7 Affordable Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look More Expensive

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home. A place where bellies are filled and memories are made. However, sometimes our kitchens aren’t all that enjoyable of a place to spend time. Dim lighting, dated appliances, and dirty countertops make it a place to avoid rather than to congregate. That’s why we reached out to experts from Dallas to Vancouver to help you achieve a high-end look without the high-end price tag.

Take advantage of vinyl flooring

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) has authentic porcelain or marble tile appearance and is even available in a groutable option. If you want your kitchen to have a designer tile look, without the high cost, LVT will be right for your kitchen. If you would like flooring that is scratch-proof and waterproof, LVT and LVP are the perfect options to make your kitchen brand new again. – Bert Vis Flooring

Transform your kitchen on a budget with Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring! Imagine a flooring solution that is waterproof, durable, won’t feel cold to the touch, is affordable and comes in thousands of styles. Yes, all of this can be achieved with a luxury vinyl plank or tile flooring. It has been voted the best flooring option for kitchens, bathrooms and basements and is the personal recommendation from Simple Flooring! – Simple Flooring

Add an island

I want my own island – I’m not talking about the tropical kind, although that would be lovely – I’m talking kitchen island. Many starter homes don’t have islands, but you can easily add one to make your kitchen look more expensive using a variety of commonly found items and a set of 4 casters (to bump up the height and make it mobile). Great islands can be made from console tables, small farm tables, even old standing sinks (by adding a top)! It’s a reasonable way to make your kitchen look like a more expensive stand-out. – Marianne’s Consignment Confessions

Cabinetry is key

With cabinetry, we often create that “wow” factor with either a standout island or beverage center wall. By using neutral colors throughout the core parts of the kitchen, and then adding bolder finishes like walnut, black, or navy on either an island or feature wall, we can honor a client’s budget but still give them a custom look.  Hardware is another inexpensive way to elevate a kitchen design. For example, adding a rich cabinetry hardware finish like aged brass gives dimension to otherwise stock cabinetry. – Severna Park Kitchen and Bath

Choose your appliances wisely

Appliances are the baseline when it comes to functionality in your kitchen. Upgrade appliances to feature a professional look with a brand like ZLINE Kitchen and Bath. ZLINE offers high-end professionally styled options for a fraction of the cost of competitors, even including features like various finishes, great warranties, and more. – Rustic Kitchen and Bath

Going with entry-level stainless steel appliances is a great way to give your kitchen the high-end look without the high-end price tag. Badge swapping stainless appliances offers another affordable way to give your kitchen’s centerpiece that boutique appliance looks with the cost. Simply purchase the desired brand badge, remove your old badge with a plastic scraper and a gentle adhesive remover, then apply your new badge! – Richard Appliance

Try incorporating a farmhouse sink

Farmhouse sinks are beautiful, spacious, and timeless. Koozzo sinks are one of the best options in the market to add a distinctive look to your kitchen. Koozzo sinks feature multi-layer glazing that smooths the surface of the sink for easy cleaning. Its advanced technology also significantly reduces odors in the kitchen. – Koozzo

Give your backsplash a makeover

Replacing your backsplash with a chevron pattern subway tile is an inexpensive and fairly simple way to brighten up your kitchen and bring a modern touch without an entire kitchen renovation. The chevron design is very current and a glossy white is wipeable and easy to clean, as well as room lighting. – Georgia Coast Homes

Consult with the pros

Bring in a kitchen designer! Each kitchen has its strengths and weaknesses.  The folks who live in these kitchens are unique with their own thoughts on how to make a statement or add the functionality they desire.  Enhancing a kitchen can take shape in many forms.  Kitchen designers have the product knowledge and expertise to make economical suggestions for wow factors and practical solutions. They also know how to execute the changes as painlessly as possible. A small investment in an expert can go a long way in adding that kitchen joy we all crave! – Jarrett Design