How to upgrade your kitchen without emptying your bank account
If you’ve ever thought about a project to upgrade your kitchen, now is the perfect time. Winter in Alaska gives you all the time you need to plan and put into action the following ideas for creating a more fun, functional and beautiful space everyone in your family will love.
As experienced real estate professionals in Alaska, we’ve been helping homeowners for the last 30 years with ideas for inexpensive and efficient kitchen upgrades that elevate their enjoyment of the space and also increase the value of their home. Whether you’re thinking of selling, or just want a few simple ideas to freshen up your kitchen, we’ve got your covered.
#1 Under cabinet lighting
If you don’t have lighting under your cabinets, now is the time to add it. Modern lighting solutions mean you don’t have to call a handyman to install complicated systems. Head to your nearest home improvement center and you’ll see everything from simple adhesive designs to ones with remotes and dimmable settings to flexible light bars and strips that fit any angle and area.
#2 Pendant lighting
Another lighting fix that will really impress in your kitchen is to add pendant lighting above your kitchen island or dining space. Unless you have experience, you’ll probably want to hire an electrician for installation, but it’s an easy swap to add stylish hanging lights that replace recessed lighting and create something truly eye-catching.
#3 Create a hidden charging station
Smart phones, tablets, fitness watches, and more usually all end up on the kitchen counting while they are being charged. This creates a big mess, as well as taking away from valuable counter space. Clean out a large drawer or cabinet and have an electrician install an outlet or run a line to the space so you can have a hidden charging station for all those devices.
#4 Extend your kitchen island
If you have the room, add a foot or two to your kitchen island and install storage on the side to give you both a functional space that looks great. One idea is to install shelves that hold cookbooks, your cherished recipe box or bowls of fruit. Another would be to create a wine bottle storage area with space to hold your most impressive bottles – or the ones you want to have ready at hand when company shows up last minute.
#5 Replace cabinet latches and drawer pulls
With stores ranging from home improvement, hardware and home décor to the vast resources of the internet, it’s very easy and quite inexpensive to upgrade your kitchen with a fresh new look by installing new handles, latches and pulls. Every style and taste can be accounted for from glass and chrome to bright and colorful to modern or country.
