Living through a kitchen remodel is not easy! New custom cabinets take at least 12 weeks to install, leaving you without access to your most used area in your home. For some families, a cosmetic kitchen update may make more sense, as it is easier on your wallet and lifestyle. But how do you know if a cosmetic kitchen remodel is for you?
Consider your cabinets and layout. Are you generally happy with the layout and are your cabinets in good enough condition that you can either reface them or work with them? If so, a cosmetic upgrade may make sense for you! You can make a big impact with small changes.
If you are keeping your cabinet doors and drawers, one way to improve them is to upgrade your cabinet hardware. We recommending using hardware with a backplate to cover existing holes in your doors and drawers. Play around with using knobs, drawer pulls, bin pulls and latches for interest. We call hardware the “jewelry” of the kitchen for a reason!
Shop hardware with a backplate….
While redoing your countertops, this also gives you the opportunity to replace your sink and plumbing fixtures. We love using a single basin fireclay sink! If you are replacing your countertops in a cosmetic kitchen update, consider using porcelain countertops. Porcelain is incredibly durable and stain-proof! Perfect for busy families. Though we always recommend using authentic materials like marble or quartzite, it may not make sense in a cosmetic kitchen upgrade.
While you are redoing your backsplash, now is also a good time to think about your lighting fixtures. Perhaps add a cute wall sconce or overhead light above the sink to give your kitchen some added charm! I like matching my lighting fixture finish to the hardware finish for cohesion. For backsplash, you can bring your countertops up the wall or use a tile like a square zellige or ceramic subway.
Last but not least, as you are updating your kitchen and considering the overall color palette, consider your flooring. If you are working with hardwood floors, it may be worth refinishing to get the stain color you want. Where I see the biggest kitchen flops are when the floors are not taken into consideration with the rest of the room.
Check out this before and after of a kitchen cosmetic update we did in Orinda!
In this example, we updated the cabinet hardware, added new door fronts to the uppers to open up the space, added new porcelain countertops, ceramic backsplash tile, fixtures and window treatments. We also refinished the hardwood floors. Lastly, we furnished and styled the space to bring it life!
