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How to work with brown granite and other dated features, without a remodeling budget.
by Samantha Hart-DFW's Most Innovative Realtor
If you’re dealing with a kitchen that’s dated but don’t have the budget to renovate, I hope these ideas can help you decorate without remodeling, too.
What Makes a Kitchen Feel Outdated?
Even if your kitchen is functional, these common features can make it feel stuck in the past:
- Brown or speckled granite (think Santa Cecilia or Uba Tuba granite)
- Tumbled or 4×4 backsplash tiles
- Builder-grade or mismatched lighting from another decade
- Tuscan or ornate traditional finishes
- Cabinets in orange, red, or yellow wood tones or with ornate molding
- Short upper cabinets
- No cabinet hardware
- Warm-toned light bulbs that cast a yellowish glow
Embrace the Granite Instead of Fighting It.
Decorate with the granite
Use light-colored, clean-lined accessories like white canisters, vases, bowls, and pedestals as much as possible to bring contrast, lightness, and a more updated look. (consider buying white bar stools to break up all the brown.)
Replace Outdated Lighting and Bulbs.
The red pendants and the outdated builder-grade Tuscan-style chandelier with its yellow glass globes and iron scrolls are dated. Replace with clear or white globes and white light bulbs.
Tone Down Golden or Orange Cabinets With a Subtle Black Wash.
For an inexpensive simple fix to the color cast, mix a small amount of black paint with water, brush it on the cabinets lightly, and wipe it off. It tones down the yellow/orange tint just a skosh without hiding the wood grain, making them a more neutral shade. And bonus: the matte mineral paint also mutes the varnish that is a little too glossy—giving the cabinets a beautiful, slightly aged look.
Add Cabinet Hardware for an Instant Update.
Add a combination of knob and pulls, mostly for functionality—but cabinet hardware is always a great opportunity to inject a more current style into the kitchen!
Decorate the Tops of Cabinets (Sparingly).
If your upper cabinets don't go all the way to the ceiling, you can decorate without looking cluttered or outdated (hello, faux greenery and ivy of the eighties and nineties). Try a few empty large vases.
Use Paint and Color to Shift the Tone.
Even if you can’t change the granite counters, the backsplash, or the floors, you can help change how the room feels with the wall color. Choosing the right tone of paint colors is key.
For kitchens with brown granite and gold-tone cabinets or floors, look for:
- Warm white or creamy neutrals
- Soft greige
- Earthy sage or very muted green if you want color
More Easy Ways to Update Your Kitchen Without Spending Money.
- Style your countertops with less. Group items in a tray or large board and keep countertop items minimal.
- Add more light with a lamp or sconce
- Remove upper cabinet doors on one section for open shelving.
- Rearrange decor you already have—try out framed art, lamps, or even baskets you aren’t using elsewhere.
- Clean thoroughly. Old grout, cloudy glass, and dusty cabinet tops instantly date a kitchen.
- Remove any obstructions from windows and let in as much natural light as possible.
- Remove dark and heavy decor.
- Use white dishware as accessories.
- Remove all clutter for visual calm.
Article credit goes to Kate Rodgers - Southern Home and Hospitality
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