5 Easy Ways to Update Your Kitchen

If you are a fan of Home Stories A to Z, then you know how much I adore kitchens! From holidays, family gatherings, special events and cooking adventures, the kitchen truly is the heart of the home. Don’t believe me? At your next party take note of where everyone in the house tends to congregate! Chances are good that it will be in your kitchen! Real estate trends continue to show that updating the kitchen gives you the best return on your dollar, so if you are tired of your lackluster space rest assured that updating your kitchen is a wise investment. Let’s explore 5 easy ways to update your kitchen.

5 Easy Ways to Update Your Kitchen

1. Just Paint Over It

I am always amazed by the transformative power of paint. Hands down, painting over something is the easiest and least expensive way to give your kitchen a brand new look.

Bold Teal Kitchen via HGTV featuring GE Slate Appliances

When I designed our kitchen back in 2006, I was inspired by rich woods paired with vibrant reds, golds, and greens. I painted the kitchen a vibrant red and at the time I loved my kitchen’s cozy, warm, coffee-house feel! However, a year later I hated it. The bright red was intense and overstimulating. Instead of making me feel warm & cozy, I found myself feeling irritable and stressed-out by the color. I was so upset that I had made the “wrong” decorating decision and felt stuck with my selections.

It took me several years to get over this unnecessary guilt and feel brave enough to do something about it. Finally, I summoned the courage to grab a paint roller and change the wall color to Sherwin Williams Sea Salt and the cabinets to Benjamin Moore’s White Dove. I only wish I had done it sooner. If you hate your current kitchen color choices, just paint over them!

2. Remove Kitchen Cabinet Doors

Open shelving in kitchens is an enduring trend that gives the space instant character. When making over my kitchen, I considered removing a few of the cabinet boxes and replacing them with open shelving; however, that seemed like such a waste of perfectly good cabinets! In the end, I removed three cabinet doors creating an open-shelf look without any of the commitment. The painted doors are stored away in the basement and can be reattached at any time.

Tip: Painting cabinet backs an eye-popping color creates a dramatic backdrop for dishes and kitchen accessories. I love how the blue cabinet walls in the kitchen below complement the rustic reclaimed wood. (Pssst. I also love that the GE Slate French-door Refrigerator has a built-in Keurig Brewing System! How amazing is that?! ☕️ 😍😍😍)

Image via HGTV featuring GE Slate French-door Refrigerator with the first built-in Keurig Brewing System

3. Update Your Appliances to a Versatile Slate Finish

Outdated appliances aren’t only an eyesore, they often don’t work well and inhibit your ability to fully enjoy your time with family and friends in the kitchen. If your appliances are in need of an elegant upgrade, check out GE Appliances new Slate finish product line. GE Slate stands out with its warm natural look and stone-inspired finish. Moms everywhere will love to hear that the slate finish is smudge-proof (woo-hoo), attractive, and versatile, complimenting both light and dark cabinetry. Updating your appliances to an updated slate finish is an easy way to add a premium look to your kitchen!

Images via HGTV: Three different and distinct kitchens featuring the same GE Slate French-door Refrigerator.

We’re about life, not just appliances,

moments, not just machines,

and possibilities, not just products.

We strive with the relentless invention found in our roots

to make life better.

–GE Appliances

4. Style Your Space

Styling your kitchen with unique accessories is an incredibly inexpensive way to make your kitchen your own. Whether it’s utilizing an old shutter as a dish rack…

Teal kitchen via HGTV

…or vintage crates as an herb garden, using timeworn pieces in non-traditional ways adds character to the kitchen.

Image via GE Slate Appliances

5. Update Your Backsplash

If you can’t afford a full-scale kitchen remodel, a smart way to easily update your kitchen is by switching out the backsplash. Nowadays you have an unlimited number of tile options in terms of material choices, colors, and patterns. Choosing a beautifully patterned backsplash is a fun way to add depth, texture, and personality to your kitchen.

Image via HGTV featuring GE Slate Range hood with double oven.

Out of all the updates we made to our own kitchen, our garden stone backsplash is one I am most proud of! I found these stone tiles in the garden center of a discount store and knew they would make a great backsplash!

For about $75 in stones, grout, and sticky tile mat, I was able to achieve a unique and gorgeous backsplash. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when carrara marble subway tile just isn’t currently in the budget!

Tell us: How do you plan to update your kitchen? If you could update a kitchen appliance to one of the new GE Slate Appliances, which one would you choose?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of GE Appliances. The opinions and text are all mine.

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