Clever updates for kitchens

QUICK-FIX: TIPS ON UPGRADING COOKING SPACE THAT WON’T COST YOU AN ARM AND LEG

Find out how to improve your kitchen without spending a fortune with these tips from the June issue of Garden and Home on sale now. Joburg kitchen designer Angie Hudson has the following advice:

Make finding items easier by replacing shelves with internal pull-out drawers.

Add extra shelves to wall units to increase storage space. Install carousels in corner units. Include tray divisions in cabinets for chopping boards, baking sheets etc. Fit pull-out veggie baskets. Optimise the under-sink space by adding retractable dish-cloth rails and sink tidies. Line pot drawers with non-slip matting.

DECORATIVE QUICK-FIXES

“If your kitchen is small, upgrade Formica countertops to granite,” says Petra Dewar of Fabitat. “Sand wooden tops and change the colour with an oil like Rubio Monocoat.”

Lighting can also transform a kitchen. In addition to general lighting, good task lighting is essential for cooking and food prep. Adding an attractive fitting like a pendant can also add the necessary decorative impact.

“If the wall tiles are dated, a tinted glass splashback works wonders,” says kitchen designer Angie Hudson.

“Floor tiles can also age a kitchen. Laying a more modern tile, screed or reclaimed parquet, can really transform a room,” says Angie. “The same goes for kick plates; you can add stainless steel to existing surfaces with very little fuss.”

For more ideas for kitchens, get the June issue of Garden and Home.