Most homeowners have a dream kitchen in mind; however, kitchen remodelling with professional kitchen cabinet makers can be one of your most expensive home renovation projects.

While you may need more capital to perform your dream kitchen renovation, there are several ways to upgrade your current kitchen without taking out a major loan or clearing out your savings.

Read on to discover four ways to achieve a significant kitchen facelift on a budget. Learn why H&H Cabinets are the go-to cabinet makers for prestige kitchen renovations Melbourne-wide.

1. Upgrade the current layout

Many people assume that your major kitchen appliances, like refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens and cooktops, are the most expensive parts of a kitchen renovation. However, the design, fabrication, and installation of your cabinetry often cost the most.

One of the best ways to have a new kitchen feel on a budget is to leave your current layout as it is and upgrade the front-facing aspects of your kitchen, especially if your cabinet’s main structures are still in good condition.

The inside of your cabinets is only seen when you are reaching inside. If you focus on upgrading your more visually obvious features, you may be amazed at the difference you can make while spending a fraction of what a full kitchen renovation can cost.

2. Refresh your cabinets

Most of your kitchen’s aesthetic is achieved with your benchtops, drawers and cabinet doors. If your benches, doors and drawers look out of date or scuffed and faded, consider doing a DIY refresh.

Painting

Paint is still one of the most affordable kitchen renovation materials you can buy, and it can be used on more than just your walls.

A new coat of paint on your existing doors can create a dramatic improvement for little more than a couple of paint cans, some rollers or brushes, and some elbow grease.

Benchtops and splashbacks can also be transformed with good-quality paint. However, you may want to speak to a paint specialist as to which paint is best to use on working surfaces or tile splashbacks, as these working surfaces must be able to withstand wear and tear, oils and acidic food substances. You must also ensure that the paints you use on benchtops are food safe and non-toxic.

Refacing

If you don’t mind your current kitchen layout and have a small budget set aside for a kitchen makeover, you can save significantly by replacing the doors.

Whether you have a cabinet maker fabricate new door and drawer fronts or make them yourself, the installation can often be done in a day. You can also use your current hinges, handles and drawer runners if they are still in good condition.

A popular budget kitchen renovation trend for benchtops is using butcher board, which can offer a fantastic bespoke or rustic finish when stained or can be sanded and painted.

Most hardware stores stock butcher boards of some type and can often precut the benchtops for easy installation.

Hardware

Your cabinet door hinges, drawer runners and door and drawer handles wear out over time and can make your kitchen feel worn and broken down, especially when your doors look out of line, drawers are hard to open and close, or handles are worn or broken.

Replacing these items can be very affordable and go a long way in making your kitchen feel fresh and more functional.

Shelving

Overhead kitchen cabinets are often underutilised, prompting many current homeowners to remove overhead cabinetry and replace it with open shelving, giving your kitchen a fresh new look and making the kitchen feel more spacious.

Open shelving lets you see everything placed on them and removes the chance of underutilised space collecting clutter. It’s also a great place to use transparent food containers to remind you what you have in stock and help reduce food waste.

3. Upgrade appliances and utilities

While cabinetry drawers impact the aesthetics of your kitchen, your appliances and utilities also impact the feel of your kitchen, especially if they are worn or dated in style.

Electronic and gas appliances have become more affordable in recent years and often provide more modern features, like smart functions, to help bring your kitchen into the modern era.

Major appliances and utilities you may consider upgrading include:

• Dishwasher
• Refrigerator
• Oven
• Cooktop
• Taps and faucets
• Sinks
• and more

Other minor appliances are often in view and greatly contribute to your kitchen’s aesthetic that you may also consider upgrading or stylising, including:

• Kettle
• Coffee machine
• Blenders and juicers
• Toaster
• Airfryer
• Garbage disposal
• Filtered water system
• and more

The kitchen is one of the busiest places in a household and can be a hotspot for clutter.

If you already have utilities that are filling up your benchtops that rarely, if ever, get used, you may even consider storing or removing some appliances to give your kitchen more breathing space and make it easier to clean and tidy—sometimes, less is more.

4. Save money with DIY

While not everyone is a handyperson, if you do have some practical skills and tools, performing as much DIY work on your kitchen glow-up can save you a heap on your makeover budget.

We live in the internet age, giving people access to seemingly endless content on DIY projects for any home renovation project you can imagine, including major kitchen renovations.

This gives a homeowner a chance to create a custom kitchen with a truly bespoke or unique aesthetic. A DIY upgrade may also give you more insight into the kitchen remodelling process, helping make more informed design decisions when it is time to commit to your dream kitchen renovation with professional kitchen remodellers and cabinet makers.

H&H Cabinets: Prestige kitchen renovations Melbourne-wide

Since 1968, our family-owned master cabinetry team has been providing services for the design, fabrication and installation of some of the most prestigious kitchen renovations Melbourne offers.

As well as fine kitchens, we also provide cabinetry solutions for:

• Build-in and walk-in robes
• Home offices
• Entertainment units
• Shelving
• Display cabinets
• and more

For more information about kitchen renovations, Melbourne-wide or any of our cabinetry, shelving or storage solutions, send your inquiry via our online contact form or call one of our representatives today on (03) 9808 4200.