Majority of homes in America, the kitchen serves as a hub of activity for your family and often for visitors. And, yes, sometimes that focal point needs a facelift. Even though a renovation may reach into the tens of thousands, the good news is it usually pays at the resale price of the house. All it requires is a little bit of paint.
In most kitchens, the cabinets cover about 50 percent of those walls, so you’ll want to consider their appearance in whatever changes you make. You’ll also have to evaluate the colors of your countertops, appliances, and floor. Your new paint colors have to coordinate marginally with all of those.
If your kitchen is structurally reliable and coordinated nicely, you can create an entirely new look by switching out the key wall colors. For instance, if you have got a light and airy room with white cupboards and light yellow walls, you could reinvent the space dramatically with a bold shift in wall color – possibly bright red, bright orange, or azure blue. Needless to say, if you want a less dramatic change, you could trade that light yellow for a sunny yellow, pumpkin spice, or ocean blue.
Even a small splash of color can have a substantial effect in a kitchen. Consider the backsplash. Even if you chose to paint just that section of the room, a pop of green, purple, or gold would affect the whole space and attract a great deal of attention. In recent years, the concept of an accent wall has gained favor. With it, you could paint one wall which dramatic orange, red, or blue and leave the rest of the walls a lighter shade in the same tone or potential in a very neutral color. Either way, the accent wall carries a powerful punch.
If the color is too dark and the ceiling too low, people may feel as if the area is pressing down on them. However, even if that is the situation, traditional”white” is only one option; contemplate cream, sand, or other neutrals.
Sometimes, however, the ceiling can add an actual impact and become a focal point, particularly if it has exciting architectural features. Indeed, it might be the boldest part of the room.
For a broader change in the kitchen, without the cost of an entire remodel, you could opt to paint the cabinets. As mentioned, they cover about half the wall space, so changing them changes everything. Generally, cabinets can be painted easily as long as they are adequately prepared to obtain the paint. It means a detailed cleaning to remove grease and dirt, often with strong chemicals such as TSP, followed by a careful sanding to remove the last finish. For this job, you probably want to hire a professional, especially for those who have an older kitchen.
And finally, there is the floor. You could spend thousands putting a new covering. But if it just a matter of the current flooring appearing faded, scratched, or otherwise unattractive, you can revitalize it with paint. For a traditional look, you would paint with your base color, then go back and create squares in another color. You also might want to draw a picture or design on the floor, then paint it with the proper colors. And, of course, you can opt to paint the entire floor in one of those bold colors that turn that old nasty floor into your new focus.
Whatever changes you make in your kitchen, whether minimal or extension – are guaranteed to get extra attention. As the gathering place for your home, the kitchen can take on any tone from light and airy to daring and dramatic. Color options abound too from only a splash of bold color to monochromatic to white-on-white. This room has no bounds, so let your creativity shine.
