Simple Ideas to Update Your Kitchen Decor
Since we spend so much time in the kitchen cooking, cleaning and simply visiting with friends, we can grow tired of our kitchen decor quicker than almost any room in the house. But redecorating a kitchen is expensive! Here are some ways to add new life to your kitchen without redoing the whole room or without spending a lot of money.
• Create a three dimensional border around your kitchen with plates or saucers hung on inexpensive plate hangers, baskets hung on hooks, or a shelf hung on brackets about 10″-12″ from the ceiling and filled with vintage tins or a variety of other items you have on hand.
• Change the entire look of your kitchen floor without retiling the whole kitchen by focusing on one section only. If you have a table in the kitchen, you can place an area rug underneath it, or place a long runner between the cabinets and stove. Check yard sales and estate sales for rugs, or pick up a remnant of vinyl tile at a surplus store, paint it to match your decor and seal it with a clear coating. Canvas can also be cut and painted and used as a floor cloth. Be sure to attach your mats to the floor with double-sided tape to avoid falls.
• Create a light, airy valance using ladies vintage hankies. Simply hang them diagonally over your curtain rod and let them flutter in the breeze for a romantic, Victorian window treatment.
• Use the space over your cabinets to display your collections. They don’t all have to be kitchen related although tins, antique glassware, mugs and teapots work very well.
• There are many ways to give your cabinets a new look without replacing them. Paint the doors with a bright new enamel, glue on a fabric placemat, cover with self-adhesive paper or decals. All of these options are easy to do and inexpensive, and will give your whole kitchen a new, updated look.
• Add molding around the ceiling in place of a border, or place a large ceramic medallion above the kitchen light fixture to create an elegant, finished look.
• Another easy and relatively inexpensive detail that offers big results is to change your kitchen light fixtures. If you only have one or two lights, you might find what something you like at a yard sale. If not, shop around to find just what you’re looking for before making a decision. You’ll be amazed at how this simple change affects the mood of your kitchen.
• Add a new tablecloth or placemats to match your updated decor. You may want to make one from a flat sheet (it’s much less expensive than buying fabric). You can then use the leftovers for a simple window swag – just cut your fabric to the required length, hem it all around using iron-on tape if you don’t sew, and drape it over a curtain rod.
• Layer your good china or mismatched vintage dishes on the table. Place a dinner plate first, add a salad plate on top, and a bowl on top of that. Set out stemware, saucers and cups, and silverware on cloth napkins to create a full table setting at each chair. They’re easy to move if you don’t want to use the dishes every day and will make your kitchen look “decorated” with very little effort and potentially no cost.
• Attach a backsplash behind the sink or the stove. You can use a variety of materials including mirrors or ceramic tiles. This will protect your walls from splatters and splashes while adding color and interest at the same time.
There are many ways for frugal moms to decorate the kitchen. Let these ideas kickstart your own or come up with something truly original and truly your own.
