How To Make Your Kitchen Look More Expensive
Posted by Kirsten Sharp on Feb 11th 2021
If you've ever looked wistfully at a gorgeous, expensive-looking kitchen in a magazine and wished it were yours, I can relate. But the truth is, you don't have to have a million bucks to have a kitchen that looks like a million bucks.
Today I'm excited to share a few ideas on how to have a luxurious-looking kitchen without breaking the budget:
1. Take It To The Ceiling
Shown Above: Bloom Handmade Tile backsplash in Cream Crackle
If at all possible, bring your backsplash all the way up to the ceiling. (Yes, I realize this sounds like a marketing ploy to sell more tile, but stay with me!).
Any time you take your backsplash all the way up to the ceiling, it draws your eye up and instantly makes your space feel taller, more luxurious and grander.
The same works for cabinets - when you pay a little extra for cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling, it makes all the difference in the world. Plus you don't get that weird space above the cabinets that nobody knows what to do with and just collects dust... because who wants that.
Granted, if you have 15 foot high ceilings in your kitchen, this trick likely wouldn't work - But it's something to keep in mind.
Here's an example of this from our own kitchen renovation in our last house:
Shown Above: Bloom Handmade Tile backsplash in Cream Crackle
2. Pick One (Or Two) Things To Splurge On
Most home renovation project are a dance between spending more on some things, and then saving on others.
The same goes for kitchens. In our kitchen renovation above, the tile was higher end but most other things (flooring, barstools, appliances) were not.
Even if your renovation is on a tight budget though, I would suggest trying to squeeze in one splurge - it could be pretty pendant lights, bar stools that you love, or even handmade tile (okay, that was a marketing ploy!)
So why would you do this?
When you include even one spendy item, it elevates the entire kitchen and makes everything look more expensive.
So, should you splurge on those fancy Serena & Lily bar stools to go with your more budget-friendly Ikea cabinets? You betcha.
3. Accessorize
Shown Above: Bloom Handmade Tile backsplash in Cream Crackle
In my opinion, this is the one thing that most often goes overlooked in a kitchen renovation. People are usually so focused on making all the big decisions - countertops, backsplash, paint colors - that they often forget the one thing that will really make your kitchen shine: accessorizing.
This does not have to be a big part of your budget, but in my mind it's what adds charm and pulls everything together. So don't forget to add a bowl of fruit, some fresh flowers or a couple cute chopping boards once your fancy new kitchen is finished!
Ready to start your own kitchen renovation? You can find tiles samples here:
