Little things you can do to refresh your kitchen

Little things you can do to refresh your kitchen

If you’ve had a lengthy relationship with your kitchen, chances are you’ve lived through a number of things together – and things may begin to seem a little stale. So perhaps it’s time to give your kitchen a breath of fresh air. No, it doesn’t mean you have to redo everything from scratch, and no, you don’t have to break your bank for it. If you’ve been wanting to refresh your kitchen, all you have to do is think strategically and creatively about making it both functional and inspiring.

Open shelving in a kitchen diner

Open up more space

Reducing a portion of your upper cabinetry may make a huge difference in the look of your kitchen. It will appear lighter, more contemporary and perhaps more practical. Open shelves are an excellent way to show off stacks of your favourite crockery, as well as cookbooks, serving plates and pots of fresh herbs. This arrangement may be more convenient for you to grab and replace dishes where they belong.

Large wall art beside an upstairs kitchen

Get pretty artworks to hang on the wall

Though a kitchen may be a place where you cook on a daily basis, it could also be a place where you display art that lifts your cooking spirits. It may not seem like the most obvious place to exhibit art, but you should take full advantage of all that good wall space. Create a feature wall with a collection of artworks on a culinary theme, or you could instead hang some family portraits to give it an extra personal touch.

Black kitchen sink & tap with solid wood worktops and splashbacks

Replace the sink and tap

A new sink and tap may give a weary kitchen a new lease on life. Although traditional stainless-steel sinks are popular in contemporary houses, sinks come in various designs, colours and materials which give you even more tap choices. Unless you’re also changing your counter-tops, you’ll be limited by the size of your current sink; so identify something that fits the available space and décor. A new sink and tap may be surprisingly economical compared to other changes, especially if you’re able to install them yourself.

cooktop integrated into white stone worktop

Install a new cooktop

A stylish and efficient cooktop may completely transform the look of your kitchen. Remodelling your cooktop is also a simple and efficient method to breathe new life into this area. The most cost-effective option is to get an electrical cooktop induction installed. Consider including accessories such as heat rods that can be installed into the surface of the worktop for a permanent pan stand. If you have extra cash to spend, you could also consider getting a new microwave to complete the look.

Shiny brass knobs on grey kitchen drawers

Upgrade your hardware

Add a new look to your kitchen by upgrading your old knobs and drawer handles with modern or antique hardware. You can swiftly turn old doors into new-looking cabinets in just a few minutes. Another thing to note, the finish of your sink and appliances doesn’t have to match the hardware. This is because mixing materials in your kitchen décor, such as brass handles with black equipment, gives visual intrigue.

You use the drawer pulls and cabinet handles multiple times per day. So, for a speedy set-up, choose a design that’s simple to clean and fits the drilling length (the space between drill holes) of the previous hardware. To update the appearance, fill in the holes and drill new ones if necessary. Look for hardware with a design that’s both robust and attractive. Ornate designs may snag on loose clothing, whereas ones that are too small may be difficult to grasp and manoeuvre.

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Get their look: Rustic gallery galley kitchen

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by @susiebluesrooms

We discovered this beautiful house on Instagram this week. Every room is delightful; decorated completely to our taste, with just the right balance of understated renovation, decoration, furniture, fixtures and accessories. It’s how we’d like our little rustic cottage to look… but it’s on a much larger scale.

We love the entire home; however, it’s the galley kitchen that is our favourite space of all. The kitchen and dining area are situated in a galleried space with a sloping, beamed ceiling. There are roof lights, dual-aspect windows and glazed interior door that allow in wonderful natural light from all directions.

Like ours, this galley kitchen is completely freestanding; the counter-tops, drawers, cupboards and other storage are all ‘unfitted’. There are a few lovely old shop & haberdashery counters with base cupboard space and/or drawers, a large glazed storage cupboard that sits on an even larger bank of painted drawers, a repurposed Victorian workbench and a metal vintage industrial set of pigeonholes. Oh, and one of the finest antique plate racks we’ve ever clapped eyes on! Acres & acres of storage space and they all come together harmoniously.

