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The recipe for today’s kitchens is two parts function, one part style.
“Kitchens are quickly becoming the hub for family dining, entertaining and organization,” says design expert Frank Turco. “As result, today’s kitchens are serving spaces that are functional for cooks, stylish for entertaining and smart for storage and organization solutions.”
Investing in improvements not only makes your time spent there more enjoyable but also fetches a higher price when you sell, says Turco, senior manager and trend and design guy at The Home Depot Canada.
Here are his 10 ideas to make your kitchen unique and divine:
Reface. “Refacing cabinets is not as hard as one might think – in some cases, it can even be done as a DIY project for those that with patience and ambition,” says Turco.
He recommends stripping down the old ones and applying a fresh coat of paint or, for some sheen and wood effect, a new coat of lacquer. “Rub off some of the finish or paint to get that vintage look – it’s a hot trend in kitchens today.”
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Paper and glass “Add a bit of punch, drama and pattern to a tired-looking cabinet by removing the doors, lining the back wall with a hot wallpaper print, displaying your beautiful glassware or bowls, and finishing off with new glass doors,” says Turco.
It’s definitely a quick, inexpensive and easy way to freshen up some cabinets and personalize them.
Chalk it up. “Take an open wall in your kitchen and apply a coat of chalkboard [paint] to turn that wall space into a fun, creative place for the entire family to use,” says Turco. It’s a great way to personalize the kitchen — use it for grocery lists, doctor appointments, kids’ after-school programs or place for family and friends to be creative; the options are endless.
Get art smart. Stainless steel appliances look great, but you have nowhere to hang your kids’ artwork since magnets do not stick to stainless. “Take some wall space next to the fridge, apply a coat of magnetic primer and a paint colour overtop, and instantly you have a magnetic wall for all those great pictures to be hung.”
Show it off. Add some interest with open shelving, suggests Turco, by adding a floating shelf or two in a kitchen space. “It gives you additional storage space you never had and a place to display some of your personal accessories or treasures.”
Get benched. “A big trend today is to incorporate bench seating in the eating in area of your kitchen,” says Turco.
It’s easy to do, too: “Take upper kitchen cabinets and install them in a row on the floor. Buy your favourite patterned fabric and have a deep seat cushion made to go on top.” Not only have you created the ideal bench seat for those extra friends, says Turco, you’ve also increased your storage capacity with floor-level cabinets.
Change your hardware. The easiest change you can make to your kitchen, says Turco, is to update your cabinet hardware. For a little sparkle, consider some crystal or glass. Or if traditional is more your style, then the return of brass in a brushed finish may be just what you are looking for.
That special touch. “If you want the latest in technology for your kitchen and don’t mind spending a few bucks, then get yourself a touch faucet,” says Turco. These sleek babies go on and off with a simple touch anywhere on the faucet spout.
Light up your life. Forget traditional fixtures in the kitchen, says Turco. “Today’s kitchens are loaded with the most beautiful chandeliers and pendants – a great way to add a personal touch by way of light.”
Make a splash. “Nothing screams personality like a new backsplash in your kitchen space. Whether it’s glass tile in a mosaic pattern or a beautiful stone in a herringbone pattern, a new backsplash instantly adds colour, texture, pattern and drama to an old-looking space.”