19 budget kitchen ideas to try (if you can't afford to renovate)
As you know, we share budgeting tips and advice for renovators all the time on this website - but sometimes when you first buy a house, the cost of a renovation is too high straight away or you simply don’t have the finances to renovate.
There are many ways you can decorate your kitchen on a budget that doesn't require moving a wall here, building a wall there.
No way does it mean you have to suffer with the previous owner’s dodgy kitchen decor choices forever!
So if you can’t afford a kitchen extension fear not, in this post we're sharing…
9 budget kitchen ideas to instantly lift a tired looking room and help you create a spacious, light kitchen that's inspiring to cook and live in.
1. Paint your kitchen walls + ceilings a timeless colour
We know, we've been there.
You've moved in to a fixer upper and you're up against either hideous colours or hideous wallpaper in crazy patterns and colours, or both!
Remove the wallpaper pronto and paint that kitchen in a bright, neutral colour – you'll instantly give it a timeless style and bring the illusion of space.
We inherited bright green wallpaper when we moved in to our 1930s house (I actually electrocuted myself on a plug socket when I wallpaper steamed it all off... don't be as silly as me and turn off your electrics 🤭) and painting the space instantly lifted the rooms and our moods. Don't forget to paint the kitchen ceilings too. A classic white works wonders.
2. Take your cabinet doors off
Okay, bear with us. This may sound a little counterproductive but sometimes, less really is more. Removing the fronts of your kitchen cabinets and maybe even giving them a lick of paint inside really lends itself to an open-shelf Scandi look and not only looks great but also makes your kitchen that extra bit more practical.
This idea works especially well if you’ve got some nice crockery to show off. Even boot sale finds can look the part.
3. Lay some budget kitchen flooring
Flooring doesn't have to be expensive to look expensive.
While it wouldn't be my first choice in a home, lino is a very affordable floor that can give you a high-end look if you choose the right/realistic print.
Lino is brilliant for smaller kitchens. It's durable, mop-able, cheap and easy to lay. And it can look pretty good too if you choose a print that suits your home.
For a quick fix to cheer up your kitchen, lino is a great budget flooring idea. We've not used lino in our place but we did lay lino in my mum’s bathroom, opting for B&Q’s lino and flooring range for ease and affordability. Looking for something more upmarket? Look at vinyl floor suppliers like Amtico and Harvey Maria who offer amazing prints and patterns that look like the real deal just like this homeowner (above) who used Amtico wood-look tiles laid in parquet formation. Genius.
4. Just buy cupboard doors on their own
If you’ve got just enough to in the piggy bank to make one purchase which will update your whole kitchen then make sure it’s new cabinet doors. Sometimes painting them just isn’t an option and realistically, you can do the rest of the kitchen in small weekend DIY projects, so investing in just the visible parts of new cabinets can be the single best investment you can make.
It also really doesn’t add up to too much when you compare it to a total renovation. You could even keep an eye out on marketplace websites for ones that are no longer wanted.
5. Use wooden batons to give your cabinets a makeover
If your cabinets still have life left in them then this is a smashing idea for totally transforming them into something unique and super cool. Buying wooden batons and fixing them into a regular pattern like this can be really budget-friendly and make for a fairly easy weekend DIY project with some pretty basic equipment.
These homemakers have changed the whole feel of their drab old kitchen with batons and a bright, on-trend paint shade throughout the woodwork.
6. Get creative and style some open storage
Sometimes all a kitchen needs to make it feel fresh and new is a little dedicated styling session. This is such a nice thing to do with a cup of tea (or glass of vino) and you can fully let yourself play around with stacking plates, adding loose grains to pretty storage jars and hanging your utensils.
If you’ve got some spare wall space then all this will cost you is the price of some shelving and a small hanging rail. You could even try to make your own if you’re a DIY fan.
7. Order some affordable window dressing
Tear down any filthy blinds or curtains you’ve inherited and install more timeless window dressing such as shutters in their place. This will instantly update your kitchen not to mention add value to your home.
While shutters seem like the expensive option (there’s no doubt about it they are definitely more expensive than blinds) there are ways to make big savings on plantation shutters which is why I’ve featured it in this guide.
Measure and install your own shutters vs paying for a full installation service will save you a lot of money (about 40% on installation costs). We’ll be ordering shutters for the whole front of our house soon. Shutters are an incredible upgrade to any home. Welcome to the Manor’s cafe style shutters look great, bring privacy, and keep light flowing (above).
8. Give your kitchen cabinets a new colour
Waste not, want not. This saying is certainly true for many old kitchens where we’re not keen on the colour but the cabinets are in good shape. So why waste money on a big renovation when really all it needs is a few coats of paint and you can totally change the look and feel of your old kitchen into something fresh and fantastic. By either painting or spraying your cabinets, you can create the basis for a new colour scheme and style the rest of the room accordingly. A chance of colour really does make for a massive transformation.
9. Change your kitchen worktop!
Did you know one of the easiest ways to upgrade the look of your kitchen is to change your worktop? Swap the chipped or dark faux granite laminate for something a whole lot lighter in colour such as a gloss marble laminate and you’ll see how fresh the space becomes, bouncing light all around the room.
