10 Easy Ways To Update Your Kitchen In 2024

This article has been written in collaboration with Kitchen Thinker.

Are you looking for some easy kitchen update ideas? You’re in the right place. Gone are the days when kitchens were only utilised as a place for cooking. Today, kitchens have become the front and centre as these are utilized for entertaining guests, sharing conversations, and as a place to relax and recharge.

And there are plenty of great ways to upgrade your kitchen and turn it into your dream kitchen, no matter your budget!

Kitchen Upgrade Ideas & Easy Kitchen Makeovers

The kitchen has become one of the most important areas of the home, which is why you should regularly update it.

Adapting to various kitchen design trends can breathe new life into the space, improve its functionality, and boost the market value of your property.

If you’re looking for budget kitchen updates or if you simply want to give your kitchen a refresh.

Whether it’s a renovation or where you simply upgrade appliances or small sections of your kitchen, there are numerous ways to upgrade your kitchen.

To make your kitchen look and feel new, try out these easy upgrades for 2022:

1. Add Personality To Your Kitchen

It’s not unusual for homeowners to devote significant time and effort to make their homes stand out.

Purchasing a property is expensive, therefore homeowners want to make the most of their investment by using it as a medium for displaying their personality.

Instead of displaying several trinkets around your home, focus on giving your kitchen a makeover.

According to Kitchen Thinker reviews, kitchens with personality will become a norm in 2022, allowing homeowners to make the space feel and look more personal.

If you’re a bookworm, you can install a small bookcase on one side of your kitchen island or use an entire wall in the kitchen as your bookshelf.

If you’re a sports fan, you can add different memorabilia around your kitchen. You can use an entire wall for sports-related items like jerseys, baseball bats, and helmets.

2. Two-Toned Kitchen

Two-toned kitchens have been one of the most popular trends in recent years and 2022 is no different. Even after the pandemic, many homeowners still choose to upgrade their kitchens to become two-toned spaces.

But for 2022, two-toned doesn’t only connote the use of colours; this year also welcomes the use of different materials and textures in the kitchen.

Hopping into this trend is easy—you just need to mix and match various elements in your kitchen.

For starters, you can use wood-stained cabinets under the sink and grey marble for your kitchen countertops.

You can also go for navy-coloured overhead cabinets and then swap your existing kitchen countertops for stainless steel.

Having a two-toned kitchen is a great way to add visual interest to the space without going overboard.

The prevalence of two different colours, materials, or textures in your kitchen will also make the space more memorable. Giving your kitchen a makeover is a quick way to give your home a refresh too!

3. Let The Outdoors In

Since you’ll be spending time in your kitchen, it’s important to set the right mood in the space. This will help make your hours spent cooking or baking far more enjoyable.

Letting the outdoors in is one of the best ways to energise your kitchen and set the right tone for the space.

When you replace your walls with glass panes and allow natural light in, your kitchen will look brighter and feel more cheerful. Natural light can also make small kitchens look bigger.

Another way to let the outdoors in is by adding plants to your space. You can use potted plants as a centrepiece of your kitchen island or place a huge bamboo plant in one corner as the room’s focal point.

Having a kitchen herb garden is another great way to bring greenery to your kitchen, with the added bonus of fresh herbs you can easily add to your dishes.

4. Green Cabinets

Cabinets are a staple in every kitchen because it impacts the organisation of the space. The more cabinets your kitchen has, the easier it’ll be for you to maintain a clutter-free area.

But did you know that your cabinets also affect the overall look of your kitchen?

For 2022, green-coloured cabinets are expected to create a buzz. In fact, green has become the most popular hue for kitchen cabinets.

Depending on your preferences, you can choose sage green to create a neutral look for your cabinets or go for darker shades of green to add more drama to the space.

With the number of hues to choose from, you won’t have any problems picking the perfect green for your cabinets.

Whether you want your green cabinets to stand out or complement the existing decor, there will always be a perfect shade of green that can instantly update your cabinet hardware.

Paint is one of the most budget-friendly ways to update an old home to look like new cabinets, without needing a full kitchen remodel.

RELATED READING: Kitchen gifts for people who love to cook

5. Hidden Appliances

Appliances lying around your kitchen can make the space feel very cluttered, which can eventually trigger anxiety and stress.

A cluttered kitchen will make it challenging for you to focus as you will likely think about when and how you can eliminate the mess.

Instead of placing bulky appliances on your countertops such as an air fryer, toaster, and blender, opt to store them in kitchen cabinets, deep drawers or on a pantry shelf.

Removing appliances from your countertops and storing them away can help you achieve a minimalist look and this simple change can make a big difference to your home improvement.

Remember, the key to attaining a minimalist interior design is to create an uncluttered and simple space—things you can easily achieve when you have cabinets and drawers solely for your appliances.

6. Kitchen Wallpaper

Because your kitchen is an enclosed space, the colours of the walls can make or break its ambience.

