Easy Updates

GIVE YOUR KITCHEN A FRESH NEW LOOK WITH SIMPLE DO-IT-YOURSELF MAKEOVERS YOU CAN MANAGE IN A WEEKEND—FOR $500 OR LESS.

ADD A POP OF COLOR

A fresh new hue can transform walls and cabinets. Repainting a 150-square-foot space costs between $100 and $300 for materials. If you ’d rather hire a pro to refinish your cabinets, expect to pay $4 to $10 per square foot, according to HomeAdvisor, an online home services company. Always use a top-rated paint, like Behr Marquee (Home Depot), $46 per gallon.

FOCUS ON THE BACKSPLASH

If you want to try your hand at tiling, a backsplash is a good place to start, because it’ s a relatively small area. Home centers offer online how-to (and, sometimes, in-store) workshops to learn the basic technique, and they ’ re a good source for less-expensive tile styles. Or try peel-andstick tiles, which are easier to apply. Easier still, paint the backsplash a fun color.

INSTALL OPEN SHELVING

Need a little extra storage—and some pretty display space? Install open shelves for about $100. Just make sure you anchor the shelf supports into wall studs (use a stud finder to find them first); otherwise, the weight of whatever you stock the shelves with could rip them right off the wall. And don ’t crowd the shelves. Too many tchotchkes can look messy and make dusting an even more tedious task.

SWAP CABINET HARDWARE

Not ready to replace your cabinets? Make a low-effort, high-impact change by updating the door handles and drawer pulls. New hardware with a more modern style can give your cabinets a new look for between $2 and $10 per piece. Save yourself the headache of drilling new screw holes (and filling in old ones) by taking your existing handles to the store with you to make sure the new ones are exactly the same size.

Add a splash of color and pattern (plus lightcontrol and privacy) with a simple window treatment. Roman shades look neat and tailored and come in a variety of ready-made styles, from fabric to woven rattan looks, many for under $100 per shade. Or go with a valance for a subtle emphasis at the top of the frame, or a cafe curtain to add interest and block views on the window ’ s bottom half.

MAXIMIZE EVERY INCH

If your kitchen could use some extra storage space (and whose couldn 't?), look for it in unexpected places— like on the interiors of your cabinet and pantry doors. A row of screw-in cup hooks or adhesive hooks can hold small hanging items, like measuring spoons and cups. Or check home centers or organizing stores like The Container Store for cabinet-door racks and accessories.

ADD STYLE ON THE WALLS

Wallpaper elevates any space with a highstyle burst of color and/or pattern. Today ’ s peel-and-stick options eliminate messy paste— and they ' re removable, too. CR’ s experts suggest using an X-acto knife to make precise cuts during installation and to keep a safety pin and a squeegee on hand. If you get an air bubble under the paper, puncture it with the pin and smooth it out with the squeegee. Amazon sells a peeland-stick toolkit for less than $10.