9 Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look Awesome for Under $100

Amanda Meadows — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 16:00:11 +0000

The kitchen is the hub of life. Sure, it's where we put the cat's food and scrounge for snacks in the middle of the night, but also, major life events happen in and around the kitchen. Why shouldn't it look a little nicer? (See also: 14 Ways to Make Your Yard Look Awesome for Under $100)

Here's how to make your kitchen look awesome for under $100.

1. Display Fresh Flowers and Fruit

It's as easy as it sounds. Clear out a space on your main countertop or kitchen island. The next time you're at the farmer's market or grocery store, buy a little extra fresh fruit and a bouquet of flowers. Grab a basket and a vase from a place like Dollar Tree where you can find really cute decor for only $1 each. Not only will it look beautiful, but you might eat more fruits and vegetables as a result!

2. Install Attractive Shelving Units

No need to head to Home Depot for plywood — you can buy pre-made fashion shelves at places like Target for as cheap as $15. Find some shelves that only need a few screws or nails to install on one of your walls. Now you have a great spot to place spice bottles, utensils, and tchotkes.

3. Use a Magnet Strip for Prep Utensils and Knives

This is a trick many avid cooks use. The knife block is not always convenient, and why dig through a cluttered drawer for a bottle opener? Buy a magnetic strip (like this $16 one) for your wall so you can place your select knives, bottle openers, and other metal tools like nut crackers and more. It's utilitarian and elegant, like right out of a Sur Le Table catalog.

4. Find Cute Drawer Pulls

Give your kitchen unexpected flair by mixing and matching cute drawer pulls. You can find these anywhere from Lowe's to Anthropologie. It's a great way to breathe new life in your tired, worn out drawers with a shabby chic vibe for only $25.

5. Derust and Decalcify Your Fixtures

While cleaning is no fun, this could be one of the best things you could do for your kitchen. Clean out your sink area of dishes and other items. Use a cleansing agent like C.L.R. to coat your metal fixtures as well as any ceramic. Follow the instructions, scrub away, and you'll be left with what will look like a brand new sink for only $6 and some elbow grease.

6. Stick-On a Blackboard

Have an odd area of empty wall space? Try a stick-on blackboard to make your kitchen feel like a cute cafe for only $10. Use it to write menus, a meal calendar, errands, or anything else. It's also a good place to make it clear whose turn it is to do the dishes!

7. Pour Staples Into Pretty Canisters

Items like flour, sugar, rice, beans, candy, and more tend not to do well in the same paper or plastic bags they came in. Buy some glass, ceramic, or stainless steel canisters for under $30. Not only will you avoid bugs, dust, and other ills, you can make your shelving look neater.

8. Change-Up Your Window Dressing

Have a window with nothing going on? Try buying a small window shade in a bright and cheery color or pattern. There are many out there for $30 and under. It's the kind of small difference that makes a kitchen feel more inviting and attractive.

9. Paint Cabinets, Doors, and Drawer Faces

If you've got dark and dreary construction grade cabinets, brighten them up with a couple of coats of paint and primer. Sure, there's some planning and elbow grease involved in repainting your cabinets, but this is a job that truly refreshes a drab kitchen. Shop aggressively for paint and supplies, and you can do it for $100 or less, depending on the size of your kitchen — and of your tool chest.

Have you spruced up your kitchen for cheap? How did it come out? Please share in comments!

This article is from Amanda Meadows of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: