Are you looking to refresh your small kitchen, but need ideas that won’t break the bank? Come with us while we go through some great tips on how to maximize your space using small kitchen decor ideas on a budget!
Your kitchen is undoubtedly one of the most important places in your home and somewhere you probably spend a lot of time. You may feel like you want to upgrade your kitchen decor without breaking the bank, and I’m here to tell you that’s super easy to do!
You don’t need to renovate your entire kitchen nor do you need to buy the most expensive pieces to upgrade its look.
Especially if you have a smaller kitchen, you want decor that not only serves as something pretty to look at but also a purpose! We love functional decor! This blog post will help give you some of the most creative ideas on how to upgrade your kitchen and give you decor ideas on a budget!
This blog post is all about small kitchen decor ideas on a budget.
Creative Small Kitchen Decor Ideas on a Budget
1. Declutter
The most important “tip” for how to upgrade your kitchen without spending any money at all is to declutter the space! If you have a small kitchen already, anything extra is definitely taking up way too much valuable space. Since the kitchen is one of the most popular places in the house, it means that a lot of stuff that shouldn’t be in the kitchen somehow ends up there. Take a look around and see what should be in the kitchen and what belongs in the other rooms in your home!
2. Refresh your hardware
This is a great place to start because this is where you can see a lot of wear and tear. Check out the handles and knobs on your cabinets, drawers, and pantry door if you have one. How does it look? You can either upgrade them, or if you can choose the more budget-friendly option of removing them and painting them a different color. When you’re looking for a spray paint, make sure you are getting one that is specifically designed for metal surfaces with a dedicated primer option. This will make sure the paint adheres well. This is important because you don’t want this paint coming off on your hands because they hold a lot of oil! Although this is definitely easier on the wallet, it still takes just as much time as changing out all of the fixtures. There are great options, like metallic or even a solid, matte black. Below is a great example of a black matte spray paint you could use. Home Depot has other colors as well!
3. Reusable, uniform containers
Another way to refresh your kitchen on a budget is to replace anything that you need to have sitting on the counters with reusable, uniform jars or containers. For example, transferring your dish soap and hand soap into these is a game changer. This gives the appearance of an organized, put together kitchen with minimal effort. You also don’t have to break the bank to get reusable containers that can upgrade your kitchen’s look.
4. Use what you already have as decor
When you’re talking about being budget-friendly, this is another great tip – use what you already have as decor. Do you have a favorite intricately designed plate or even a personalized cutting board that you were given when you moved into your new place? Let’s utilize them as decor! Two of the most popular ways to do this is either by using a cheaper easel to display your piece or by hanging it on a nearby wall.
5. Moveable island/table
This is the perfect idea if you want the best of both worlds, but you also have a small kitchen. If you would love an island, but can’t fit one in because you need space for a small table, get something that functions as both! We are huge fans of functional decor here. I would go with a moveable island that can also serve as your table. In a perfect world, this island would also have storage like drawers and cabinets as well. This is what I’m talking about when I think of functional decor!!! Linked below is a perfect example of what I’m talking about:
6. Peel and stick
Peel and stick can upgrade your kitchen in a big way on a smaller budget. There are multiple places you can use these at – backsplash, walls, or even the floor. Patterns are super helpful as patterned peel and stick tiles will not only add dimension to your kitchen, but they will also help you more easily disguise any stains. They are typically very easy to install and are also renter-friendly! And if you’re someone who gets tired of a certain wall color or pattern easily, these are perfect because you can just peel them off and refresh with a new set.
7. Upgrade your lighting
Take a look at your lighting. Is the fixture old or outdated? You could switch it out to refresh your kitchen. Or another great budget-friendly tip is just switching out your light bulbs. Even just buying new light bulbs that now have the ability to choose your setting of light – from dim to bright, whatever your vibe is – can upgrade your kitchen. Anyone would be surprised how much of a difference that a change in lightbulbs can make. You don’t even have to buy a brand new light fixture. Buy the bulbs and mess with the setting and see which setting is your favorite! Below is a link to the lighting I use throughout my house from Home Depot where you can adjust your lighting.
