You have guests over for your kid’s birthday party and everything is going smoothly until one of the mothers looks at you and says “what’s up with these dated cabinets”? This has you looking around your kitchen and suddenly discovering that the cabinets aren’t the only thing in your kitchen that’s old. You could defiantly go for a remodel.

It’s been so long since you’ve had any work done in your kitchen though that you really don’t remember what you like in terms of style. You could go for a few fresh ideas. Luckily for you, we’re full of them.

Keep reading for a few kitchen remodeling ideas that will impress even your pickiest mom friends.

1. Tile Backsplash

First thing’s first, you want your food prep area to look visually impressive because it’s the one thing that you’ll be facing just about every day. So, replace the drab walls you have now for an interesting tile backsplash.

It looks nice, and you’ll have a ton of patterns to choose from that will allow your unique personality to show. If you want even more customization options, spring for subway tile. It will allow you to mix and match patterns until you find one you like.

2. Give Those Cabinets a Fresh Coat of Paint

You’d be surprised the power that is contained in a can of paint. Sometimes, its contents are all that’s needed to breath fresh life into your outdated cabinets.

All you need is a brush and some basic painting skills to get started.

Not only is painting simple, but you choose the color so you’re able to perfectly match it to the overall tone you’re going for in your kitchen. If you’re not that great at painting then that’s okay, you’ll just have to hire a contractor. If it’s your first time doing so, you can follow these tips.

3. I’m Blue

Before now, the main color in all kitchens was white. That’s because it can give your kitchen a clean look and goes with everything. This was the standard before people realized that blue also goes with everything.

It’s easier to set a certain mood in your kitchen depending on the shade of blue that you decide to go with as well. For example, if you want a calm sort of mood in your kitchen, you can do that with light blue. If you want more of an angsty look, navy blue will be your friend.

4. Be a Minimalist

Sometimes, simple is just better not only because it can be cheaper, but you won’t have to worry about your kitchen becoming dated again after a while because minimalist is almost always in.

If you’re worried about it being a little too boring all you need to spice things up is a few wooden counters or chairs. You can also add some plants or a few wall decorations for a little extra color.

5. Add an Island

A kitchen island is so much more than a place where you can prepare food. It can also be a nice sitting area or if it has shelves, a place where you can store dishes and other appliances.

So, due to the fact that an island can pull double duty, it’s the perfect thing to add a little space if your kitchen is small.

6. Try Induction Cooktops

Do you feel like cooking dinner takes you a year and a half? You can cut down on time by bringing an induction cooktop into your life. The surface heats up super quickly so it cuts meal prep time in half.

Induction cooktops are rather large, so you can cook a bunch of things at once.

7. Open Up a Little

If you have nice China or other decorative tidbits, why not show it off? You can if you sub out your upper cabinets for open ones. It can make your kitchen look larger than it actually is, and it’s usually high up enough where a small child can’t reach up and knock things over.

If you really have something that you want to show off, you can add a few lights over the shelf to make things stand out.

8. Matte Black Finish

Stainless steel has been a go-to for finishes for a while, but it doesn’t exactly go with everything. Not like black can anyway. You can go with just about any decor material you want, from stone to granite and a black finish will pair well with it.

You can also opt to get a black finish that’s smug free so your kid’s little fingerprints or even yours won’t show up.

9. Create a Little Nook

If you have a corner in your kitchen that you’re not using, why not fill it in with a nice relaxation spot? You can put in a comfy bench with a blanket and table so you can curl up and enjoy your coffee in the mornings.

For added comfort, you can add in a small shelf that houses a few of your favorite books so you can have a cup of tea while reading at night or have something to do rather than stand when you’re cooking.

10. Benches

Traditionally, you have your family all gather around the kitchen table for meals. While that’s still a great idea for a little family time, you can make the experience so much more comfortable with benches.

It’s easy to match the decor of the bench with that of your chairs and allows you to sit more people if you’re one for huge family get-togethers.

Kitchen Remodeling Ideas to Get You Closer to Your Dream Home

If your kitchen is a little dated, it’s nothing to be ashamed about. There are plenty of things that you can do to fix it. Use some of these kitchen remodeling ideas to give your friends something positive to talk about the next time you have them over.

Are you looking around and noticing that your entire home could go for a little upgrade? Keep reading for a few inexpensive decorating ideas.