5 TOP TIPS FOR UPGRADING YOUR KITCHEN ON A BUDGET:

■ Turn stair treads into open shelving. If you’re unhappy with your upper cabinets and don’t want to refinish them — or if like me, you have none — simple stair treads from a home improvement store can be cut to size and hung with some stylish brackets.

■ Update your hardware. This is one of the most cost-effective and easy DIY upgrades you can make to express your personal style. Etsy has many options, including the brand Yesterhome, which I used to channel an English country cottage on a budget.

■ Shop your local paint store. Whether you are painting yourself or hiring a pro, investing in good quality paint pays off in both ease of smooth, even application, and durability. Providence Olive from the Benjamin Moore’s Historical Collection transformed our dingy IKEA cabinets (with a solid assist from that aforementioned aged brass hardware).

■ Being friendly with employees pays off. If you explain that you are taking on projects yourself, they will often offer advice, and maybe even a contractor discount.

■ Respect the Scratch and Dent Department. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Not everything is actually scratched or dented. Sometimes those scratches and dents are nearly imperceptible (or on the back of that dishwasher, never to be seen once installed) And sometimes it just means the product is so back ordered that the store has decided to remove it from their catalog and offload the remaining inventory, which was the case for the mint condition, brand-name fridge/ freezer prize we went home with from the Yale outlet.