Affordable all-around kitchen hacks offer budget-friendly design, decorating, and storage options to take your kitchen from bland to brilliant.
Just when I think my design and decorating mojo is in post holiday/new year limbo, along comes an awe-inspiring photo and I’m back ready to show and tell.
This Nicole Franzen photo with styling by Kate Berry is featured in the Domino article, 13 Reno Budget Hacks, Straight From Leanne Ford.
Domino – Photography by Nicole Franzen – Styling by Kate Berry
One recent Places In The Home analytics report showed an increase in traffic towards a 2013 blog post, Color Combination Pink and Brown.
Trends and tastes come and go and ebb and flow, but a visually engaging color combination becomes a lasting favorite.
So you can see why the above kitchen space instantly caught my eye.
Color plays a pivotal role in the world of design and decorating.
If you don’t like it, change it to the best of your design, decorating, and budget hacks ability.
Speaking of liking…
I like the part of the post that features in the style of decor accents.
22″ Wall Mirror with Decorative Handle Gold – Patton Wall Decor
Art in the kitchen is always an on-trend option.
Chris Paschke ‘Rio Pink and Brown’ Canvas Art
Pour Me Extra-Large Mixing Bowl
Mastering The Art Of French Cooking
Antique Shoppes at 1100 Barksdale
Measuring and mixing in vintage style never looked so good when keeping house with current wares.
Washington Old Schoolhouse Antique Mall
Mason Cash Powder Pink Color Mix Mixing Bowl
Pink and green is another wonderful color combination, and with spring soon to be, this take on a classic color and pattern makes a lovely addition to kitchen shelf and table alike.
The Pioneer Woman Jade Dinner Plate
The Pioneer Woman Amelia 15.22-Ounce Rose Glass Tumblers, Set of 4
Realizing I spend waaay too much time washing dishes, I figure I might as well ring some type of enjoyment out of this seemingly endless routine.
Now that we’ve addressed colorful, workable, and affordable kitchen accessories that perform and complement, let’s talk the customize optimize combination.
Working off the assumption you’re working with a basic white range, consider customizing it to suit your space and style.
Customize = Optimize
The in color combination white/brass is one good looking range that guides this next in the style of budget hack.
Single Oven Dual Fuel Italian Range with True Convection, 5 Burners, Brass Trim in White
If the four figure price tag is out of your range (get it?), consider a refresh via spray paint.
I call this the priming stage.
Remove the knobs from stove. Wash the knobs in a warm water mixture of several drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid and a generous pour of white vinegar. Rinse well with warm water and allow knobs to dry completely.
Holding the spray paint can approximately eight (8) inches from knob, apply spray paint in a back-and-forth motion in even layers. I like to suggest applying two to three (2-3) coats of spray paint. For a smooth polished finish, it is crucial you allow each coat to dry completely before applying the next.
What about range knobs with markings?
The first step is to take out your phone, device, or point and shoot camera and take a photo of the knob(s). If a photo is not an option, draw out a template of the knob and settings placement.
After painting, use a black Sharpie to remark.
Now comes the oven door handle.
I’ve got a paint in place option and a remove the handle and paint tutorial.
For those of you who don’t want to fool with removing the oven handle, here’s your how-to.
Wear a mask (you should have plenty of practice with this 😄) and adequately ventilate the area by opening a window or door.
Tape off the areas above and below the handle using painter’s tape and proceed to spray paint the handle while in place.
For those of you who prefer to remove the handle, here’s the how-to.
Open the oven door and locate the screws on the top edge. Using a screwdriver, remove each screw and set aside. There’s a front and a back side to the panel. You’ll want to lift the back panel of the door up to remove.
Using a nut driver, remove the two nuts on the inside of the door holding the handle in place; usually located on each side of oven door. Remove the door handle.
Holding the spray paint can approximately eight (8) inches from the handle, apply spray paint in a back-and-forth motion in even layers. Apply two to three (2-3) coats of spray paint, allowing handle to dry completely before applying the next coat.
Once the handle is completely dry, put back into place by lining up handle into the holes, placing nuts on each end, and tightening the nuts with the nut driver.
Bring door panels back together, line up with openings, insert nuts/screws and tighten.
Ta-da!
This show and tell about affordable all-around kitchen hacks is inspiring me to bring about a bit of change to the Places In The Home kitchen.
New year, new pulls.
Braydon Studio Center to Center Appliance Pull
Instant doesn’t always guarantee a fruitful result, but in the case of installing new cabinet hardware I can almost guarantee instant visual upgrade success.
