5 best steps on how to update a kitchen without renovating
Small kitchen makeover on a budget that you can do easily on your own.
If it is time to update your kitchen but you have no clue how to start, where to begin, and what to do, I can help you out. If your budget is not huge, and you don’t want to invest a lot of time and money, you need to know the best 5 steps in order to get awesome results. How to update a kitchen without renovating starts here:
How to update a kitchen without renovating with 5 best steps
If your kitchen cabinets are still in good shape, it is easy to make updates. Especially if you want to brighten it up and make it look more modern – a coat of paint is your friend.
Update your kitchen easily – but you need to know the best 5 tips on how to start in order to get professional results.
Even if you are not sure how to pick the right colors, what to remove or add to your kitchen, and what makes sense to update – I can help you with that.
Tip # 1 Start by evaluating what you have
Are your cabinets still in good shape? Is nothing wrong with them, they just look pretty hideous? How about your appliances? Do you want to keep them or are you going to replace them? If yes, what finish are you going to choose?
Countertop and backsplash – do they look decent, can you combine them in your overall look, or do you want to exchange them too? There are ways to paint the backsplash and also the countertops if you don’t want to replace them because it is a big and costly job.
How about the floor and walls? Do they need an update also?

Tip # 2 How about your floors?
The floor makes a huge impact on the room and is therefore absolutely necessary to look at it more closely. If you have an old-looking linoleum floor, it might be a great idea to add vinyl peel-and-stick planks.
You can even paint an old linoleum floor and add a stencil or a stripe pattern to make it look more modern and interesting.
Do you have hardwood floors but they desperately need some love? How about sanding and staining the floor fresh for an updated look?

Tip # 3 Paint the walls
Now, before you start painting walls, you need to decide on the color scheme for the whole kitchen. Don’t just paint walls and hope for a significant transformation. You need to focus on the entire picture.
- Floor color
- Cabinet color
- Wall color
- Backsplash color
- Countertop color
- Is it an open kitchen? What does the rest of the room look like? Can you see the dining room colors? Make sure the colors look good together.

Mood board kitchen with earthy color accents

Do you need more tips? Here are 10 Easy tips to make your kitchen look stunning and so much more to actually update your kitchen the right way.

Tip # 4 Make a color scheme / mood board
Now start making your color scheme and a mood board. That means, what color is your floor, are you keeping the cabinets the way they look now, or do you want to paint them? Do you want to open up some wall space and add shelves? Or would you like to make an accent wall with wallpaper or tiles? What are you doing with the appliances? Are you replacing them or do you keep them? What color are your appliances?
These are all questions you need to answer in order to get a cohesive and modern-looking kitchen.

Tip # 5 Decide on the right colors and start painting
Have you decided on all the different colors for your kitchen? Don’t forget to get paint samples and try them out in your kitchen to make sure it is the right color. Then it is time to start painting:
Start with the kitchen cabinets. Are you using just one color or have you decided on a two-tone kitchen? Then always decide on the light color for the upper cabinets and the darker color for the lower cabinets.
Decide on the right paint for cabinets. Getting the right paint is the key to the best results. Also, it makes a huge impact on how long it will take you to be done with painting.
There are many different paints available, some include primer some don’t. Some smell really toxic and some chip easily. So deciding on the right paint is so important. Here is the paint I recommend.
If you are ready to paint the kitchen cabinets yourself – because you can save thousands of dollars by doing it yourself – begin with this 30 min. workshop on how to get started painting cabinets. If you concentrate on painting for a couple of hours a day you will be easily done in a short time. Just don’t rush the process, keep focused and concentrate and you will have an amazing outcome.

Make sure to change the wall color too
After you are done painting the cabinets, paint the walls in a fresh color according to your color scheme. Updating the hardware is also an easy change but can be very powerful if you change old brass hardware to new sleek, black, modern-looking hardware.
Also, don’t forget to add new decor. A pretty runner, new light fixtures, new blinds or curtains, and some greenery make a huge impact when decorating your kitchen.

Either decide on a new backsplash or paint the existing one. You can also paint your dated-looking Formica countertops pretty easily. Here is how: How to paint Formica countertops to look like new

Do you need help making your color scheme and mood board?
This is the most essential work you need to do before your start updating your kitchen. You need to know what you are doing and if the colors are the right choice for your house/apartment/studio.
If you need help with deciding on the right colors, here are some tips for you.
Get the 30-minute course that shows you how to paint cabinets fast and easily
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the fastest and most impactful change: Painting the kitchen walls. this doesn’t take a lot of time but refreshes and makes a change to the look of the kitchen.
- What is the best color to paint kitchen cabinets: White, Grey, Blue and Green are awesome colors for kitchen cabinets. If in doubt, pick a neutral color and add colorful accessories.
- What did I wish I knew before remodeling my kitchen? It probably will get more expensive than planned and will take more time than estimated.
- How can I make my kitchen look more expensive? Use neutral colors like an off-white or cream color and combine it with either black or golden hardware.
- What is the easiest update I can do right now? Add a hanging shelf and arrange hanging plants. That gives your kitchen a fresh look.
- What are the kitchen trends in 2023? Removing hanging cabinets and just having lower cabinets. Adding a shelf to showcase pretty items – reducing is the new word.
- What is the average cost to remodel a kitchen? Well, it depends of course. It can start around $ 10,000 and can end well over $ 50,000 if you are planning on a complete renovation.
- How much does it cost if I only paint the cabinets? If you do a simple update, you won’t get over $ 500. Painting kitchen cabinets, painting the walls, and updating hardware will not cost more than $ 500 if you do it yourself.

Summary of How to update your kitchen without renovating in 5 best steps
There are a lot of ways to update a dated-looking kitchen if you don’t know where to start. Make sure you see the whole picture of your kitchen update, make a plan, decide on a color scheme and bring everything together in order to see the whole look.
You can definitely do most of the work yourself – especially if you are not looking at removing walls and countertops.
Do you have any questions? Just contact me, I am here for you. Or get the kitchen checklist and a lot of more tips right here:
Conny





painted kitchen cabinets
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