How to give your kitchen a budget facelift

The kitchen is a place where families gather and memories are made, so it’s only natural it can be a focal point for buyers during a property inspection.

If you’re considering selling soon and are worried about the quality of your kitchen, you’ll be delighted to know there are many ideas to give it a facelift without spending a small fortune on a rip-and-replace strategy.

Limit spending

As you’re selling, there is no need to spend money on the best appliances and kitchen fit-out to attract buyers. That’s only true at the luxury end of the market, where European appliances and high-end cabinetry are expected.

Good bones

If the structure is sound, a facelift for your kitchen may require only new doors and handles to your cabinets and drawers. 

New appliances

Unless your stove and oven are “cooked”, you should just clean them within an inch of their lives. That’ll be more than sufficient.

Glass doors

Coupled with battery-operated striplights, glass doors make a fantastic impact on a kitchen, offering storage and subtle light.

Open shelving

Buyers tend to be split on open shelving. They used to be all the rage, but increasingly, buyers are backing off because they appear to add clutter and can be difficult to clean. So, weigh up this option carefully before proceeding.

Pendant lights

One of the most overlooked aspects of a kitchen is the lighting. It’s good to have spotlights trained on the work areas, of course. But it’s a lovely touch to have one or more pendant lights to give your kitchen a perfect finishing touch.

Filling gaps

Sometimes kitchens can look a little insufficient when there’s a big gap between the tops of cabinets and the ceiling. Consider installing a false bulkhead to fill the gap. Paint it in the same colour as the walls.

Stack cabinets

If you feel your kitchen doesn’t have enough storage, invest in some stacked cabinets that could be installed where you would have built the bulkhead. Of course, savvy buyers will realise the height of those new cabinets will make them difficult to access.