What should you save on, and where shouldn't you cut corners?

  • Where to start a budget repair in the kitchen?
  • Interior decoration
  • Furniture materials and design
  • Selection of accessories

Kitchen renovation is considered the most expensive, so many people postpone it until last. Like, let it stand for a few more years, because it’s better than unpredictable costs, nerves and mountains of construction debris. But updating the interior is not always expensive, difficult and “dirty”. You need to analyze your budget, get creative with the process, and carefully plan your time (it will take a little more than when the budget is unlimited). Let’s consider how to economically repair the kitchen.

Where to start a budget renovation in the kitchen?

It all starts with a clear plan and understanding of the scope of work:

  • Determine what you can do yourself. These are simple installation and finishing works: painting walls, gluing washable wallpaper, installation of decorative bricks. Invest the saved money in quality furniture and appliances. Also, it is better to entrust the replacement of windows, laying of tiles, work with electrical wiring to professionals. Perhaps the wiring and plumbing do not need to be replaced at all.
  • Assess where large-scale changes are needed and where they are purely cosmetic. Do not rush to knock down the tiles, throw away the sanitary ware, take the oven and stove to the country. A non-standard approach to old things is an excellent option for savings. Repainted chairs, a painted kitchen apron or a homemade table made of pallets will change the interior beyond recognition.
  • Old equipment will harmoniously fit into the retro style. Small defects can be masked with heat-resistant enamel. Give a second life to items that are no longer used for their intended purpose. Use the microwave housing to install the aquarium. Turn a broken glass electric kettle into an unusual florarium. The main thing is not to overdo it and do not get carried away with the accumulation of unnecessary things.
  • Choose an interior style that does not require global changes. Both minimalism, Bauhaus and Scandinavian style (economy on decor and non-functional details) are suitable, as well as the opposite – shabby chic, vintage (possibility of not changing decoration, furniture, accessories).
  • Do not rush to throw things away. Evaluate them according to several parameters: general condition, functionality, aesthetic appearance, possibility of restoration. The fact that the lamp, cooking surface and dining table have been in use for 7-10 years does not mean that they must be changed.

Interior decoration

The first item on the list of how to cheaply renovate the kitchen is finishing work. There are types of materials that need not replacement, but renewal and restoration. Let’s consider budget options for wall and floor decoration.

Where to start a budget renovation in the kitchen?

Ceramic tile

Let’s start with ceramic tiles. It’s not so much the missing pieces of tile as the untidy seams with mold, fungus and dirt that make an unpleasant impression. Seams can be reanimated in 2 ways, depending on the degree of contamination:

  • Special cleaning agent;
  • New grout (remove the top layer of the old grout, treat the area with a disinfectant, apply a new layer).

Idea: To radically change the interior, choose a grout of a different color. If you like to experiment with design, let it be bright, contrasting colors.

If cracks and chips appear, a partial replacement of the tile will still be required. Fortunately, many people buy it with a supply and keep the leftovers. That’s where they will come in handy. Economic kitchen repair with replacement of damaged fragments is possible when the main part of the tile has not had time to burn out. Broken tile mosaics also look original, but not in the sink and stove area: they get dirty quickly there, and it is difficult to wash mosaics.

The old tiled apron, in addition to the listed methods, can be painted or covered with vinyl film. Vinyl looks quite noble and neat, if it is applied correctly. A good option is embossed film, geometric and Moroccan patterns.

Paint and wallpaper

If the wall covering needs to be replaced, the most budget-friendly decoration of the kitchen is painting. Fashionable and universal colors – white, light gray, milky, powdery. Water-based acrylic paint is suitable for painting. When buying, pay attention to its resistance to abrasion (usually this parameter is indicated in thousands and shows how many times you can wash painted walls). It is necessary to prepare and level the surface in advance, just like before pasting wallpaper. However, wallpaper and paint in the area of ​​the apron is impractical.

Tip: You can buy flooring, tiles, wallpaper, etc. in advance (for example, at a discount price), but it is better to buy dry building mixes, primer and paint closer to the renovation. These products have a limited shelf life.

3D wall panel

Decorative panels

There are also inexpensive PVC and MDF panels on the market. If the base is perfectly flat, frameless installation (on glue) is possible. If there are defects and communications that need to be hidden, a special crate is made for mounting the panels. Of aprons made of MDF and PVC, their function will be mostly cosmetic. In terms of practicality and durability, the materials are inferior to ceramic tiles and skins. Among the advantages are simple installation and aesthetics.

