Have you spent more time in the kitchen than usual in the past year? From banana breads to elaborate date night dinners, many of us have tried to recreate the joy of our favourite cafes and restaurants while they’ve been temporarily closed.
But while your cooking skills might’ve improved, you may also have noticed a few areas and items in need of an upgrade. A recent survey found that three in five homeowners had been inspired to renovate during the pandemic.
So what projects could you take on this summer in preparation for the return of dinner parties and other social events? Get ideas for a kitchen refresh below.
Up your organisation
Is your space dominated by clutter? A messy kitchen can be frustrating at best and hazardous at worst. A survey by personal injury experts National Accident Helpline found the kitchen to be the most dangerous room in the home, so it could be time to get things in order.
Organisation doesn’t have to be boring though. Decanting everyday items such as coffee, nuts and pasta into clear containers is a great way to reduce packaging and make things easy to find. You could do the same with spices and create a pantry with clear, attractive labels.
Can you go vertical too? Open shelving and hooks will make items more accessible while displaying your decorations. Investing in modern pull-out drawers and cupboards meanwhile could make the most of dead space in corners.
Refresh or redecorate
If you’re tired of your kitchen’s appearance (or your kitchen’s appearance is tired), there are lots of effective ways to redecorate without completely starting afresh. You should consider implementing a kitchen splashback from Simply Plastics.
Repainting your kitchen cabinets is one of the most impactful. If your current colour scheme is neutral for example, could you create contrast with dark lower cupboards and lighter upper cabinets?
Or there’s your kitchen worktops. If replacing them with high-end materials like quartz or granite is a little too expensive, you could try a marble-effect wrap instead.
Repainting your custom kitchen cabinets is one of the most impactful. If your current colour scheme is neutral for example, could you create contrast with dark lower cupboards and lighter upper cabinets?
Don’t be afraid to experiment with tiling too. Your backsplash area is the most obvious area to target – but there’s no reason why you can’t introduce tiling in larger sections. Get creative with their layout or introduce eye-catching patterned designs. Check Neo Kitchen to learn more about the different innovative designs to achieve a beautiful and stylish kitchen..
Upgrade fittings and appliances
From taps to handles, you’ve got plenty of options for smaller upgrades too. You could even create your own drawer pulls to make your kitchen truly unique.
Or for a more modern take on DIY, could 2021 be the year you truly embrace technology? You could invest in multiple smart appliances and link them up to make prepping, cooking and hosting as optimised as possible!
The kitchen is the heart of the home, so it deserves your love and attention. Take on one or several of these projects and create a space to be proud of.