We've got some great kitchen remodeling ideas that are both relatively quick, cheap, and painless. Before we delve into the world of quick kitchen fixes, let's look at some of the major facets of this type of project:
Essentials
- Limit New Materials: Home improvement materials are expensive, with materials for the kitchen being the most expensive of all--granite, flooring, cabinets, and so on. Limit the introduction of new materials, if at all possible.
- DIY: By definition, all of the kitchen remodeling ideas presented here are do-it-yourself (DIY). My rule of thumb: adding labor into the project usually doubles the cost.
- Stop-Gap Measures: Many people disagree with me on this point, but I feel strongly about it. The fixes in this article--as well as fixes coming from any other home improvement advisor--are stop-gap measures, at best. For example, painting your cabinets is all well and good, and it will extend your satisfaction with your cabinets another few years--but eventually you will need to replace. Nothing quite does the job like a full-scale replacement.
- Working Magic: Tricks of light and color can have just as much effect on the look of your kitchen as pricey remodeling projects.