Domino – Photography by Studio McGee
Mike Stevens Homes, Inc. – Photo by Bruce McCamish
There’s more than one way to impress the eye when creating storage solutions in the kitchen.
Southern Living Magazine – Photo by Laurey W. Glenn
Absolutely loving the light oak gateleg table.
Finding one exactly like it proved unsuccessful, but here’s two suitable options for your kitchen decor consideration.
This English oak Barley Twist drop leaf table found at Gallery Auctions is in the dark finish so many gate leg tables traditionally come in.
The fantastic going once, going twice, sold! price on this table makes it all the more easy to fall in love with the darker finish.
Does your kitchen design lack sufficient cabinet and storage space?
There’s a hack for that.
5 Shelf Bookcase – Room Essentials™
Stake out an area of a wall and introduce an inexpensive bookcase or bookcase unit.
Begin by anchoring the unit(s) to the wall with an anti-tip kit.
Once everything is good and secure, the next step is to give an otherwise plain and rather utilitarian bookcase the custom treatment by dressing it out in a smart paint color and on-trend accessories.
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White SW 7042 || Rushing River SW 7746 || Anonymous SW 7046
Glidden High Endurance Plus Interior Paint and Primer
Add molding and/or appliques.
How about plug-in swing arm lights?
Brass Sconce Vintage Industrial Swing Arm Wall Lamp
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with traditional options for kitchen storage, just as there’s something very right about choosing a unique piece to bring visual lagniappe to the mix.
Gorgeous is as gorgeous stores.
In your antiques, vintage, and estate sale shopping, keep an eye out for bookcase or hutch with a bottom half that’s seen better days and a top half that’s completely salvageable.
A good eye sees past functional obsolescence, immediately zooming in on the tremendous project opportunity found in otherwise overlooked redo-refine-repurpose pieces.
Remodelista – Anthony Esteves –Photography by Greta Rybus
If wall space is limited or any extra space for that matter is not to be, let there be hooks.
Options rich in variety, visual interest, form, and function enters into the kitchen storage grand scheme of things.
Affordable just happens to be a budget friendly bonus.
Now it’s time to stack and store in style.
Stoneware Pitcher Gray – Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia
Designer Jeremiah Brent’s eye for attention to function, design, and detail proves 20/20 perfection in regards to this super chic choice of open shelving.
Start with a set or two of floating wall shelves.
Modern Floating 2 Piece Wall Shelf Set (Set of 2)
Modern Floating 2 Piece Wall Shelf Set (Set of 2) in Black
Cover the front and sides with vinyl self adhesive peel and stick metallic shelf liner to create a polished modern look.
On the subject of peel and stick stylish and affordable kitchen hacks, wall decals and/or wallpaper easily become a choice material for a kitchen backsplash.
Better Homes & Gardens – Photo by John Bessler
The wall area behind a stove or sink is prime focal point real estate for this application.
Seabrook Designs Vespucci Map Tan & Gold Wallpaper
Blue Azulejos Kitchen Panel Wall Decal
What got this backsplash show and tell started was this farmhouse butler’s pantry redo by Cathy and Garrett Poshusta of The Grit and Polish and their rather impressive side-mounted sink placement choice.
Gorgeous, n’est-ce pas?
In real estate and renovation, it’s all about location, location, location.
The renovator used a scrap piece of marble for the backsplash, cutting the curved design himself.
My skills do not include this talent, but I can source the faucet with the best of them.
English Country 2-Handle Wall-Mount Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Brass
English Country 2-Handle Wall Mount Kitchen Faucets in Brushed Brass
These two fixtures are from my personal inventory.
The iron and crystal chandelier an eBay find, the bamboo chandelier an estate sale treasure.
For approximately $150 all in including the fixtures, two rewires, aesthetic adjustments, a couple of coats of paint, and clear coat applications, two new to me custom chandeliers replaced two drab and outdated fixtures long past their prime style days.
Think outside the box when it comes to a particular area in the kitchen.
I don’t know what’s more of a showstopper- the collection of ironstone or the pantry doors made from louvered arched wood shutters.
Antique auctions are known treasure troves of goodies.
Gallery Auctions in Houston, Texas is a personal favorite auction offering in person and online bidding.
This pair of French Louis XV style armoire doors in Cherry (50″ X 71″) sold at Gallery Auctions (our favorite) for $90.00.
Talk about a unique choice of pantry door.
Pair French Louis XV Style Armoire Doors in Cherry
March arrived today, and with its arrival comes spring project ideas.
Several of these kitchen hacks will see the light of day, and the treasure hunt for the unique, the stylish, the classic, and the affordable to pull it all together is highly anticipated.
