20 Low-Cost Kitchen Upgrades!

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Why not give yourself an early Christmas gift? A new kitchen! If you're looking for a fresh new design in the kitchen, then take a look at some of these ideas from This Old House!

Adding character to your cook space doesn't have to put you in the poor house: The secret's in the finishing touches. See how fresh paint, new lighting, and smart use of colorful tiles and vintage accents can personalize the hub of your home.

Go for Retro Cool

Reinvent dark wood or white cabinets by painting them a refreshing hue. Here, a pale sage green reminiscent of vintage jadite dishware balances the intensity of the red floor. Premium Plus Ultra interior semigloss acrylic latex in Frosted Jade, $34 per gallon; behr.com

Oversize Task Lights

Put pendants above the kitchen island. They're classier than track lighting or recessed cans, and can cost less, too. The large-scale aluminum ones at right echo the shine of the faucet and cabinet hardware, tying the kitchen's details together. Similar to shown: 20-inch Foto Pendant Lamp, $30; ikea.com

Vintage-Look Floor

Add some oomph with a new floor made of an old-school material: linoleum. It's easy to clean, naturally antimicrobial, and comes in more than a dozen shades, such as this vibrant red. Similar to shown: Marmoleum 13-by-13-inch tiles in Red Amaranth, 
$4.99 per square foot; thenaturalabode.com

Wall-Art Upgrade

Trade crayon doodles for graphic prints like this one. Vintage-look posters, starting at $10; allposters.com

Read more at This Old House