Do you ever find yourself cooking a meal at home and becoming frustrated with the functionality and design aesthetic of your kitchen? Remodeling a kitchen can be quite expensive and time consuming, but there are some things you can do on your own that will surely make your time preparing meals much more enjoyable. Here are a few projects that you can tackle on your own to improve your southern Maryland kitchen.

Add Storage

Are you digging through cabinets and drawers in search of a pan or a utensil? Do you have to remove the contents of your cabinets to find what it is you are looking for? Sounds as though you may need more storage. Why not use your wall space and ceiling space to store your most used items? Pots and pans are bulky and can take up a lot of cabinet real estate, but pot racks are a quick and easy fix for accessing your cooking accessories. If you have a kitchen island, you may want to install a pot rack that hangs from the ceiling. You can also DIY a pot rack by hanging a stained 4×4 on the wall and attaching hooks. Utilize the top of the wood as a shelf for oils, spices, or other kitchen essentials. Open shelving with hooks on the bottom is another option for additional storage. You can store your everyday use items such as plates and bowls on the shelf and hang your mugs or utensils from the hooks.

Add Additional Workspace

Do you constantly feel like you’re running out of counter space? If you have the square footage, you may want to add a workstation. Depending on your kitchen layout, you can choose to create an island in the middle of the kitchen or create a workstation against the existing wall. This workspace doesn’t necessarily have to be prefabbed cabinets with a custom countertop either.  A stainless steel table initially sold for use in a garage can make a great kitchen workspace, as can an old dresser, a sofa table, or a hutch with the doors removed. Peruse your home and keep an open mind as to what could be repurposed to meet your needs in the kitchen.

Paint

Nothing brightens up a room more than a fresh coat of paint on the walls, or even on your cabinets. Just be sure to clean the surfaces and sand them down if necessary. When choosing a paint color for your kitchen walls, it’s wise to choose something light and bright, a color that inspires your creativity. If you’re painting your cabinets as well, choose a contrasting yet complimentary color to your walls. For example, if you’re painting your walls a pale green, you may want to paint your cabinets a crisp white. For additional fun and functionality, consider painting an area with chalkboard paint for lists and reminders, and you can create a finished look by framing it with molding.

Update Your Fixtures and Hardware

Adding a new and updated faucet not only looks great, it also gives you additional functionality.  Installing the faucet is a great first time DIY plumbing project – friendly reminder though, be sure to turn off the water valve first. Since you’re updating your faucet, you may as well update the hardware for your cabinets and drawers. It’s a good idea to choose matching material for both your fixture and hardware to give your kitchen a clean look.

Add a Backsplash

Adding a backsplash is easier than ever these days with all of the options that are available.  You are no longer limited to generic tile, so try something different such as peel-n-stick tile, tin tiles, bead board, shiplap, cork, or stainless steel. Your choice of material will depend on the look you’re trying to achieve, for example you can add mosaics for a rustic feel or steel for an industrial feel, it’s entirely up to you.

 

 

Your kitchen is the heart of the home, a place for family and friends to gather and share stories, a glass of wine, and some culinary delights. By giving your space a DIY makeover, your kitchen will be a place where you want to spend your time. What’s the first recipe you are going to make in your new kitchen?