If you bought a house recently, then you probably can’t wait to put your personal touches on it. The old design has some promise but it just isn’t you. You need to make it your own and tow the house into this decade. Outdated colors, patterns, layouts, and styles need to go. You can look for kitchen makeover ideas online for inspiration. Look at the before and after pictures to see what effects certain changes can produce. You don’t have to set aside a large budget for this project, although you can if you want to. Start planning with the following in mind:

Remove Unnecessary Separation

Is the kitchen set apart from the rest of the house? Is it necessary? Whether it’s a partial or a full wall delineating the border, you should consider removing it to have an open and flowing layout. This will make the kitchen feel less cramped and more pleasant to work in. It will also receive more light from the surrounding rooms. This kind of setup will also make you want to organize and reduce clutter on a more consistent basis. After all, space will always be visible to you and to the guests. You don’t want any eyesores.

Add Natural Light to Work Stations

The workstations such as the countertops, the sink, and the stove area should receive a good amount of natural light during the day. This will not only make food preparation easier and safer it will also reduce energy consumption and thus save a lot of money over the years. You won’t need to depend on artificial light all the time. The biggest obstacles for this is poor window placement. Check with your contractor it is possible to enlarge windows or put some near the counters.

Lighten Up for a Bigger Feel

A lot of older houses have dark kitchens. They have stained wooden floors, cabinets, and counters. This makes the spaces look smaller than they really are. You could reverse the effect by switching to lighter colors and materials. Use light gray tiles, paint the cabinets white, do the same with the walls, replace the countertops with a light-colored natural stone or something with the same outcome. The feel of the kitchen will change tremendously. You might not even recognize it after everything is said and done.

It’s fun to play around with kitchen makeover ideas. Study your kitchen to learn what it needs so that you can make the right calls.