A while ago I helped a girlfriend who was at her wits end with her kitchen. Her old kitchen was about six months away from being replaced as part of major additions that are in progress. The kitchen was last renovated in the mid 90’s and was looking pretty tired.
With little time and an even smaller budget we did these six things that made a big difference and helped put a smile on her face that will stay until her old kitchen hits the skip;
1. Her tiled splash-back looked fine but the silicone between her bench top and tiles was missing in part and was pretty discoloured. We removed this, popped in some new silicone that was colour matched and it made the splash back look so much cleaner. While this splash back didn’t need it, I’ve previously given tiled splash backs a grout wash and this automatically lifts their presentation, making even the dirtiest grout appear new again.
2. At 10 plus years old her sink had lost its sheen and so we set to polishing it with a recommended cleaner. I use these cleaners a lot to revive sinks and stainless steel and they rarely disappoint.
3. While the sink had lost it’s sheen, the mixer was looking really dated. We replaced this with a modern style mixer and it made all the difference. And before you say it, her husband just happens to be a plumber, so having this changed on the day wasn’t a problem.
4. The floorboards will be re-sanded and polished when the additions occur but they too were showing their age with scratches visible and a dull finish in heavy tread areas. With a warm mop and a generous helping of O’Cedar Revive Wood Polish these came up like new. If she uses the O’Cedar every three or so weeks they’ll stay looking this good until the additions start in earnest.
5. You know it’s true – new handles really make a huge difference. I love the selection on show at the Galvin Design Gallery but even good old Bunnings have lot’s on offer to choose from. We moved from an antique style to a fresh chrome one and went WOW!
6. Last but not least, some of the cupboard doors were hanging lower than others after lots of wear and tear. With these it was just a matter of using a screwdriver to adjust the screw positions on the door hinges till each door sat level.
In just a couple of hours the kitchen looked cleaner, more stylish and somehow newer. And with that came the perfect excuse to sit and have that cuppa and a muffin!
About the Author:
Kellie Dobby has over 15 years experience in renovating her own homes and several personal investment properties. Kellie has applied the renovation strategy to significantly increase rental returns, build equity to fund other investment properties, achieve profitable sales, increase property valuations and supplement her income.
Kellie now runs a successful business helping other people transform their properties with clever renovations. Call her on 0447 285 982 for more details!
