How To Complete A Kitchen Makeover On A Budget

A professional kitchen renovation can be an expensive undertaking, but it's not the only option. A DIY kitchen makeover can keep you on budget and deliver great results. You can save money on a kitchen makeover by painting your cabinets, countertops, floors, appliances and fixtures instead of replacing them.

Before you begin, it’s important to do some prep work and choose the right paint or coating for each surface. Then, you’ll be ready to start your budget-friendly kitchen makeover.

Paint Your Cabinets

Cabinet paint lets you update the look of your kitchen cabinets without the hassle and cost of replacing them. When selecting cabinet paint, it’s important to choose a durable product. The Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations Kit is a cabinet paint system that stands up to scratches, grime, stains and household cleaners.

You can use it to make wood, laminate, metal or melamine look like custom cabinets. The kit includes a cleaning solution, bond coat and clear topcoat. You can have the bond coat tinted to your preferred color at your retailer’s paint counter. The cabinet paint kit requires no stripping, sanding or priming, making it easy to get your project done sooner.

Paint Your Countertops

Countertop paint lets you revamp your surfaces without the mess or cost of replacement. Rust-Oleum HOME Countertop Coating Kits include a cleaner, tintable base coat and durable topcoat.

The kits let you finish your countertop painting project in just one day, with no stripping, sanding or priming needed. Rust-Oleum HOME resists scratches and stains, helping ensure your kitchen countertops will look great longer.

The paint counter staff can tint the base coat to your choice of light and dark countertop colors. For more dimension, use the Rust-Oleum HOME Marble Counter Coating Kit to give your countertops a custom marbled effect.

Paint Your Floor

Floor paint can give your kitchen a new look without replacing the floor. You can paint your floor a solid color, add a stencil design or create your own pattern using painter’s tape.

Not just any paint will do for floors. You'll want to choose a paint that sticks to tough surfaces, can handle foot traffic, stains, and everyday use.

Rust-Oleum HOME Floor Coating is a durable and easy-to-use interior floor paint system. You can use it to paint tile floors, as well as wood, laminate, concrete, vinyl and linoleum, in just three steps. After cleaning the floor, apply the base coat and then topcoat with floor paint in the color of your choice.

Paint Your Backsplash

Tile paint makes it easy to give your kitchen backsplash a new look. The Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile Refinishing Kit contains an epoxy acrylic coating that is more durable than ordinary paint. It dries quickly, leaving a gloss or satin-like finish on ceramic, porcelain and fiberglass tile. As with other kitchen paint products, it’s important to prepare and apply the tile paint according to the directions.

Paint Your Walls

Painting the walls is an easy way to update your kitchen's appearance. Choose from ready-to-use pre-mixed paint colors, or have your paint color mixed at your retailer’s paint counter.

In addition to choosing the right paint color, it’s also important to select the right sheen for your space. Eggshell or satin sheens are generally good choices for kitchens because the finishes are easier to wipe clean.

Some kitchen makeovers involve a new paint color that's a lot lighter or darker than the existing color. In this situation, it's a good idea to use paint primer before you begin painting.

Paint Your Appliances

If your appliances look dated but are still functioning, it may seem wasteful to replace them just for aesthetics. That’s where appliance paint comes in. Products like Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy let you refresh the exterior of your refrigerator, dishwasher and other indoor metal surfaces.

Appliance paint comes in a variety of colors. You can paint outdated beige appliances stainless steel or glossy black, for example.

Because the appliance epoxy is more durable than ordinary paint, it stands up to cleaning, moisture and other daily wear and tear. However, you should not use appliance paint on surfaces that get hot, like ovens. To paint the sides of an oven, you'll want to use high heat paint.

Paint Your Hardware

Updating your hardware is a simple way to make old fixtures look new. Just a couple coats of Rust-Oleum Universal Metallic Spray Paint can transform drawer handles, knobs and even the kitchen faucet.

You’ll want to remove the hardware so you can work in a well-ventilated space, away from the cabinets. After you clean the hardware, apply light coats of spray paint in the metallic color and sheen of your choice. When you reinstall the painted hardware, you may be surprised at how different it makes your cabinets look.

Paint Your Accessories

Finally, painted accessories can add a pop of color to your kitchen. You may be surprised at the difference a few spray painted canisters or chalk painted chairs can make. You can express yourself while adding the perfect finishing touches to your space.

A DIY kitchen makeover lets you update your space without typical remodeling costs. Whether you paint the walls, the floor or everything in between, a kitchen makeover may be more affordable than you think.