Choosing to have plain-coloured walls in your kitchen is a common design option, but this can eventually make the space look and feel boring. This is especially true if you stick to one colour scheme for years.

When looking for ideas to update kitchen walls on a budget, you can do this by using wallpapers.

Wallpaper comes in a wide variety of designs, making it easy for you to pick one that suits the theme or aesthetics of your kitchen.

Do you want to create an accent wall in your kitchen? Look for wallpapers with prints and colours contrasting to the overall décor of the room.

Are you looking for ways to add pops of colours to your kitchen? Use wallpapers with patterns that work well with your existing kitchen decors.

Aside from being versatile, kitchen wallpapers are also inexpensive and easy to install and remove.

This will allow you to change the colours of your kitchen walls as often as you want to without worrying about breaking the bank!

7. Coloured Marble

Marble is one of the most common materials used in kitchen countertops and islands.

It has unique patterns and a glossy finish, giving off a luxurious appearance. It’s also durable, resistant to shattering, and works as an excellent insulator.

Update your kitchen by investing in coloured marble.

If you want your kitchen to stand out, skip white and beige-coloured marbles, as these are common varieties and will make your kitchen look like everyone else’s.

Nowadays, marble comes in many different shades, from deep emerald greens to pale pinks.

Using coloured marble for your kitchen countertops will make the space more appealing.

8. Be Playful With Your Kitchen Lighting

Lighting fixtures aren’t only used to bring illumination to the room. Since lighting fixtures today come in different styles, shapes, and colours, you can also use these to transform the ambience of your kitchen.

Since you’ll have different options to choose from, play around with different lighting fixtures to see which works for your kitchen.

If you have a white-coloured kitchen, consider adding lighting fixtures with gold accents. These pieces will make your kitchen look modern and fresh while adding a little glam to the space.

Using black pendant lights above your kitchen island can make the space look sleeker and more defined.

Consult a lighting sales professional and electrician to determine the best kitchen lighting material and installation options available for you. They can guide you in choosing the right type of light for the kitchen look you want to achieve.

In that way, you can ascertain your cooking preparation’s adequate illumination and safety.

9. Visible Pantries

Pantries are often hidden in kitchens. Homeowners would stash all of their goods in one cabinet and conceal the area from the rest of the room.

This is expected to change in 2022.

An easy upgrade you can do to your kitchen for 2022 is to make your pantries more visible. If possible, you can even use your pantry as an integral part of your kitchen design and home decor.

If you already have a pantry in your kitchen, consider swapping its wooden doors into glass panels. Using glass is an excellent way to highlight your pantry and everything that’s stored inside it.

Just make sure the products are organised and labelled properly. Check out these pantry organisation ideas to get you inspired!

10. Mix And Match Kitchen Furniture

Since you spend so much time in your kitchen, cooking, eating and potentially entertaining, it’s important to invest in the right pieces of furniture.

It will make family breakfast at the breakfast buffet or entertaining guests more enjoyable if you have comfortable seats and tables.

Instead of using pieces of furniture in the same style or from the same manufacturer, take it up a notch by mixing and matching different pieces.

Mismatched furniture can add a fun surprise to your kitchen and prevent the space from looking too plain or monotonous.

When mixing and matching kitchen furniture, limit your colour palette and preferred materials to ensure that the space doesn’t look cluttered.

Ideally, you should stick to two colours and materials when deciding which furniture to add to your kitchen.

More Ideas For How To Update A Kitchen Without Renovating

A kitchen makeover doesn’t necessarily need to be costly.

If you’re on a budget, many offline and online resources can help you update your kitchen without renovating it.

Read home improvement magazines and watch related kitchen design videos from expert interior designers and other credentialed professionals. You can also get advice from your family and friends and on social media.

You can upgrade your kitchen by using low-cost alternatives like those mentioned above or try some of these simple and affordable changes:

Update your kitchen tile backspace with new tiles
Add new cabinet handles to replace older ones
Create a photo wall to add a personal touch
Add a butcher’s block
Install new flooring

One excellent way to update your kitchen is to fix plumbing issues too. Many homeowners overlook the importance of addressing a leaky tap, clogged sink, and other plumbing-related issues. So, if you want to update your kitchen without renovating, consider hiring a plumber to inspect and repair your plumbing system for renewed functionality.

This step also applies before kitchen renovation.

A professional plumber can help you plan to reroute your plumbing system as necessary. You can also obtain expert advice on the best plumbing fixtures and materials for your kitchen upgrade.

As you can see, there are many ways to upgrade your kitchen in 2022. Regardless of how extensive or simple changes you want to make to your kitchen, many easy kitchen update ideas will surely fit the bill. To ensure that you’ll have fun updating your kitchen, focus on one aspect of your kitchen makeover at a time, to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Having a kitchen makeover is one of the best ways to make your home feel fresh and new.

I hope these simple ways to update your kitchen help you create a home kitchen you love!

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