Home Improvements – Small Kitchen!
Our home is in the process of being transformed. We’ve decided that the entire living area, bathroom and kitchen all need renewing, but we’ve started by just focusing on the dining room and kitchen. When we moved in, we chose a dramatic colour scheme in the dining area, the colour scheme has not stood the test of time! We’ve decided to go back to a blank canvas, there’s something very calming about a cream white dining room – although admittedly with 3 young children it may not be the best idea I’ve had!
What I’m hoping for is a calm, bright space for family meals or to entertain. We’ve started painting the walls a cream white, it has been quite a big job to neutralise the deep purple we originally had! A couple of years ago we put down laminate flooring, and that is still in brilliant condition, so is one less job for us to worry about – I’m using lots of dust sheets to make sure no paint goes on the floor!! We’ve planned bamboo blinds to go on the window, I feel as though it gives an airy feel to the room than curtains would.
The main focus of our update is our small kitchen, a compact kitchen doesn’t have to be a problem if it is well laid out, but ours is dated. The lay out has never really worked for us, if there is more than one of us in the kitchen we struggle. I feel we need a smaller sink with a better lay out of work surface and cupboards. The work top is in desperate need of replacing, and the cupboards are.. tired. It seems silly to say we will replace the cupboards, but I can’t really see how the off-white, chipped, MDF units would work if combined with my wished for granite work top! I do wonder though, whether granite will be too dark in such a small space? Should I instead opt to continue with a pale wood? My rough plan is below, though I think instead of open shelves, I will look for cupboards with glass doors – more practical with a house of inquisitive children I think!
Even though our kitchen is compact, to have it completely refitted is not a cheap option, and finding the funds is always a struggle. Improvements, even simple ones can cost large amounts of money. If you own your home, Equity release can free up equity in your home, to spend on things like replacing the kitchen. Apparently more people opt to use equity release to carry out home improvements than for anything else. As I spend quite a lot of time at home with the children, I see home improvements as an investment and while I admit I don’t really enjoy the process, I’m currently in chaos with pots of paint everywhere, I do love the results!
So, that’s what we’re up to, and I hope I can share the results with you soon, if you have any tips on how to make the most out of a small kitchen do let me know!
Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post, not intended as financial advice, always seek independent advice.
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