Many of us may believe that having a high-end kitchen is an unrealistic ambition due to the perceived exorbitant expenditures involved. Despite our best efforts to brainstorm ways to make our kitchens look expensive, we often feel defeated and give up on the idea altogether.
Transform your kitchen into an expensive-looking space without having to spend a fortune. With a few creative ideas and smart tips, you can achieve a designer look on a budget and make your kitchen look like a luxurious dream without breaking the bank.
Tips for achieving a luxurious kitchen look
We looked into the most effective and affordable ways to make your kitchen look better. Keep reading and learn how to make your kitchen look wealthy without spending a lot of money, whether you want a Scandi-style kitchen or a blend of other design trends.
Elevate your curtains by hanging them high
Even if your kitchen doesn’t have high ceilings and big windows like most expensive kitchens do, you can still make it look and feel expensive. By hanging your curtains or blinds higher than usual, you can easily elevate the appearance of your kitchen and make it look more grandiose.
By hanging your curtains as high as possible, near the ceiling, you can create an illusion of spaciousness that draws the eye upwards. This simple technique can make your kitchen look bigger and taller, enhancing the overall value of the space.
Transform your kitchen’s look by upgrading your taps
Upgrading your taps is a simple and effective way to give your kitchen a high-end look. Surprisingly, taps can have a big effect on a room, and stylish designs can turn something that is useful into something that is pretty. Gold faucets can add a touch of luxury, while brass fixtures can add a touch of vintage charm.
There is a wide range of tap options available for around £30, making this a cost-effective upgrade for your kitchen. Additionally, learning how to change a tap yourself can further reduce expenses, making this a budget-friendly project.
Luxurious lighting: Achieving Opulent Illumination
It’s a well-known fact that lighting can work wonders in any room, and an adequately illuminated kitchen can create an appearance of lavishness. With numerous kitchen lighting ideas to select from, linear pendants and chandeliers are excellent options to hang above the dining table, while wall lights can illuminate the entire room and make the area feel more spacious.
Adhesive-strip LED lights are an excellent way to establish a refined ambiance in your kitchen during hosting events. You can install these lights above your hob or under your cupboards to create an affordable substitute for downlighters.
Transform your kitchen on a budget by painting the cabinets
If you’re tired of the appearance of your kitchen cabinets, give them a new lease of life by painting them to make your kitchen look more expensive. You’ll be astonished at the difference it can make. Since cabinets significantly contribute to the kitchen’s overall appearance, painting them is an affordable alternative to replacing the entire kitchen doors. Learn how to paint them to give your kitchen a fresh and modern look without breaking the bank.
Get creative and choose a color that will add a touch of luxury to your kitchen. Soft pinks and sage greens go well with white countertops, or for a bold look, try sleek black or earthy terracotta. Painting your kitchen cabinets has never been easier.
Enhance your kitchen with artwork
Adding artwork to your kitchen can elevate the space and give it a more luxurious feel. Many kitchen decorating ideas are only about making the space work, but adding artwork can add a personal touch and make the room feel more welcoming. Don’t let the cost of artwork deter you; there are plenty of affordable options available. You can choose a framed painting of a favorite location or create a gallery wall with multiple pieces.
Another idea is to use black and white family photos for a sentimental touch. To add a designer touch, paint the frame mount with leftover paint samples. This simple hack will instantly make the artwork look more expensive.
Think about glass cabinets
Mike from Atlas Ceramics suggests that you put glass cabinets in your small kitchen to make it look bigger. Glass cupboards not only allow natural light to flow through but also add depth and dimension. You don’t have to replace all your cabinets with glass; just a few strategically placed ones will do the trick. Use them to show off your best dishes and glasses, and if you can afford it, add lights inside the cabinets for a touch of elegance.
Replace branded bottles with glass ones
Transferring your washing-up liquid and soap from plain plastic bottles to permanent glass bottles can instantly enhance the look of your kitchen. It’s a simple yet effective way to make your kitchen look expensive while turning practical items into part of the decor.
Brown glass is a popular option that can suit most aesthetics. For a more colorful option that’s right on-trend, consider amber or recycled sea green glass bottles.
Consider using vinyl in your kitchen
Revamp your kitchen easily and affordably with vinyl. Besides worktops, vinyl can also be used on drawers, cupboards, tiles, and floors to give your kitchen a fresh, updated look.
This low-maintenance material is perfect for areas in need of a quick upgrade. Vinyl flooring is a great option for a luxurious design without breaking the bank. You can choose a material that is both cost-effective and stylish.
Discover the potential of using wallpaper in your kitchen
Wallpaper in the kitchen has the potential to make a bigger difference than paint. By adding color, patterns, and hand-drawn scenes, you can make a small kitchen look and feel more luxurious, which will impress both you and your guests. Applying wallpaper to a kitchen wall is a common approach to making the space look more expensive and can even make it appear larger.
Consider using open patterns in light shades or ombre walls to create the illusion of more space, or opt for bold, dark, large patterns to give a more intimate feel to a larger kitchen.
Replace your door handles
Upgrading the handles on your kitchen cabinets is a simple yet effective method to add a touch of luxury and make your kitchen look more expensive. The details on these handles can add a special finishing touch to your cabinets. You can create a unique look by mixing and matching handles with different shapes and finishes or keep it cohesive with a matching set.
Because they look warm and expensive, brass and brushed brass finishes are becoming more popular for kitchen cabinet handles. They complement both neutral and bold color schemes, adding sophistication to any kitchen.
What are some ways to give my kitchen an expensive appearance?
When looking for ways to improve the look of your kitchen, you can often do this by turning useful items into decor that stands out. If you want a well-lit kitchen with a touch of luxury, you might want to install some fancy light fixtures.
Integrating plinth, under counter, or cabinetry lighting from the outset might appear to be an extra expense at first, but these are the features that often set designer kitchens apart. They also make a significant difference when it comes to highlighting key features of the kitchen and allow you to adjust the ambiance as needed.
For kitchen splashback ideas, use a low-sheen tile with matching grout. “You can select a lightly textured tile and pair it with a hidden LED strip in your over-counter cabinets,” recommends Karl Mok, Founder of Friends Studio. “When the light is on in the evening, you’ll get a gentle illumination that highlights the texture of the tile.”
Other ways to enhance your kitchen’s opulence include updating your metalware. Handles of kitchen cabinets, door knobs, and taps can blend seamlessly with the design by opting for stylish fixtures rather than purely functional ones. Choose from brass, gold, or matte black finishes, depending on your taste.
Tips for giving your kitchen a fresh and modern look
Giving your kitchen a fresh new look is as simple as repainting your kitchen cabinets. You can stick with the same color or choose a new palette to bring new life into your kitchen. To make a significant impact on the overall appearance of the space, consider updating prominent features such as the kitchen splashback.
You can easily put up a new splashback or retile the one you already have if you have the right tools. You’ll need safety goggles, adhesive, tile spacers, a cutter, a spirit level, and a trowel. The splashback is the perfect area to experiment with color and shape. In small kitchens, use mosaic tiles or bold geometric tiles to make the room look bigger and more three-dimensional.
There is a variety of patterns and colors available in mosaics, marble, and terrazzo that you can buy. This is a great chance to try out new designs that you might be thinking about for a future home improvement project.
