You don’t need to spend thousands of pounds to transform a tired, outmoded kitchen into a bright, modern space. Often there is nothing wrong with the existing skeleton of a kitchen, at least, nothing that a new colour scheme won’t radically improve. ‘Simply replacing or painting the doors and drawer fronts of your units can make a huge difference to bringing about the aesthetic effect you desire,’ says Casey Daniel, one of our home experts. ‘And it is amazing what a fresh coat of paint to the walls or hanging new blinds or curtains can do to bring your personal style into the room.’
Read on for some basic instructions, and then call us to talk through your plans with a lifestyle manager and discuss how we can help you – from sourcing materials to arranging for experts to come and take care of any parts of the job that require a professional.
Replacing
If you are choosing new cabinet fronts, all you need are basic DIY tools – most importantly a tape measure, a drill and a set of screwdrivers – and a modicum of DIY acumen. Check the wear-and-tear of the existing hinges and drawer runners, as you may decide you want to replace these, too, so the kitchen feels as good as it will look. ‘Once you have measured up, doors and drawer fronts can be ordered from a range of discount providers, who we can put you in touch with,’ says Casey. ‘Don’t forget that corning, pelmets, plinths and end panels will also need to be updated to ensure materials and styles match.’
Renovating
If you prefer to paint your existing cabinets, start with a wash to remove dirt and grease, and remove the old handles. Remove the doors and drawers, sand down and be sure to use a suitable primer followed by furniture paint, which provides a hard, smooth coating when evenly applied, allowing each coat to dry before adding the next. For best results, use a paint atomiser, which is less time-consuming and results in a more consistent finish than using brushes – although nothing beats a brush for smaller jobs.
‘If you would prefer someone else to take on the stress of creating a clean, crisp and even finish, call us – we can put you in touch with a range of professionals who can take on any aspect of the work that you don’t feel confident to do yourself,’ adds Casey.
Even something as simple as replacing old knobs and handles with stylish new designs can transform the look of cabinets and drawers. Try to find handles that screw directly into the existing holes in the cabinet doors to make the job quick and simple.
Another effective way of rejuvenating a kitchen is to replace the work surfaces. ‘We recommend hiring professionals to undertake the heavy precision work of taking out old worktops and fitting new ones,’ says Casey. ‘We can help you find them, as well as source the best materials for the job – from dark granite to ethically sourced timber or high quality laminates.”
Lighting
In any room, lighting has an enormous impact on the aesthetic but in a kitchen it also has the important function of keeping the areas where you make and prepare food well lit. ‘Other than on the ceiling, you could consider attaching lights to the underside of wall cabinets to brighten your worktops; above the wall cabinets from behind the cornices; inside glass-doored cabinets, or even under the base units, inset into plinth fixtures,’ says Casey.
‘Fluorescent lighting, halogen lights and LED lights can all be used, but we strongly advise employing an electrician for any electrical work.’
