Video:5 Easy Updates for the Kitchen

Transcript:5 Easy Updates for the Kitchen

Hi, and welcome. I'm Darcy Kempton with SimplyStunningSpaces.net for About.com. Today I'm here to give you five simple things that you can do to update your outdated kitchen.

Paint Your Cabinets to Update Your Kitchen

Painting your cabinets is one of the least expensive ways to give your outdated kitchen an updated, fresh new look. In this kitchen, we had cabinets that were all matching, with a brigth red countertop in the center of the island, which didn't fit the homeowner's liking. So what we did was paint the cabinets white. These are the existing cabinets, we didn't tear anything out, we didn't spend money on new cabinets, we just painted them white, changed the hardware and the countertop, and here we have a brand new look.

Replace Old-Fashioned Fixtures to Update Your Kitchen

Another easy fix to update your kitchen is to change all the hardware. Take a look at the appliances in your kitchen. If you have stainless steel appliances, you'll probably want to go with brushed nickel hardware. Brushed nickel is a very modern look if you're trying to update your kitchen. Here we had very old, outdated hardware that didn't fit with our new modern kitchen. So what we did was we took off the hardware and we measured from screw to screw to get the exact dimension of the hardware we needed. Or you can simply take the handle to the hardware strore and have someone help you with that.

Ditch the Blinds to Update Your Kitchen

Chances are, if you've been in your house for a while, your window coverings are a little outdated. In this kitchen, we had old blinds that have been here for a while. Instead, we wanted to use a softer, woven roller shade, which is a much more modern look. Try to go with a neutral fabric, something that will go well with the rest of your room if you decide to change your color scheme. I like to go with an inside mount. I think it's a more updated look, and I think you should consider the same thing whenever possible. You need at least about 2 inches of window depth in order to do that, but it's a much more modern look that an outside-mounted window covering.

Add Color to Walls to Update Your Kitchen

As I mentioned, paint is a very inexpensive way to give your kitchen a fresh new look. The best way to do this -- and many people don't know this -- is to pull your wall color from the color of your granite. It's probably not going anywhere for a while, so it's best to choose a color that's in the granite itself. Get a series of paint swatches from the hardware store and bring it next to your granite, and choose a color that matches one of the specks of your granite.

For your walls, it's okay to go with a neutral color, but try not to go with a bright white color. Choose something that's got a little bit more warmth to it. And don't be afraid to add a splash of color to your walls. It will bring interest and depth to your room if you can use two different colors in the room.

Add Colorful Accessories to Update Your Kitchen

Chances are, you have a lot of very interesting items that are hiding in your kitchen cabinets. Take some of those that have some great colors that you would like to introduce into your kitchen, and put them on display.

Once again, I'm Darcy Kempton with Simply Stunning Spaces. If you would like to get more do-it-yourself tips on interior design, visit About.com.