Quick and Easy Kitchen DIY

Could your kitchen use some freshening up, but you don’t have time for a major overhaul? Here are four simple ideas that you can complete in a weekend.

Paint Your Cabinets

Painting your cabinets is a great way to spruce them up if they are beginning to look dated. It’s a much more affordable and faster option than replacing them. Start by emptying out your cabinets and clearing your counters. Remove all drawers, doors and hardware. Use a household cleaner to clean surfaces, rinse with water and let them dry completely. Lightly sand the cabinets, prime them and fill in any scratches or dings. Finally, it’s time to paint! Use brushes or rollers to apply thin layers of paint and allow three hours for drying between coats. Once everything is dry, reinstall drawers and doors and step back to admire your hard work! Your local hardware store or home improvement center can provide expert advice on the best paints to use.

Get New Hardware

It might sound like a small update but changing the hardware on your cabinet drawers and doors can really change the look of your kitchen. You can choose the type of hardware from knobs, handles and bin pulls as well as the material such as brass, nickel, or stainless steel. Have fun finding something that suits your style, whether you prefer oversized drawer pulls for a sleek, modern look or patterned knobs for a unique, vintage-inspired feel. If the holes needed for the new hardware don’t match up with the old ones, you can fill the old holes in with putty, drill pilot holes and install the new hardware with screws.

Add a Backsplash

In addition to protecting your walls from food and grease splatter while cooking, backsplashes can add a great deal of style to your kitchen. Depending on the décor you are going for, they can provide a bright pop of color or a classic, elegant touch. There are a wide range of materials to pick from including tiles, stone, glass, wood and metal. Installation procedures will vary based on the materials you select and the method you choose—mortar or adhesive. There are great online video tutorials for each. To determine how much material you will need for your backsplash, multiply the width and height of each section to calculate the square footage. Get 10% extra in case you need to replace any damaged pieces.

Swap Your Light Fixture

If you’ve lived for years with the overhead kitchen light fixture that came with your house, it might be time to update it to something that reflects your taste. How about a pendant, chandelier or flush mount style light? Replacing your light fixture can be done in an hour or two but be sure to turn off your power before you begin, and consult a professional if you’re not comfortable taking this on.

If your weekend kitchen project inspires you to tackle more home improvements, consider a Landmark Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). It’s a flexible option that provides you a line of credit you use whenever you need it and you only pay interest on the amount you borrow. Learn more and also check out our new, low rate!