In partnership with Latitude Financial Services
Kitchens can be expensive. Very expensive. I’m in the middle of one so trust me, I know! And while we all know they sell houses and they’re the heart of the home (why so many kitchen cliches, eh?!), we don’t all have unlimited budgets, much as we’d love to have the best of everything.
Today, I’m sharing some of the best ways to still achieve a luxe look without spending a fortune, with a few of my own examples thrown in.
Go flatpack
Flatpack kitchens no longer have the stigma they used to; probably because they’re a lot lot better than they used to be. A flatpack kitchen will save you a significant amount of money compared to a custom job. I’ve personally chosen a flatpack kitchen from Freedom Kitchens’ relatively new Essential Range. I could still have a satin finish and shaker profile door, which is what I wanted anyway, so I’m happy!
Some other popular flatpack kitchens are:
- IKEA
- Kaboodle at Bunnings
- Semble
When doing your calculations, bear in mind that if you don’t have the time, skills or inclination to put it together yourself, you’ll need to factor in the cost of a handyman or similar to help. All of the above brands suggest that they are a DIY product though, so technically, you should be able to handle it yourself. We don’t all have the time or patience though!
Pimp your cabinets
I’m talking hardware. You can buy your handles from anywhere, not just the place you got the cabinets from. So look around for something special. For a few hundred dollars you could have your cupboards looking amazing. I’m using brass Kethy handles and I’m in love! They’re going to be like the jewellery of my kitchen!
Mix up your fronts
Just because you have an affordable flatpack kitchen, doesn’t mean you have to go for an all gloss white look. There are a lot more colours and finishes available these days and there’s no reason why you can’t go two-tone; in fact, it’s quite on trend. Think about having your top cabinets one colour and your bottoms ones another (probably darker).
Make a splashback statement
I’m talking tiles! There are so many affordable options out there now. Yes, you can get great results with the common subway (like half the country!) and if you’re going to do this I’d suggest a more organic imperfect subway or a bevelled one, perhaps mixing up the grout by choosing black or a grey rather than white (doesn’t show dirt either!). But if you’re feeling brave, make a real statement with something colourful, patterned or textured. This won’t set you back too much in the average kitchen but will make a huge difference compared to the cheaper glass splashback. Other affordable yet impactful options might be mirror (if you can handle the cleaning) or pressed tin.
Consider some open shelving
This may be as simple as some overhead flatpack cabinets without doors. Or you might decide on a few solid timber shelves. Being able to display cook books or beautiful ornaments unexpectedly in the kitchen really can add a touch of class, personality and individuality; not things we associate with a bog standard cheap kitchen!
Accessorise like a pro
A little goes a long way. Think cannisters, stacked timber chopping boards of different sizes, a marble mortar and pestle, an amazing fruit bowl on the breakfast bar. Places like Target and Kmart are you friend here! Or if you have a bit more to spend, invest in something beautiful like a handmade ceramic fruit bowl, a great coffee machine or even some framed art for the wall.
Paint and wallpaper
So you can’t afford the navy kitchen of your dreams. You can have navy walls! There’s generally not much spare wall in a kitchen which makes it easier to be brave with your colour choice, especially if you’ve kept it simple elsewhere. I’m intending to paint the sliding barn door from our kitchen to our laundry navy. You’d think I was obsessed with navy or something…
Don’t forget your window treatments
Like accessories, window treatments can make a real difference to the look of the end product and really finish it off. Think about plantation shutters for a high end look (they won’t cost you much for just this one room) or how about having a Roman blind made in an amazing linen or patterned fabric?
–For help with financing your reno, speak to our partners at Latitude Financial Services.
Best kitchen I ever had was from Ikea. Carpenter assembled it and installed beautiful mouldings. Looked totally custom and when we sold in 1 day I know that kitchen was why.
Great to hear. Amazing what can be achieved on a budget with a few clever touches!
I’ve been watching out for the name of winner of the Latitude bathroom competition held some time ago but have not seen anything.
I entered so am keen to see who won and why
That was announced weeks (maybe months) ago on social media, Helen! Her name is Sarah and she is doing her en suite she planned with her husband who sadly died. She has had all the stuff sitting in her garage but no money to get it done.
What about benchtops? I’d love to change mine at an affordable price but don’t know where to start!
Have you thought about timber, bamboo or Laminex?
Loving the look of brass handles Jen 😍 But how do they function in the kitchen? Easily stained? Hard to clean? Worth the love? Really would love them to warm up a grey kitchen, but then again, have grease in the kitchen and grubby boys’ hands about. Would appreciate your thoughts/experience!
One year on and those handles are looking as good as new!