8. Use “oops paint”
If peel and stick tiles aren’t your thing, maybe repainting is the way to go. If you want to go a little on the cheaper side for paint, go to your local home goods store and ask for the “oops paint”. This is paint that either has been returned OR paint that was not correctly mixed by store employees. Go to your local large hardware store and ask if they have any for sale. (Sometimes they even refer to it as “oops paint” instead). Go for anything light! The lighter the color on the walls, the larger the room can seem. Darker colors tend to do the opposite.
9. Hide or secure your chords
Do you have any hanging chords from lights or appliances? Time to secure them! Just like how hiding or securing the tv wires in your living room makes the area look so much better, hiding or securing these wires do the same. If you can’t find a way to hide them, I would go and try to at least secure them to the wall. You can do this with either double-sided tape or museum putty.
10. Add plants
If there’s one piece of decor that can revive any room, it’s a plant. It (literally) gives life to whatever space you add it to. I would suggest something that didn’t take up too much space, especially if you’re working with a smaller kitchen. There can be a fine line between cluttered and having the perfect amount of decor. One of those tiny, potted plants that you could put in the window would be a great choice. Or if you can fit it, a larger one like in the photo above is an easy piece to get at your local Lowe’s or Home Depot.
11. LED lighting
If you don’t want to switch out your light fixtures or light bulbs, adding LED lighting strips is a great way to upgrade your kitchen. The most popular spot is to place these under your cabinets in order to light up your countertops without being seen. These strips are perfect for when you don’t want to turn on the overhead light in the early morning or at night. They allow for you to get your coffee or breakfast ready while you ease into the day. Below is a link to a great choice for cheap!
12. Add shelving
Shelving is a great choice if you have the space to do so. Floating shelves are a decor piece that can honestly work well anywhere in a house, especially in your kitchen. These are great for smaller rooms, where you can’t really spare the room for anything larger. These also double as organization pieces where you can put smaller appliances or anything that you may often use for cooking. These also don’t have to be super expensive! If the wooden ones are a bit out of your price range, you can opt for acrylic shelves as well.
13. Kitchen towels
Kitchen towels can be a great yet small addition to your kitchen decor. They are perfect because they don’t take up much space, especially because what else are you planning on hanging on your oven handle? Nothing as cute as the perfect kitchen towel. A great option would be to look for something in a darker color if you don’t want to have to wash or exchange them out too often. But even if you do opt for a lighter color or nice pattern, you can just throw them in the washer and they’re good as new the next day. I linked a good choice below because they’re washable, dry quickly, and are very absorbent. They also come in a bunch of different colors!
14. Reuse a bookshelf
A bookshelf doesn’t need to just be for books. You can reuse any old bookshelf that you have as a nice area to put anything extra that may be sitting on counter tops or cluttering other areas of your kitchen. Or if you don’t have an extra bookshelf, you can grab a small one at a home goods store or thrift one at Goodwill. Don’t even worry about if you like the color or not as you can absolutely repaint it to whatever matches your theme or vibe.
15. Attach your paper towel rack
This is such an easy, simple trick, but it really is helpful when you want to maximize the space in your small kitchen. A paper towel rack can take up unnecessary space on the counter or on your table, when you can just fix it to either a wall or a cabinet. There are so many different styles and types and are usually very budget-friendly. Some even like to put them inside of a cabinet door if they can’t find the perfect place to put them. Below is a simple style for an attached paper towel rack:
16. Organize your sink
Organizing what’s around your sink can be super helpful. A sponge holder or a sink caddy are both small but effective ways to clear up a little bit of space off of your countertops. You can use a sink caddy, like the one I linked below, to hold anything that you typically keep in or around your sink: sponges, brushes, soaps, and anything else you may need.
17. Add art
Lastly, artwork is a great way to add some creativity to your kitchen. There are so many different options: hanging up a painting, framing your favorite quote, or, a big favorite, your favorite food-related piece of art. One great option is getting a picture of your favorite restaurant or one that means a lot to you and hang that up in your kitchen as a decor piece. Maybe it’s the restaurant where you and your partner had their first date or it’s the restaurant that catered your wedding – whatever means the most to you!
