My Renter-Friendly Kitchen Upgrade

I am excited to share some renter-friendly kitchen upgrades that I made to take my kitchen from this...

to this...

1. Use contact paper to add colour

I recently used contact paper from Amazon to upgrade my cabinets and counter. When using contact paper, it's important to measure the area of the surfaces you want to cover and order extra for your project. I suggest ordering 50% more of the amount you need. Make sure to clean the surface before following the instructions to apply the paper. With a little bit of effort, your space can get a major upgrade.

2. Use peel-and-stick tile to create a backsplash

Peel and stick tiles are a great option for those who want a cost-effective and mess-free alternative to real tiles. They're also quite durable. Typically, these tiles are designed to be placed over an existing tile backsplash, but I found a simple DIY solution to add them to my kitchen without an existing backsplash. I got this idea from Alexandra Gater, a home decor expert and editor from Toronto, Canada, who shared a similar hack on her channel. To prevent any damage to the walls when removing the tiles, I used salitex to create a barrier between the wall and the tiles. I attached the salitex to the wall with concrete screws and then placed the tiles on top of the salitex.

3. Change Fixtures

If you read this post, then you'll know that this simple hack can completely transform the look of a space. For instance, I recently replaced the round silver knobs on my cabinet with these stylish, matte black rectangular ones that I purchased on Amazon. Additionally, I swapped out the plain light socket over my sink for a charming, farmhouse-inspired sconce.

4. Give appliances a fresh look with spray paint

My dish drainer and stove both had rust in some areas where the paint was chipping away. I gave both a facelift with some appliance spray that I got at a local hardware. Use the spray paint outside or in a highly ventilated space to give your old appliances a fresh look.

5. Add extra storage and display space

Our builder-grade kitchen lacked sufficient storage space. As a solution, we enlisted the help of a carpenter to build an upper cabinet to store food products, as well as three open shelves to store dishes, cups, and a few other items. If you're on a budget, open shelving can be a great alternative to cabinetry. Just make sure to keep your shelves organized and use them to store items that you frequently use.

Bonus - Accessorize

Remember to add those final touches that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. With limited counter space, it's best to keep clutter at bay. Consider investing in a nice soap dispenser, utensil holder, cutting boards, and plants to spruce up the space. Also, ensure that your plate cloths or tea towels match your color scheme. Don't forget to lay a rug in front of the sink to top it off.

It took a few months to transform my kitchen, but it was well worth the wait. Let me know if you would like to see a video of the transformation on our YouTube channel.