Five Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home, welcoming everyone with tasty home-cooked food (okay, or take-out). It's also the focus of the latest home technologies that make our lives easier, faster, cleaner, tastier and more stylish. Yet, even with high-tech additions, kitchens today have more in common with yesteryear than ever before. Innovative appliances and materials mean that the kitchen is easier to use and more comfortable to spend time in. People are drawn to the large open rooms common in today's houses. There we gab while we make dinner and catch up with family or friends. Transforming your kitchen into a food- and family-focused haven is easy. With a variety of options for improvement, you can merely upgrade one or two aspects, or go for a complete overhaul. In the end, you'll have a kitchen to compete with grandma's—full of good food and good folks—but with the latest in home advances.

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1. Paint cabinets

Dalia Kitchen Design in Boston, MA, recommends painting cabinets when you need a change. Let the brush strokes show if you want a rustic look. Tamara Lewis-Thompson of T Squared Studios in Lafayette, CO, says you can also "remove the recessed panels of cupboard doors and replace them with glass," for a totally different look.

2. Replace backsplash tiles

A new backsplash is an easy way to change your kitchen's dated look. Along with painting the walls, it can refresh the color and update the space.

3. Change hardware and knobs

Hardware is an inexpensive way to alter the look of the kitchen and enhance other changes you make.

4. Replace countertops

If you already like the layout of your kitchen, Dalia Kitchen Design says to consider a new countertop. Choose stone, poured concrete or quartz composite to enhance and change your kitchen space. But, says T Squared Studio's Lewis-Thompson, make sure you like all of your cabinets first. "Don't put a good countertop with bad cabinets."

5. Look at how you use the space

Pay attention to how you use your kitchen. If the dishwasher or other appliance would work better for you across the room, call in a plumber or electrician to change the hookups and move it. Then make sure smaller items are grouped logically-cooking utensils near the stove, baking equipment all together, preparation tools in one spot.

Want more great ideas?

This article is a partial reprint from our magazine, Cedar Living. Order your copy today, and get great ideas for your home, including bathrooms, great rooms, outdoor living, and more!