Other options for finishing the walls in the kitchen

Do you like experiments? Try to “bare” the brickwork. The reception can be used on an entire wall or a separate part (round, rectangular, arbitrary shape). The surface is cleaned of other building materials, and the brick is painted, decorated with a frame or left as is. Before starting work, test the plaster with a spatula in several places. If it is too “grown” to the brick or the brick itself crumbles, it is better to abandon the idea.

Unexpectedly came across old plaster? Save the fragment of the wall in this form: cover it with masking tape around the perimeter, and cover the area around it with a pastel shade of paint. Reception is appropriate in Provence and other styles that love things with history.

Floor covering

Floor covering

There are materials out of time and fashion, for example, wooden parquet. Give him another chance. It’s okay if the coating is worn in places. The main thing is integrity, the absence of serious defects and creaking when walking. Minimal cosmetic procedures will be required: sanding and re-varnishing (matte or glossy – your choice). If the previous color is boring, the parquet can be tinted, repainted, painted. Popular fragmentary coloring. The gaps between the dies are filled with a special sealant or a mixture of glue and sawdust.

But economic renovation in the kitchen often cannot do without replacing the floor covering. You have to look for an inexpensive material that is suitable even for non-ideal surfaces, will not allow moisture to pass through, scratch and burn out. A compromise solution is quartz-vinyl tiles. It is durable, moisture-resistant, easy to install and maintain. The outer layer reliably conveys the color and texture of natural materials or can be plain. If the ease of replacing the covering is important to you, don’t forget about linoleum.

Laminate, for example, in combination with tiles in the work area, is more of an investment in the future than an opportunity to create a cheap kitchen interior. But several decades of warranty, as well as operational and aesthetic characteristics of the coating will be a strong argument “for”.

Furniture materials and kitchen design

Furniture materials and design

Let’s consider ideas for budget kitchen renovation at the stage of ordering a set:

  • Choose laconic, smooth facades (panels, cornices, milling will increase the cost of products);
  • Look closely at high-quality imitations of wood – chipboard and MDF with an expressive structure;
  • Veneered facades are visually indistinguishable from solid wood, but they are much more affordable;
  • If possible, replace upper cabinets with open shelves or do without hanging modules altogether;
  • 1 wide module is cheaper than 2 narrow ones, but requires a more elaborate internal organization;
  • Install an affordable chipboard-based countertop. High-quality edges, stands for hot, cutting boards and careful attitude in general – this will extend the life of the product;
  • If necessary, such a table can be simply and inexpensively replaced to update the interior;
  • A bar counter is a great alternative to a dining table for a small family.

To make it easier to update the interior in the future without unnecessary expenses, bet on universal light decors: white, light gray, cream. The recommendation is especially relevant for small rooms. Add bright accessories, change accent colors, and the kitchen will sparkle with new colors! Colored details will help to avoid excessive “sterility”. It is enough to repaint the door in a contrasting color, replace textiles, spice jars and other small things.

Selection of accessories

Let’s move on to the recommendations for other components:

  • Don’t skimp on functional accessories (pull-out and lifting mechanisms, tensioners, curtains, organizers). Sophisticated furniture design is great, but poorly fastened doors and clutter among kitchen utensils are not so great.
  • Railings with hanging shelves and hooks will help to conveniently organize storage and maintain order, especially in a kitchen without upper cabinets.
  • An affordable technique that will give the interior a more expensive look is a single color composition of switches, sockets, and lamps. Railings, shelves, stands, mixer and detergent dispenser should also be kept in the same color.
  • With a limited budget, it is better to choose a faucet in the middle price segment. Yes, it will not be a semi-professional, but a reliable model. You can leave the old serviceable faucet, which in terms of color and design is combined with other appliances and accessories. From this point of view, the most profitable models are chrome.
  • If you decide to reduce the number of sections, dividers will help organize the space of large drawers.
  • Do not spend money on non-functional decor that only clutters the room. The best accessories are small household appliances, convenient baskets and stands, beautiful tableware and indoor plants. See the photo for examples.

Conclusion

Renovation of the kitchen is cheap and beautiful – it is real, if you approach the planning, design and interior filling responsibly. Chipboard and MDF, which imitate wood and other natural materials, simple shapes and useful accessories will help to create a convenient and budget version of the kitchen. At the same time, there are points on which it is not worth saving. This is high-quality illumination of the working area and functional accessories.