10 quick kitchen fixes

Much like the bathroom, the kitchen is another high traffic room that takes a pounding and can end up looking neglected. Revamping your kitchen doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t) cripple you financially.
If you’re after a ‘new’ kitchen take a look at these quick fixes and see what might work for you.

1. Change your doors. Cupboard doors are usually the most noticeable parts of a kitchen. If the carcasses of your cupboards are in good condition, updating the handles and giving the doors a new coat of paint could be enough to bring your cupboards back to life, but if the doors are a gift from the 1980s then replacing them with brand new doors will certainly do the trick.

2. New worktops. The wrong counter top / worktop can undo all the good work you’re doing updating the rest of the kitchen. Though the colour is important the quality of the material you choose is vital and there are lots to choose from; quartz, corian, hardwood, granite – go nuts! A new, well fitted worktop will do your kitchen wonders but remember you have to look after them once they’re in.

3. Pretty up your sink. Most sinks are inoffensive and basically the same (though if you have an outdated acrylic/coloured/damaged sink you should probably change that) but ancient, rusty taps will do you no favours. Replace old taps with new shiny, high functioning ones and remember to take into consideration the period of your home or style of your kitchen when choosing new ones.

4. Make a statement. Is your extractor hood ridiculously noisy, crippled with grease or just old, big and ugly? Extractor hoods have always been more about function than fashion but these days you can create a talking piece with yours. Shop around and find one that works efficiently, quietly and looks great.

5. Brighten your walls. Have your wall tiles seen better days? Does your paint job look like it was given a second coat with an oil and stained brush? A new coat of paint (make sure it’s suitable for use in a kitchen) is quick and easy and tile paint is also available if your tiles are in good condition. New tiles require more of an expert hand but is just as simple. Non patterned tiles are more classic and won’t date as fast. Glass/coloured tiles will give you splashes of colour and allow you to express your love of colour, if you so wish of course.

6. Assess your lighting. Are your lights doing what they’re meant to? A bulb in the middle of a kitchen is probably not going to be adequate enough for all the things you have to do in there. If you’re not sure what types of lights you need, read this and this. You can retrofit strip lighting, small bulbs or LEDs onto, or underneath wall units. Any additional lighting will help you carry out tasks safely and enhance the atmosphere of your kitchen.

7. Love your floor. Chipped, cracked tiles, peeling lino or unstable laminates? Most kitchen floors tend to be, basic, neglected or tired. Nowadays there is so much to choose from; tiles, wood, laminates, vinyl, bamboo (and yes even lino again) in different finishes and colours. You can definitely find something in your budget to match your fab new kitchen.

8. Attention to details. Do you have open shelves or glass fronted wall units? Are all your bits and pieces, packets and jars on display? Different sized plain glass/acrylic airtight jars will make your pasta look sophisticated and your biscuits even more edible…. ok not really but I’m sure you understand.

9. Special splashback. In days gone by, splashbacks (the area of wall behind your cooker) were usually tiled. Tiles and grout are not the easiest things to keep clean when you’re contending with daily cooking spills and splashes. A glass, perspex or acylic splashback will be easier to clean (no lines no grout), opt for colour and you can tie in the scheme of your kitchen. A sheet of stainless steel in a modern kitchen would be the perfect finishing touch.

10. Integrate. If you like the seamless, uniform look of modern kitchens then cheat. Find a good carpenter to box in or fit matching cupboard doors around stand alone items. So the obvious combi boiler on the wall ‘disappears’ and your washing machine, fridge etc become ‘integrated’ and blend in beautifully with the rest of your kitchen.