SourceIt’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Lots of us spend a lot of time in our kitchen, preparing meals, eating as a family and just spending time together. If you love your kitchen, whether you have a cozy farmhouse style or a sleek, modern space, there are some upgrades you can make to make your kitchen even better. A better kitchen can make family life a little easier too.
Personalize your back splash
Who says you have to use plain tiles for your back splash? Choose subway tiles for your kitchen upgrade and have them laid in an interesting pattern. Choose bright colors, or edge your back splash with a border of glass mosaic tiles to introduce some fun and personality to the kitchen.
Upgrade your appliances
Think about the appliances you use most and which ones bring you the most joy, and upgrade those. For example, if you drink a lot of coffee, a posh coffee machine is sure to improve your mornings. A stand mixer is a great addition for bakers. Perhaps the best upgrade you would be a larger fridge or a tap with a built-in water filter. Find the best faucet water filter buying guide here.
Repaint your kitchen cabinets
If your kitchen is looking a little out of date, but you don’t have the spare money for a full refit, an easy trick is to paint your cabinets. This can be done very cheaply but can really make a difference to the look of your kitchen upgrade. Choose a light, bright color to bring in some freshness. In farmhouse kitchens, you could use wallpaper to decorate your cabinets too, for a cozy, country look.
Add a kitchen island
In large kitchens, the addition of a kitchen island can make the space work much better. You could use it to add more storage or more space for food preparation. Add an island top and some stools for a stylish breakfast bar. If you like to cook, or have a lot of cooking equipment to store, an island can make your kitchen function much better. Having somewhere to sit might also be good for encouraging people to use the kitchen as a social space. You could even have the children sit there do their homework, so you can help them while you’re also cooking dinner.
Swap some cabinets for open shelves
In a small kitchen, open shelving can give the illusion of more space. If you have a collection of nice glassware or pretty dishware, shelves like this are a great way to show them off too, combining storage space with a way to add some decoration and an interesting feature.
Replace your counter top
A different work top surface can drastically change the look of your kitchen. The experts at quartz company suggest choosing something sturdy and hard-wearing that will stand up to daily use that is solid and beautiful to look at.
Granite tops are solid and also beautiful to look at. For a more affordable option, you could choose Solid Surface, which creates a similar look for a lower price point.
Make a nook
Have you got a corner in the kitchen that isn’t being used for anything? Make a cozy nook! You could add a bench or some other seating, and pile it high with cushions for somewhere comfy to sit while you wait for dinner to be ready. Build in a hollow bench to add storage underneath for things like the table settings that only come out at Christmas. If you have more space to feel, you could add a small table and make a breakfast nook, or somewhere to spread out recipe books when you cook.
Update the flooring
If you have the budget, a big change can be to update the floor. In the kitchen, you want something hard-wearing and easy to clean. Choose a floor that will stand up to a lot of foot traffic and having heavy pans dropped on it. Kitchens can get messy, so a floor surface that can be wiped clean quickly and without staining will make your life much easier. Tiles are popular for this reason, but polished concrete can look chic in modern homes. Wooden floors are popular for kitchens too. 
Add some personality
The cheapest way to do your kitchen upgrade is to find ways to add in some touches of personality. Use open shelves or hooks to hang your favorite mugs and show them off. Use shelves or the windowsill for growing herbs or showing off pretty glassware, bottles or jars of dried goods. Hang plates or pictures on the wall. Collect magnets whenever you visit somewhere new and show them off on your fridge.
Customize your storage
Create a ‘garage’ for appliances with a cabinet with a slide up door. When you have people round, you can hide away some of the appliances in here easily, to create clear, uncluttered services. You could also use this space as a coffee station, or a station for all your baking essentials. If you like wine, add a wine rack. If you have a pantry, embrace the farmhouse look and swap the door for a sliding door, for easier access. Add storage that suits how you use your kitchen.
Create work stations
Tuck your appliances under an island counter to free up cabinet space elsewhere and to save trips around the kitchen. Set up a workstation for the sort of cooking you like. For example, set a piece of marble into the counter for working with dough. Put your chopping board out near a rack for hanging herbs, if you like to cook with fresh herbs.
Make it welcoming
If you like to cook and socialize at the same time, make your kitchen upgrade a room that is inviting to guests. If you have the room, add in a sofa and some bookcases to store your recipe books. In smaller kitchens, a small kitchen table invites people to stay in the room. Even some stools at the breakfast bar can work for this. Make your kitchen somewhere people want to be.
Final Thoughts
I hope these 12 ideas have given you inspiration for your kitchen upgrades to make it the best kitchen it can be. Have fun and start creating a kitchen you love.
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