How to Quickly Modernise a Dated Kitchen

*This is a collaborative post on how to modernise a dated kitchen

As far as sales potential is concerned, the kitchen is among the most important rooms in the home. The difference between a bad kitchen and a good one can often be stark, especially from the point of view of a visitor, or potential buyer, who is seeing the house for the first time.

Many homeowners actively seek out older kitchens that are in need of some attention. By modernising the room, those homeowners can turn a quick profit on a sale – or they can customise things to their requirements, ahead of a long stay in a new home.

So, which upgrades within the kitchen yield the most dramatic improvements? Let’s take a look at some of the changes we might make.

Modernise a Dated Kitchen by Changing Colour Scheme

The colour scheme is something you’ll want to decide on as early as possible. It’ll inform your choice of splashbacks, countertops and cabinets. Paint manufacturers tend to formulate special paint for the kitchen which is designed to stand up to the moisture and airborne grease that are natural hazards in any space where food is being prepared.

Replacing Counters

The quality of your countertops will hugely influence your experience in the kitchen. It’s this part of the room that you’ll be interacting with the most, after all. Nowadays, it’s possible to find convincing faux-stone, or the real thing, for not very much. Alternatively, you might go for solid wood.

Modernise a Dated Kitchen by Upgrading Appliances

Appliances naturally have a lifespan. Older ones can represent an aesthetic burden, as well as a financial one. That old fridge doesn’t just make a noise and smell bad; it also costs you money in the long term. If you’re upgrading your appliances before they break down, you can earn back a portion of the cash by putting them up for sale.

Replace the flooring

If your kitchen is big enough, then the floorspace might actually take up a sizeable chunk of your visual field when you first walk in. Moreover, older flooring will have absorbed considerable footfall over the years – and thus it might be showing signs of wear and tear. As you replace the flooring, there’s also an opportunity to install under-floor heating, too.

Modernise a Dated Kitchen by Updating the lighting

At night-time, your choice of lighting will have a huge influence on the feel of your kitchen. You might combine light of several kinds to achieve the perfect balance. These might include downlighters, hanging lamps, and under-counter strip lights. Also, be sure to think about the natural light that’s coming into the room from the outside. If you’re making major structural changes, such as building new partitions, then you should think about the effect that this might have on light distribution.