The kitchen is the gathering area in a home. If your kitchen is looking a bit run down, a few simple updates can revive the room.

Focus on Your Cabinets

Cabinets do much more than simply store your pots and pans. When featured properly, they can help set the tone for the style you want in your kitchen. Since most kitchens have plenty of cabinets, simply repainting or redesigning them changes the whole area.

Painting cabinets is something you can do yourself or call in a professional to complete. Choosing a light color can make your kitchen feel brighter and open while going with wood tints gives a rustic look. If you want to feature the dishes within your cabinets, replace a solid door structure with a glass panel in the middle. You can let the colors of your dishes behind the glass add color.

Even something as simple as updating cabinet handles will give your kitchen an easy facelift. All of these options give you unique opportunities to feature your style.

Create Shelves

Storage space is prime real estate in a kitchen, so create your own when you decide to do an update. You can build your own shelves or buy them and mount them yourself.

Wood shelves with metal brackets give your kitchen a rustic look, while painting shelves a certain color can bring out other colors in your home. Once your shelves are up, you can display dishes or use them to house an herb garden. Creating shelves adds possibilities for you to put more in your kitchen without it looking crowded.

Switch Your Lights

The right lighting in any room can help set a mood and make the entire area more comfortable. This is especially true in the kitchen. LED lighting fixtures are the perfect choice when it’s time to switch out your lights.

You need bright, quality light in the kitchen since you read recipes, cook, and clean up in that room daily. LED lights are better for the environment and last longer than other types of lighting. If your kitchen doesn’t have a ton of natural light, LED lights can solve this problem without being too hard on your wallet.

Redo Your Floors

Wood floors in a kitchen offer a great look, but they wear down quickly with all the foot traffic. Simply throwing a coat of paint on top of them will make your kitchen look newer.

You can replace old, chipped tile with a new layer and put down rugs in places where you want to accent certain colors. It’s also wise to add rugs to places you stand for a long period of time, such as in front of the sink.

Consider Your Counters

You spend a lot of time staring at your countertops. Make sure they are beautiful and strong. Choose a material that fits your kitchen aesthetic that will last plenty of wear and tear.

Marble and granite are common choices when updating countertops, but there are other options that allow you to customize your style. If you want a DIY project that lets you choose each individual piece, ceramic tiles are a good choice. They are easy to clean and come in a variety of colors and patterns.

Wood countertops may cost more up front, but they last a very long time if they are maintained properly. Stainless steel may be a better option for you if you want easy clean up without all the care wood requires.

Create a Nook

Coffee and tea drinkers can design a space in the kitchen that is their go-to destination each morning. Create a nook in your kitchen for the items you need to make your favorite drinks each morning, and use this space to serve guests as well.

Creating a drink nook doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking. Simply find a beautiful way to display your drink choices. You can put them on a tray with cups and spoons already in place to use. Hang a handmade sign above this area to designate it as the official drink station. You will immediately have a cozy nook that draws you and guests to the kitchen.

You will spend many hours in your kitchen, so make it lovely and functional with a few smart upgrades.