Hi everyone! Welcome to another design lesson video. In each video I'm going to
review some key design principles that you should keep in mind when you are
thinking about renovating or decorating your space. So if you have a design
dilemma and need some answers feel free to comment in the section below, or you
can tweet me your questions on twitter at designchickee. Your dilemma could
become one of these design lesson videos right here. In the meantime, let's get to
today's topic. Today I'm reviewing my top 10 cost-saving tips for kitchen
renovations. Renovating your kitchen can be one of the most expensive rooms to
renovate in your home however there are several ways where you can save your
money! Believe it or not! So let's get to it! Changing out the color and finish of
your cabinetry is the easiest way to renovate your kitchen giving it a whole
different appearance without the major headaches of construction. Plus when you
paint cabinetry you have the chance to change the hardware by filling in the
existing holes and selecting from a wide array of decorative hardware. Imagine
going from dated oak cabinetry to this... a striking new paint color like this deep
charcoal highlighted by beautiful brass hardware. This is the fastest most
efficient and cost-effective way to transform your kitchen. Where your sinks,
major appliances and work surfaces sit in your kitchen is extremely important
for the functionality of your kitchen. Changing that layout will increase your
budget because it means extending plumbing or adding electrical maybe even
removing walls to make that layout really work for you. Anytime you have to
move or extend plumbing your costs go up! That's very true for a kitchen
renovation where you might want to move the location of your sink for instance.
That also means a whole lot of additional construction and that
increases your costs, so if your kitchen layout works for you today, consider
keeping it to minimize those extra costs. You can replace the cabinetry, change the
countertops and the backsplash and still keep the layout to minimize the
renovation budget.
Maybe the best way to dress up your kitchen is to add something to it and
I've got some great examples of what to add and where. First off, I love the idea
of adding architectural elements to cabinetry. This is a corbel, a decorative
bracket. It looks great under upper cabinets like this and adds an element
of sophistication so easily to your cabinets at a very low cost. Secondly, why
not add some decorative feet to the toe kick area of your cabinets. This is so
easy to do and it makes it look like you've got furniture pieces instead of
stock cabinetry. Let's say you have standard flat panel drawers or stock
cabinets in your kitchen. You can create the illusion of a shaker door by adding
trim to the doors and painting it all out or you can add this great X detail
with flat trim to the ends of your kitchen island.
It looks fantastic and doesn't cost a lot of money. It's big impact for a small
budget. The latest trend in kitchen renovations is to have your cabinetry
extend all the way up to the ceiling. In many instances cabinetry falls short of
the ceiling leaving a gap between the top of your cabinets and the ceiling of
your kitchen. One way to deal with this gap is to fill it in! A good cabinet
maker may be able to add small cabinets in this space but perhaps the less
expensive option, since we're talking cost savings here, is to fill it in with
just some plywood boards trim and crown molding. This will lead your eye up to
the ceiling making your kitchen feel taller and giving it the update we're after.
Paint it all out to the same color as your cabinetry and you'll have the look
of new cabinetry for a very low cost.
Using appliances that do double duty means you have less appliances and less
appliances means more room for cabinets storage and work surfaces. Instead of
having a microwave take up valuable real estate why not consider a combination
microwave and over the cooktop vent. Manufacturers are making this particular
appliance look great so save the extra appliance and locate it above the stove.
Another example is using a slide-in stove instead of purchasing a cooktop
and a separate built-in oven. Isolating the space below the cooktop for
a separate appliance brings up your appliance cost but also adds costs to
the specialized cabinetry needed for this configuration. Plus the slide-in
option is usually less expensive than buying these two items separately.
Let's face it. Cabinetry is expensive! Perhaps you can forego some cabinetry? Having
open shelves gives you easy access visually and physically to all of your
kitchen needs but it also helps your bottom line.
Simply put, less material means less money so if you can cope with having all
your plates and cups exposed, go for it! Save on upper cabinetry. Every kitchen
needs a backsplash and it can really define the overall look of your kitchen
and your new kitchen renovation. But it can also be a costly addition to your
budget. So instead of cutting out that beautiful design element altogether,
consider adding it in small doses. I love the idea of consolidating your bang for
your buck by installing a great backsplash tile at your stove. It's a
great focal point and it means you can add a less expensive option to the rest
of the kitchen without sacrificing design. The key here is to splurge for a
small area instead of nixing the whole idea. Sometimes the biggest challenge
isn't your kitchen cabinetry but the flooring it sits on. Flooring can be a
difficult and costly element to renovate. For instance, let's say the flooring
continues into the dining room or is open to a living room and removing the
floor in the kitchen means your kitchen renovation is now a main-floor
renovation. All of a sudden your project just got bigger. So why not ignore the
floor altogether, by adding a large beautiful rug to the floor in your
kitchen so that now your focus is no longer on the ugly tile below but how
warm and inviting your kitchen is with a great area rug!
Okay so there's a recurring theme here. Cabinetry is expensive! A new kitchen
island is a great way to add character and save money by repurposing some other
type of furniture. You can incorporate an old harvest table or a chest of drawers
maybe even some low bookcases with a common top for a work surface. There are
lots of ways to incorporate other pieces of furniture and if you're handy and a
thrift shopper, you can create a pretty awesome kitchen island like no other.
We have a great video on kitchen Islands right here so take a look and let your
creative juices flow! So there you have it... my top 10 cost-saving tips for
kitchen renovations. You can save money and still have the kitchen of your
dreams. You just have to be creative and splurge in the right places. If you've
tried any of these tips yourself, I'd love to see the results so don't
hesitate to leave your comments in the section below. Also, if you have another
tip not listed here I'd love to hear about it as well.
Renovations are expensive. Every penny counts and we love sharing information
on how to help you save. That's it for this design lesson. If you liked the
video, please hit the like button share it with your friends and don't forget to
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by following at designchickee! Thanks for watching everyone! Happy renovating and
I'll see you next time.