Changing a worktop doesn’t have to be expensive and shouldn’t fill you with dread. Retailers like Worktops Direct offer very affordable marble look laminate worktops (we were gifted a length of this one for our 1930s bathroom makeover). Simply order enough lengths for your kitchen and find a tradesman to install it, or pay a little extra to have a company cut and template it for you. Of all of these ideas, this is the tip we’d recommend most.
10. Paint yourself some Crittall-style windows
The stunning black silhouette of a Crittall window is a benchmark of style for any interiors enthusiast, but boy, do they cost a pretty penny. This homeowner gets serious budgeting points for this genius idea.
Regardless of whether you’ve got UPVC or wood window frames in your kitchen, popping some masking tape up and swishing over a lick of black paint can give a Crittall-look at first glance and makes a big impact on the overall look of your kitchen.
11. Swap your cabinet pulls
Whether you’re painting your cabinets or sticking with what you’ve got, upgrading your cabinet pulls makes a huge difference visually. By using something a little modern and jazzy (like these gorgeous gold numbers) you can elevate the whole feel of your kitchen and it can cost very little to buy new sets.
If you’re really going for that jaw-dropping design, coordinate your new cabinet pulls with other kitchen hardware such as your tap. And if cabinet pulls boggle your mind, check out our easy guide to get you started.
12. Declutter for free!
Time and time again people feel fed up of their kitchen – be it because it looks really tired or the colours are straight from the 80s.
Often a massive declutter and a deep clean can work wonders to lift a space.
A big tip is to clear every single item of clutter from your worktops mainly – only have essentials like the kettle, a toaster, chopping boards, a microwave – get rid of the rest. I’ve seen this make a kitchen feel bigger having all the worktops clear, exposing more of the splashback and what’s more you'll maximise the worktop space you can meal prep on.
IMAGE: FIfi McGee
13. How about creating a feature wall with easy to install panelling?
If you haven’t read our guide to easy tongue and groove installation then head on over. Installing tongue and groove panelling to a kitchen or dining area might look difficult, but there is a budget solution even the DIY novices can try that will transform your room. We recently discovered a company called Easipanel – you buy from a range of tongue and groove pre-built boards and simply lick and stick them to areas of your walls. Panelling brings instant character to a home and this easy, budget kitchen idea saves on any installation costs.
14. Get creative with tile transfers
We’ve not tried tile transfers before but this is a concept that can bring a great level of detail and personality to a kitchen space – without the hassle of chipping away existing tiles or paying for new tiles and labour. The secret is to work with the tiles you’ve already got and carefully lay transfers over the top. Helene’s kitchen tile transfers look like the real thing (above). If you’re not known for your steady hand then another budget idea for a kitchen is to use tile paint to completely upgrade the tiles in your kitchen. If you’re successful, you could take this tip to the bathroom too!
15. Make your kitchen more family friendly with a chalk board feature wall
We all have those walls in our homes that are neither wide enough to put furniture up against, nor convenient enough to hang art or install shelving, such as where the worktops end in your kitchen, or the entryway to the room. We’ve seen lots of homeowners creating their own chalkboard walls which bring a great element of creativity to a family home. It’s so affordable to do and creates a cool industrial look that is as fun as it is practical.
16. Add some luscious plant greenery
You might be surprised by how much this will change the feel of your existing kitchen. Not only are plants super trendy at the moment but they have a knack of breathing new life into an old room.
This idea works particularly well if you’re looking to paint your kitchen a lighter shade so together they draw light in and around the room. And if keeping plants alive just isn’t your thing, artificial plants work really well, too.
17. Go crazy with colour
If your existing kitchen is looking rather plain then why not use colour to express yourself. There’s really nothing to lose as colour can always be painted over it’s a great opportunity to have fun and decide on what you do and don’t like, especially if you’ve got grand plans to update your kitchen once you’ve saved enough for a professional job. We also found some paint goldmines online on resale sites where other home makers are either selling or giving away half used pots of paints so this project could even be free!
18. Change your kitchen sink!
We were so impressed when we saw how Charlotte Valentine (@thehomethatmademe) upgraded her kitchen (which was beautiful to begin with!) with a belfast sink of her dreams. It was an excellent demonstration of how to work with your existing kitchen by making small adjustments to make the room your own. Belfast sinks aren’t completely budget-friendly, ranging from between £200-300 plus fitting, but compared to the installation of a whole new kitchen, it’s worth considering – and again, will likely add value to your property. So out with the metal sink, in with the new! Same goes for upgrading your taps. There are some stunning styles that will instantly bring charm to your kitchen.
19. Wrap your countertops in for a luxe look
Countertops are one of the most crucial factors in creating a different kitchen look but genuine marble options cost well into the thousands of pounds and simply aren’t an option if you’re on a tight budget.
However, for the price of a takeaway, you could make your countertops look like the real thing, just like these owners have. This is also a really nice idea if you’d like to change your countertop look multiple times before you go for the big upgrade.
