The kitchen is often described as the heart of the home, and that certainly couldn’t be truer in the UK: in 2021
alone, two-thirds of homeowners made major improvements to their kitchen spaces. Creating the perfect
kitchen is a labour of love, but one that can be made much easier on the wallet with a touch of DIY spirit. The
following chic ideas represent great ways you can re-invigorate your kitchen without considering expensive
labour costs in the process.
Install a Backsplash
The majority of kitchens already have a backsplash of sorts, being a tiled area at the back of your hob and counter-top to protect from spills or splashes. Rejuvenating your existing backsplash, or installing a new one entirely, can add an amazing sense of texture to your overall kitchen aesthetic, depending on said aesthetic.
Re-tiling is much easier than it sounds, and even peel-and-stick alternatives exist to make the job even easier for you. To retail your backsplash you’ll just need a few essential tools & materials like grout, grout rake, and spreader, tile cutter, or if you have it already an angle grinder with a couple of diamond grinding wheels, instead, to cut your tiles in the desired size.
Install Concrete Countertops
You might not expect to see the word “concrete” in a piece about DIY kitchen solutions, but prepare to be
surprised even more: there are a wide variety of concrete-forming frames available on the market, which can
make the installation of a sleek concrete worktop as simple as screwing concrete board into place as a base,
snapping on your frames and pouring concrete over top.
The job can be a little labour-intensive, and you will be waiting some time for your concrete to dry before you can treat it, but the whole process requires very little prior knowledge, and can create an unbelievable end result. Make sure you utilise the right sealants to close up any gaps between your new countertop and backsplash or sink, so as to avoid any issues further down the line.
Refresh Your Kitchen Units
Of the first things to go when the urge to renovate strikes are the kitchen cupboards – but there’s a much
easier way to change the way your kitchen feels, in the form of re-painting your existing units. With the right
kind of paint and a long afternoon, you can alter your kitchen’s look completely; new cupboard and drawer
handles complete the transformation, giving you new units at a fraction of the price.
Under-Cabinet Lighting
As a finishing touch, adding different light sources to your kitchen can create a different sense of space
entirely. Under-cabinet lights are a sleek, out-of-the-way and incredibly useful way to achieve this effect, while
giving you more light in your cooking and preparation zones. Adhesive LED strips are incredibly easy to buy
online, and can be battery-powered or plugged into the mains using a standard 5V phone charger. Otherwise,
stand-alone battery-powered LED spotlights can be used to give you more specific lighting, and more control over the light in your revitalised kitchen.