your entire kitchen.

Replace the Flooring for Budget Kitchen Remodel

Replacing the flooring is the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel, however, it doesn't have to be. There are flooring options you can choose from that are excellent choices, if you're on a low budget.

Using recycled material, textured slates, linoleum, or vinyl. After choosing a cheaper costing material, install the flooring yourself. A DIY flooring project and recycled material can help you stick to your budget and save.

How Much to Spend On Paint

If you're planning to repaint your kitchen, keep in mind that it cost about $25 per gallon. You be cost-effective when choosing paint and figure out how much it'll cost to paint your kitchen by estimating the size of your kitchen.

It takes about two gallons of paint to cover 800 square feet. Also, keep in mind that you may need a second coat to finish the job.

If your budget is tight and the cost of your kitchen remodel is starting to add up, you can save money on buying paint and skip an extravagant painting process. Instead of painting your entire kitchen, add an accent wall or a pop of color to your kitchen. This will help you save even more money.

Another great way to save money on paint and buy exactly what you need for your project is to download a paint color app or painting app that allows you to type in the space you need to paint, how many square feet your wall is, and the app will calculate how much paint you need to buy. This a fantastic, free tool that can help you save on painting your kitchen.

Give Your Woodwork a Refresh

Refresh your woodwork, like your kitchen cabinets, cupboards, countertops, and even doors. Touch your cupboard up with some fresh paint. Sand your upper cabinets to enhance their appearance and make them look like new cabinets. Add self-adhesive laminate to your countertop for a newer, fresher look. Sand or paint your doors to create a fresh look and upgrade the interior design of your kitchen. You can also replace your doors and it still costs low. Simply look for bargains or find used doors and simply update them.

Budget Kitchen Remodel Ideas – 10 Ways to Transform Your Space with Minimal Spending

If you're trying a kitchen remodel on a budget, it's important to create a budget first, decide on what needs to be remodeled the most, then purchase the items you need to finish your kitchen remodel project. DIY projects will save you cash, so keep that in mind when making your list.

Decide on what's the most outdated and replace or upgrade it. Making simple changes, such as enhancing your kitchen's style by adding a fresh coat of paint, or replacing your old flooring with self-adhesive planks can transform your space for minimal spending.

Also, consider your kitchen layout. If you have a small kitchen, try using the kitchen remodel ideas that will help create a more spacious feel to your kitchen such as fresh white paint, a minimalistic look, and bright lights with new light fixtures. Working with the layout of your kitchen is important. You can utilize space by using the walls as storage. Create more space with a wall hook or vertical space.

10 Ways to Transform Your Kitchen with Minimal Spending

  1. Touch up the paint in your kitchen. Remember it costs about $25 per gallon of paint and about $50 to paint approximately two walls. Just touching up the paint will make a difference, but also save you more as well.

  2. Stick to DIY projects. Simple projects such as replacing the hardware or upgrading your light and water fixtures will help you enhance the appearance of your kitchen on a budget.

  3. Bring the outdoors inside and add some greenery. Adding a few plants will give your kitchen a nature-inspired style and also create a calm, inviting ambiance.

  4. Add eco-friendly additions. These are some of the best budget kitchen remodel ideas. Choosing recycled materials and environmentally friendly enhancements such as replacing your light bulbs, utilizing your windows, and adding new curtains could save you more on supplies and make your home more energy efficient.

  5. Replace your kitchen appliances with older models for a cheap kitchen remodel. You don't need brand new appliances to have a newer, nicer-looking kitchen. Replacing your kitchen appliances may seem costly, but you can find great deals on stainless steel appliances and refrigerators, and still stick within your kitchen remodel budget. One way to save on appliances is to buy the previous year's refrigerator model. It'll still be a relatively new n , but it'll be cheaper because there's a newer refrigerator model available. You save hundreds of dollars and still forgo a budget kitchen remodel.

  6. Removing a door or two on your cabinets can create open shelving and enhance the look of your kitchen without spending money. This is a quick fix to upgrading an outdated kitchen. Add style by displaying your best china or niknaks on the open shelving.

  7. Upgrade your existing cabinets to save and stay within the budget kitchen remodel guidelines. You don't need to restore your kitchen cabinets for new ones to have have an upgraded kitchen. Simply sand, buff, or paint them to enhance their appearance.

  8. Update your countertop with a butcher block. Another way to update your countertop is to also sand, buff, or paint it.

  9. Replacing your kitchen island chairs with new ones can help you save and make a dramatic impact on your kitchen. You can also save some cash by simply adding new cushions to your seating.

  10. Upgrading the interior design of your kitchen is another way to make a drastic impact for less. Choose a color scheme and add pops of color to your kitchen without repainting your entire kitchen.

Kitchen remodels don't have to be complex or expensive to accomplish them and get what you want. Simply adding open shelving to your upper cabinets, upgrading your kitchen island with a butcher block, or adding new doors are easy, inexpensive ways to remodel on a budget. Another idea is to add extra storage space to put away items to make your kitchen look bigger.

DIY Kitchen Remodeling Projects

The best way to stick to your budget and have an affordable kitchen remodel is to do the work yourself. DIY kitchen remodel ideas on a budget are inexpensive because you'll save by not hiring a professional. If you need help with a certain project because you're inexperienced or don't have the know-how, simply Google the DIY kitchen remodel project and watch a tutorial.

Utilize as many kitchen remodeling resources for a budget kitchen remodel ideas and assistance, if you need to. There are plenty of sites that offer and will guide you through your kitchen remodel, step-by-step. Also, if you run out of ideas or need a boost of inspiration for painting ideas, new kitchen styles, flooring plumbing, countertop, a layout, or anything else that pertains to your kitchen remodel, Pinterest is a great source for inspiration and DIY projects.

Other DIY kitchen remodel ideas on a budget include adding small cosmetic changes to your kitchen, such as; hanging wall art with a hammer and a nail, adding beautiful, draping curtains to your patio, enhancing the appearance with a pop of color throughout your kitchen with a colorful vase you made by hand or an art and craft project you created during your time in house. Something as simple as giving your windows a good scrubbing can make a huge impact on their appearance.

Written by Dana Laksman

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