15 Easy Ways to Update Your Kitchen

You don't need to invest in a huge remodel to re-do your kitchen. Try these 15 clever design ideas to give your favorite room a fabulous face lift.

1. Vary Textures



Give instant visual interest to your kitchen by mixing and matching multiple materials and textures. In this kitchen, cream-colored custom kitchen cabinets lighten the space and add contrast to the steel stove. The island is made of repurposed cypress wood.

2. Stick to One Splurge



To indulge the splurge on marble countertops, these homeowners saved elsewhere by keeping the original room layout and plumbing as is. Off-the-shelf cabinets and inexpensive tile also help cut costs.

3. Show off Collectibles



Free up cabinet space, and create a clever spot for collectibles, with above-window shelving. This kitchen gets additional warmth from cherry counters, an antique island, gingham-check wallpaper, and an apron sink.

Plus: See 70+ kitchen design ideas »

4. Embrace Contrast



Honed black granite countertops and black-painted oak cabinets offer a dramatic counterpoint to this kitchen's white plank walls. Plumbing-pipe fittings make for unexpected wall art.

5. Swap Out Hardware



Cabinets from the 1930s get an easy update with the addition of beadboard doors plus new, modern knobs and pulls.

6. Give Dishes Room to Breathe



Instead of claustrophobia-inducing wall-to-wall cabinetry, this kitchen has two open upper storage units, including this plate rack. The lower cabinets, with solid doors, offer hidden storage.

7. Indulge in Luxe Appliances



New appliances make a huge difference. This kitchen is home to some big splurges: a large industrial stove, and marble and steep countertops.

8. Experiment With Wood



A custom island, topped with sheet metal, echoes this home's barnwood beams. Why stop at the usual overheads? Additional sconces make any countertop an enlightened spot for prep work.

9. Add a Fresh Coat of White



Unify everything with white paint. Ditch laminate countertops for affordable oak. A silver-plated tray strikes a luxe note and serves as as spot for holding recipes: Just add magnets!

Plus: See 10 of our favorite white kitchens »

10. Be Creative with Lighting



Antique milk-glass pendant lamps illuminate the kitchen, which sports custom cabinetry. Give a kitchen living-room elegance with a wall of framed--even lighted!--art.

11. Try Open Shelving



Create a sense of space with open wall shelves. In this kitchen, simple white plants and custom brackets are set against a playful chalkboard-pointed wall.

Plus: 9 more clever kitchen shelving ideas! »

12. Mix Up Your Furniture Choices



Windsor stools and a red-patterned rug may be more expected in the living room, but add a fun surprise in the kitchen. Boat hardware takes a supporting role as kitchen cabinet latches.

13. Be Playful with Your Backsplash



The color palette in this kitchen, and on the penny-tile backsplash, was inspired by a cache of old blue barn wood.

14. Mix Old and New



Classic country details--an apron-front sink, beadboard cabinets, and a barn-wood island--provide a warm contrast to stainless steel appliances.

15. Add Memorable Details



Butcher-block counters and original hand-carved scrollwork surrounding the window leave a lasting impression.


Get more kitchen decorating ideas from CountryLiving.com:

Before-and-After: A Country Kitchen Makeover »
How to Maximize a Small Kitchen »
10 Kitchen Countertop Ideas »
90+ Bedroom Design Ideas You'll Love »


Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.