Get their look

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Vintage wooden board/peel
Vintage wooden board/peel
Vintage Moira Pottery stoneware storage containers
Vintage Moira Pottery stoneware storage containers
White rustic dinner plates
White rustic dinner plates
Smeg Classic Opera range cooker
Smeg Classic Opera range cooker
Antique pine plate rack
Antique pine plate rack
Antique pine housekeeper’s cupboard
Antique pine housekeeper’s cupboard
Green vintage industrial enamel ceiling pendant light shade
Green vintage industrial enamel ceiling pendant light shade
Vintage wooden board/peel
Vintage wooden board/peel
Vintage Moira Pottery stoneware storage containers
Vintage Moira Pottery stoneware storage containers
White rustic dinner plates
White rustic dinner plates
Smeg Classic Opera range cooker
Smeg Classic Opera range cooker
Antique pine plate rack
Antique pine plate rack
Antique pine housekeeper’s cupboard
Antique pine housekeeper’s cupboard
Green vintage industrial enamel ceiling pendant light shade
Green vintage industrial enamel ceiling pendant light shade

Get their look: Minimalist plywood kitchen

Minimalist plywood kitchencredit

This minimalist plywood kitchen is located in a historic 19th century apartment building in north-western Romania.

The owner, Lavinia Onit, an architect, lives here with her partner and pet dog. They designed and made the birch plywood kitchen themselves. In an Apartment Therapy feature she describes the style as, “Neutral, simple, Scandinavian-inspired”.

I love the idea of the uniformly drilled holes on the splash-back. You’re able to insert different lengths of wooden dowel, in any number of permutations, to create shelf space or to hang kitchen utensils and other tools.

Get their look

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Semi-sheer pencil pleat white curtain
Semi-sheer pencil pleat white curtain
Black pull-down spray kitchen tap
Black pull-down spray kitchen tap
Wooden dowel rods
Wooden dowel rods
Handmade Baltic birch plywood kitchen doors
Handmade Baltic birch plywood kitchen doors
Basic ceiling pendant light
Basic ceiling pendant light
Semi-sheer pencil pleat white curtain
Semi-sheer pencil pleat white curtain
Black pull-down spray kitchen tap
Black pull-down spray kitchen tap
Wooden dowel rods
Wooden dowel rods
Handmade Baltic birch plywood kitchen doors
Handmade Baltic birch plywood kitchen doors
Basic ceiling pendant light
Basic ceiling pendant light
Semi-sheer pencil pleat white curtain
Semi-sheer pencil pleat white curtain
Black pull-down spray kitchen tap
Black pull-down spray kitchen tap
Wooden dowel rods
Wooden dowel rods
Handmade Baltic birch plywood kitchen doors
Handmade Baltic birch plywood kitchen doors
Basic ceiling pendant light
Basic ceiling pendant light

Price Points: Kitchen utensil sets

Kitchen utensil sets

My niece and her boyfriend have just put a deposit down on their first rented flat. I remember my first rental all those years ago. Unlike mine, their place is completely unfurnished – they have absolutely nothing!

The main essentials the pair of them are going to need – pronto – are a bed, sofa and fridge-freezer. Those are big budget items, but there are also some not so expensive ones that I bet they’ve not even thought about. Glassware, crockery, cutlery and utensils can be bought in sets for not a lot of money, but that doesn’t mean you should go out and buy the first or the cheapest ones you come across. Think about the kinds of things you like to cook, eat and drink and that will point you in the right direction.

For instance, don’t purchase a set of 6 soup bowls if you don’t like or never eat soup. If you like cereal for breakfast, then cereal bowls are the right choice. Similarly, a set of fish knives & forks probably won’t see much action. However, you can never have too many teaspoons in your home if you drink tea and/or coffee… ditto mugs!

The same applies to kitchen utensil sets; there’s no sense buying a set where you won’t use half of the tools. Again, think about what you eat. Pizza? A pizza wheel is useful. Mashed potatoes? A masher or – in my opinion – the best tool for that job, a ricer.

Get a utensil bundle that includes a tin opener, a peeler, a couple of different spatulas, at least three spoons (one slotted) and a wine/bottle opener. From experience, I know that a melon baller and those 2-pronged meat fork things never see the light of day.

  1. Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11: £15.79, Roov
  2. 28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set: £59.25, eBay
  3. Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set: £74.99, Wayfair

shop kitchen utensil sets

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
£74.99
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
£59.25
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
£15.79
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
£74.99
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
£59.25
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
£15.79
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
£74.99
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
£59.25
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
£15.79
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
£74.99
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
£59.25
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
£15.79
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set
£74.99
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set
£59.25
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11
£15.79