A meal is just as good as the place where it was prepared. That is why, as an aspiring chef, your kitchen should be a personal sanctuary where all your equipment should be topnotch and accessible.
Condo kitchens should have as much character as any part of the house. That is why giving your kitchen a much-needed renovation can provide your living space that much needed personality but also amp up your property. Aspiring chefs are culinary artists; and, as artists, your kitchen should feel like a studio. If however, you’re on a budget, you need to be more creative in finding ways to upgrade your kitchen.
A full kitchen upgrade may be costly, but there are a lot of cost-effective techniques you can try to glam up your kitchen and give it the desired look you want.
Here are easy kitchen upgrades that are DIY and cost-effective for condo renters and owners, like you:
1. Say goodbye to those cabinet doors
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If you have fashionable chinaware and want to make them the star of your kitchen, then it’s time to get rid of those cabinet doors; so they can truly shine. Displaying those glasswares can truly elevate the mood of your space, as it provides a focal point where the eyes immediately go to and rest.
You can do this on your own without having to hire someone to do it. And it is cost-effective. Most cabinet doors are attached to hinges. Thus, you will need a screwdriver to remove this one by one. This leaves unsightly hinge holes that you can easily cover up using lattice wood. Just measure the cabinet door trim and cut the lattice wood into strips with a width that will cover-up the holes. Attach them over where the cabinet doors were supposed to, then cover up with a fresh coat of paint.
Once you have done this, it’s time to show off that china. This easy DIY kitchen upgrade allows you to make the best of everything in your inventory. As an aspiring chef, you want to keep things organized without having to clump everything inside a dingy kitchen cabinet.
2. Dress your kitchen in a ‘tuxedo’
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Color combination is the name of the game when styling up your condo kitchen. You need to think of a way to make the colors complement and synchronize with one another, especially when your space is tight. Boston College’s Carroll School of Management shows how companies strategically use color to make things look bigger. You may also capitalize on this principle for your benefit.
Just like wearing a tuxedo, mixing dark and light shades creates a ‘tuxedo effect’ that exudes modern glam and chic. Black and white are the go-to colors. You may, however, also play with grey or introduce jet blue in the color scheme, to add an extra punch to the overall look of your kitchen. Playing with colors will help you as an aspiring chef because it can affect the way you think. Blue, for example, enables you to think clearly and calmly. It will lighten your mood especially when you’re stressed out when preparing food for a large number of guests.
3. Spare your fingers; organize your knives in a knife holder
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Easy kitchen upgrades may not only affect you mentally, but it can also transform your kitchen into a safe working space. Get yourself a knife holder to help you organize your knives more efficiently.
Get yourself a knife holder to help you organize your knives more efficiently. A wooden knife holder is stylish and helps you store knives in one place. But just to be safe, store your knives in a high or hidden place to keep kids away from harm.
4. Upgrade your style with appliance updates
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Lots of companies claim that you can only achieve that modern kitchen look if you purchase technologically advanced appliances that look elegant. While it is true that there a lot of kitchen must-haves for an aspiring chef like you, sometimes impulsiveness and rash decisions end up with buying things that don’t sync with your kitchen design.
Other times, you have all these fancy and expensive appliances aligned inside your kitchen that end up looking plain, because they drown each other in the foreground. Choose the style of your microwave oven or faucet based on the overall design of your space. Having appliances that fit and pair up well with your kitchen design will keep your space from becoming visually awkward. Take for example black and silver appliances, these colors are great for harmonizing and tying together your kitchen design.
5. Have fresh herbs and produce in your kitchen
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Have you watched those kitchen shows on cable or your trusty Netflix? Usually, the setting is quite dreamy and inviting. Why not consider placing a few herbs in your kitchen counter or window?
Having an edible plant displayed on your kitchen like basil, oregano, or parsley will make your space look fresh. Other than it’s pleasing to the eyes and good for the environment, you can have easy access to fresh produce right at your kitchen countertop.
6. Let those shelves float
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Upgrading your kitchen doesn’t have to be flamboyant. Floating shelves mounted on walls provide additional storage while also allowing you to utilize everyday things found in the kitchen as design pieces.
For instance, store different colored condiments in transparent mason jars and place them on these shelves. These ingredients are accessible when you cook. Plus this set-up is also already in itself fashionable and modern looking.
These steps are just some of the many ways you could try to upgrade and innovate your working space. Some of these are easy to do at home during your spare time. For example, if you are convinced that it’s time to update some of your appliances, then you can check out ideas online regarding how to make your own floating shelves.
More than just about the food and the appliances, the way your kitchen looks could also create a significant effect on what you love as a chef by elevating your mood. Books like Laura Esquivel’s Para Agua Como Chocolate, for example, talks about how food is tied to the emotion of the cook. Great food indeed can often come from a place where you are comfortable working.
Whether you are single or a part of a huge family, the place where you cook and prepare a hearty meal should feel like your art studio where you are always in control.
