Modernize Your Old Kitchen Without Remodeling

Chances are if you’ve purchased an older home, it was for a reason; you wanted a place that had charm, you wanted to have quality wooden interiors which were done by trusted wood importers along with a dash of history, and you wanted a place that had character, i.e., not a cookie-cutter house. That’s great, but sometimes people wish that when they own these homes they could update the spaces inside a little bit to a more modernized style. Not necessarily fully modern in terms of looks, but also function. If you still want to keep your beautiful home, but you want to remodel a few things along the way, here are a few things to consider.

Change The Flooring

Chances are if you’ve got a house that is 50, 75 or even 100 years old, the flooring needs an update. A lot of the floors that are that old tend to be wood. Hardwood is a great flooring material because it does last a long time, but with that age can come stains, scratches, dents, squeaky floors, etc. You can find wood floors that are especially cheaper than that of hardwood, and they still look and feel amazing. One option if you like wood but you don’t have the money to put down on a new hardwood floor, is to look at installing laminate flooring material, which is a much cheaper option.

Add A Fun Backsplash Tile

This is a modern take in bathrooms and kitchens. You might even have one right now – but it’s probably stained, you might have a few cracks or missing tiles, you might even have grout that so desperately needs to be cleaned but can’t be. If that’s the case then a brand new backsplash is just what you need. Not only with this update the look of the kitchen, but if you feel that you need a little contrast or want to add a little color to the kitchen or bathroom, this is a great way of going about it, without going crazy with color.

Paint Your Kitchen

Painting a kitchen or even a bathroom is a great way to create a clean and uniform space. White can make a room feel updated, without feeling overbearing. Make sure you paint the cabinets white too. This can be a time consuming process, but it’ll be worth it in the end.

Add A Kitchen Island

Kitchen islands might seem like a newer accessory, but these have actually been around a lot longer than you might think. In one capacity or another kitchen islands have actually been around since the 1950s, perhaps just a smaller version than the ones available now. A kitchen island has an aesthetic draw, but it’s also quite functional. If the kitchen is big enough, an island can give you more working space/cooking space. On top of that, most all kitchen islands have drawers and cabinets which gives you even more space to put things like cookbooks, pots and pans, jars filled with baking ingredients like flour, sugar, and yeast. Kitchen islands are primarily made from wood, but you can find all sorts of options for the stand as well as the top; butchers block, stainless steel, tile, etc. Simply find the one that works for you and your kitchen style. If you have the money, you can also find websites online and businesses offline that will make you a custom made island too.

Choose Classic Finishes

Instead of choosing more updated or trendy materials like stainless steel or marble, try to stick with materials that are more classic. That includes wood, porcelain white tiles, white cabinets, glass, etc. Try to stay away from overly expensive or luxurious appliances, natural stone materials, and the like.

Update The Hardware

You can still keep the charm of your kitchen and bathroom, but update it by changing out the hardware. Not only will this create a new updated look, but who knows, maybe you need a change. Hardware can get oily, faded or stained over the years. Hardware can be purchased at any home improvement store and depending on how decorative you want to get, it might cost you less than $30 for the entire kitchen or the bathroom.

Update The Faucets

If you have a faucet in the kitchen or bathroom that is deteriorating, why not consider buying a new one? These days you can actually find all sorts of styles, which is great because it gives you the ability to keep that old age charm, without going too far modern. If you really want something unique, look into finding a custom made faucet or find a recycled faucet – these tend to be aged, like your home, but they are cleaned, fixed and renewed.