Seven ways to renovate a kitchen before sale

The kitchen is more important than ever to home buyers, as it’s the hub of the house.

Not only is it a space for cooking and food preparation, but breakfast, entertaining and even homework is done at the kitchen bench. If a multifunctional space like the kitchen looks modern, then it reflects well on the rest of the property.

If the last time someone described your kitchen as “modern” was in 1990, you may need to give it a makeover. If a fresh coat of paint just won’t do the trick, but committing to a demolition is beyond the budget, can you meet halfway?

It’s possible to achieve the look without overcapitalising by paying special attention to storage, lighting and a space to cook.

• House 1, Harry and Tash: 364 New Street, Brighton
• House 2, Sarah and George: 362B New Street, Brighton
• House 3, Daniel and Jade: 362A New Street, Brighton
• House 4, Luke and Jasmin: 360B New Street, Brighton
• House 5, Jimmy and Tam: 360A New Street, Brighton

Update the colour scheme

The colour of a kitchen is a tell-tale sign of its age. A white kitchen with a warm yellow tone can give an overall dated and tired feel to the room. Teak or cherry wood tones also age a kitchen.

Melbourne-based interior designer Meredith Lee says, “a priority is having a modern colour scheme. It’s the biggest thing for buyers because it looks like you have a modern house. So, if you have that tired yellow colour scheme, then updating that would probably be the most beneficial.”

You can introduce colour economically by changing the splashback, cabinets and benchtop.

Invest in a new benchtop

Benchtops cop a lot of abuse over the years. Hot pots and pans, sharp knives and grubby hands add stains and chips and can dull the colour.

“You can still opt for cost-effective laminate but choose an updated colour like grey or a marble look,” says director and principal stylist Justine Wilson from Vault Interiors in Sydney.

Replacing your benchtop may be a more expensive option if it means you have to replace your appliances as well. A lighter engineered stone benchtop can brighten up the room, but if the budget won’t spread that far, a laminate in a modern colour can work.

Improve the functionality

Storage space in older kitchens was often limited to cupboards, with exotic spices and condiments making their way to the back. Modern kitchens use space a lot better by installing drawers behind the cupboard doors.

“Drawers are more functional than cupboards. If you’re going to the expense of doing the cupboard fronts anyway, it’s a great idea to put the drawers in at the same time. You’d get a lot more space out of your kitchen,” Lee says.

“If you think your kitchen is too small, add some drawers and all of a sudden you have a lot more storage in the same size kitchen. That’s quite a popular and easy thing to do,” she says.

Replace the splashback

Tiles are a good option for a splashback, as glass is becoming a bit outdated and stone can be quite expensive.

“I would go with tile. The look is definitely more tiles at the moment and more glazed tiles with a bit of interest in it. Japanese mosaic tiles are really in at the moment,” says Lee.

For a quick and inexpensive update, you could paint it.

“Tile paint can give your backsplash wall tiles an instant refresh. White or cream will definitely update your kitchen if you have coloured or retro tiles,” says Wilson.

Make the light a modern feature

The lights can often be replaced without too much expense. In a kitchen, a strip of LED lighting can be added under cupboards, which can make a workspace brighter.

Light can also be added as a feature element. Pendants above an island bench are an added feature and functional, providing light. Pendants can also be added to a corner to add a soft glow and are more of a decorative element, rather than the purely functional ceiling downlights.

“Introducing an inexpensive pendant light can change the feel of the space. Rattan, cane and glass pendants, even switching to LED lighting can enhance the feeling and tone of light,” says Wilson.

Paint the cupboard doors

An economical way to modernise a kitchen is to paint the cabinet doors. If the carcass is in good shape then painting the doors a neutral colour, or a white with a grey tone will make it look new.

“I’ve seen a few kitchens where the vinyl wrap is coming away from the doors and drawers. So, they’ll take the doors off which gives you a chance to change the colour, but you don’t have to replace the whole kitchen,” says Lee.

Update the fittings

Handles can get chipped, knocked around and discolour over years of abuse in the kitchen. If the cabinets are going to be painted, remove the handles and replace them with a similar shape, so new holes don’t need to be drilled. The taps can be updated as well.

“Consider black handles, chrome or gold for an on-trend look,” says Wilson.