Beautiful Kitchen Updates on a Budget

<h2 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt">Beautiful Kitchen Updates on a Budget</h2>(ARA) – Today’s kitchen is the new living room. During the past few decades, it’s evolved from a room where we simply prepared and ate our meals, to one where we now hold family discussions, socialize and entertain guests, study or work and even play with the kids.As the kitchen’s role has grown, so has the price tag that comes along with renovating it. Creating a stylish kitchen has turned into a costly American obsession, with the average remodel costing tens of thousands of dollars. For the majority of us dealing with a slowing economy, a credit crunch and rising gas prices, the idea of a pricey kitchen remodel might not be top-of-mind these days. <div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/2b.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/2b.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div> That doesn’t mean you have to live with the kitchen you have until the limping economy bounces back. There are some do-it-yourself projects costing $200 or less that can still help transform your current kitchen into a cozy and comfortable haven, sooner rather than later. PaintIf you have a small budget and want to make a big impact, wall color will do it. For the cost of a few gallons of paint, you can easily change the look and feel of your kitchen. Dutch Boy offers hundreds of today’s hottest colors. Plus, its new Refresh paint with exclusive Arm & Hammer odor-eliminating technology actually removes common household airborne odors, making it ideal for the kitchen. Hardware Tired looking cabinets can easily be brought back to life with a coat of primer and paint, and so can dated cabinet hardware. If you’re willing to use a little elbow grease and purchase an inexpensive can of spray paint, you can transform any handle or knob. You don’t have to stick to traditional paint color choices, either. There are a variety of metallic spray paints available such as chrome, copper, brass and satin nickel that mimic the look of these expensive finishes. BacksplashThe kitchen backsplash can easily serve as the focal point of a kitchen, if it’s done right.A contractor’s cost to install an average-sized kitchen backsplash can run upwards of $500 for labor alone. But if you use your creativity and think outside the box when it comes to choosing materials, you can do the entire project for half that cost. Rather than using tile, consider installing pressed tin ceiling tiles. Apply adhesive found at your local home improvement store to the backs of the tiles and simply press them onto the wall behind the stove or sink. You can also create the illusion of an expensive backsplash by using self-adhesive linoleum floor tiles that look like stone or marble. Sink and Faucet Replacing an old, scratched sink is easier and cheaper than you might think. While real porcelain might be out of your price range, many stainless steel and acrylic options can be purchased for less than $100.While you’re at it, don’t forget about updating the faucet. Moen’s Muirfield faucet comes in chrome and stainless steel finishes and even has a traditional sidespray feature. Lighting It might not be the first thing you think of when refreshing a kitchen, but updating existing lighting fixtures is a simple way to add style without spending a lot of money. Changing out old ceiling fans and light covers, as well as adding colorful and fun kitchen lamps can help pull your new look together and unify your design. For about $50, you might also want to consider adding under-cabinet lighting fixtures that plug directly into existing electrical outlets and mount to the underside of your cabinets. <div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/2a.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/2a.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div> For more information on Dutch Boy Refresh paint, or to locate a Dutch Boy retailer, log on to <a href="http://www.dutchboy.com/refresh">www.dutchboy.com/refresh</a> , or call (800) 828-5669. Courtesy of ARAcontent

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