With new kitchens being up there with one of the most expensive additions that you can make to your home, it’s often out of most peoples budgets to ‘rip out and start again.’ However, with a bit of DIY work and the right products, there are lots of things that you can do to existing kitchen to transform and make it look like a completely different space.

For budget-friendly ideas on how to update and revamp your existing kitchen, here are five of my top kitchen transformation tips.

olive & barr kitchen — *Image credit:* *Olive & Barr*

Reface Instead of Replace Your Cabinets

Even if your kitchen cabinet doors are looking tired and outdated, your cabinet carcasses are probably fine. Kitchen remodelling projects often focus on full cabinet replacements, when refacing delivers nearly identical results at a fraction of the cost.

Replacing kitchen door fronts or even giving them a lick of kitchen cabinet paint can transform your existing units. Most kitchen cabinetry comes in standard sizing, so it’s easy to replace the doors with new veneers. Alternatively, if you are just after a new look, a coat of specialist cabinet paint can be easily applied using a specialist paint roller sleeve for woodwork and flat surfaces.

Top Tip: If your existing doors are MDF with a veneer over the top, use a hairdryer to remove the veneer, then use an MDF sealer and a top coat of paint.

With the structural framework staying intact, you significantly reduce upheaval to your kitchen, save money, and it’s kinder to the planet with less materials going to landfill.

pink kitchen — *Image Credit:* *Chaunceys Timber Flooring*

Focus Your Budget on High-Impact Areas

The hard-working areas of your kitchen, such as the drawer handles and worktop, are not only touched and used everyday, but they command significant visual attention. It’s been a social media trend to update existing worktops with peel and stick vinyl in recent years, but I would advise you against that - it’s difficult to apply, does not look seamless and won’t last long. Instead, if you have some budget, spend it upgrading your worktops instead. Butcher block and quartz offer contemporary appeal without the premium attached to marble or granite. If your budget is lower than that, you’ll be pleased to hear that the technology behind laminate worktops has increased dramatically, allowing for an attractive worktop at a lower cost.

For a splashback, decorative tiles can transform a kitchen. If you are renting or need a very budget-friendly option, peel and stick tiles that can be positioned over exiting tiles are an excellent choice to create a focal area and create a completely new look. If stickers are not your thing, you could also use tile paint to cover up and disguise any outdated tiles. As well as giving them a new look, painting your tile will freshen up the space.

green kitchen tile stickers — *These* *kitchen tile stickers* *are from Amazon.*

Update Hardware and Lighting

Swapping outdated cabinet hardware for modern pulls and handles takes minimal time and skill, but instantly updates the entire room's character. All you need is a screwdriver to change over cabinet handles, and there are some amazing suppliers of modern hardware at a lower cost, including Plank Hardware and All Handles & Pulls.

flower knob kitchen hardware — *Halley sphere knob by* *Plank Hardware*

If your kitchen lighting is not doing it for you, think about how you can change it up. Lamps on kitchen work surfaces are now really on trend for a cosy, atmospheric home. While the vast increase in affordable portable lamps takes away the requirement for a nearby plug socket.

Keep Your Existing Layout

If you are having more of revamp than a simple repaint or replace, the moment you start moving plumbing lines, gas connections, or electrical outlets, your budget multiplies. Keeping sinks, stoves, and appliances in their current positions eliminates the need for licensed professionals to reconfigure your infrastructure. This single decision can save thousands.

Paint your kithen floor or Add a rug

Hate your kitchen floor? Have you thought about giving it a coat of paint? There’s been a development in paints suitable for kitchen spaces due to the rise of enthusiastic female DIYers on social media, and painting your floor in an on-trend checkerboard patterns is an achievable weekend project as most of these paints do not require a primer.

*Annie Sloane* *is a good supplier of floor paint.*

If you can't hide your kitchen floor with paint, add a rug! Rugs made from jute are hardwearing and look great in a kitchen to add texture and warm up the space. Washable rugs are also great for kitchens as the top layer can be thrown in the washing machine when required!