I Asked Designers the Best Way to Make Your Kitchen Look “Expensive,” and Here’s What They Said
If you’re anything like me, you probably often daydream about the picture-perfect kitchen you want to have someday. And if you’re also like me, that kitchen comes at a hefty price tag (emphasis on hefty). Luckily for you and me, the pros have a little secret to tell: You don’t have to break the bank to have a beautiful kitchen. And you can make your kitchen look way more expensive than it actually is with a few easy tricks. Read on to see what these three designers have to say about achieving the look you love for less.
1. Say yes to marble.
Marble will always be timeless and on-trend. Not only is it ideal for your kitchen countertops or as a fun backsplash, but it’s also a wonderful way to hold your everyday items. Adding a marble tray beneath your hand soaps next to your kitchen sink quickly elevates even the smallest of spaces.
“This is a great way to keep water spots from settling onto your countertop, and clusters your pieces to keep them neat and elevated,” says Andrea West, a designer at Andrea West Design. As a bonus, West loves to add more elegant pieces next to the marble tray, like a candle. “I love adding a candle to the tray that can nestle right next to the hand soap, and make sure you light the candle while you’re doing your nightly cleanup,” she says.
The best part? If real marble of any kind isn’t in your budget, it’s easy to get the look for less with faux marble contact paper or even just paint on your kitchen counters.
2. Consider open shelving.
Open shelves help kitchens (and any room in your home, for that matter) look less cluttered, and are a fantastic way to display your favorite items. For example, if you have lots of beautiful glassware passed down from your family, you can easily display them for your guests to see. But no matter what you choose to display on your shelves, your kitchen will automatically look more expensive.
“Open shelving will be a great option to make your space look more open, inviting, and luxurious,” says Courtney Cole, an interior designer at the Australian kitchen and bathroom company Yabby. “A bonus is that you can style them with decor like china that are high-quality to make the kitchen look more curated.”
3. Add a backsplash.
The beauty of a kitchen backsplash is that it can be as simple or as colorful as you want. No matter what your goals are for your kitchen, a backsplash adds character and an expensive touch without putting you in debt — especially if you opt for a peel-and-stick option.
“A nice backsplash can add a new focal point to your space, and when you replace the backsplash with new materials like a marble or some beautiful tiles — your eye will instantly be drawn to it,” says Cole. Josh Rudin, the owner of ASAP Restoration LLC, agrees.
Rudin adds, “If your kitchen doesn’t have a backsplash, adding one can make the space really stand out. It also adds a lot of value to the space if you decide to sell. A backsplash not only protects your wall from sink water and cooking oil splatter, but it also adds a stylish and affordable way to improve your space.” Rudin’s favorite backsplash on Amazon has a simple but stylish white faux marble pattern.
4. Upgrade your fixtures.
Let’s face it: Old, rusty or clunky hardware in your kitchen doesn’t do much for your space. (In fact, it can make it look instantly dated!). Upgrading your cabinets and fixtures can turn your kitchen from mediocre to wow in an instant.
West tells me, “A simple upgrade to an elegant cabinetry hardware can dramatically elevate your kitchen design, and coordinate it with a beautiful kitchen faucet as well. I love the brushed and antiqued golds, as they add character and warmth to every kitchen.”
And Rudin agrees: “The hardware on your kitchen cabinets says a lot about your space, and upgrading them can say a lot more. Not only is the hardware in your kitchen an aesthetic representation of your style and taste, but it can also make your experience in the kitchen that much better.” Rudin also says that soft-closing technology for your hardware adds an even more elevated kitchen experience. He notes, “Soft-close technology and weight-bearing brackets (like these from Amazon) can make your kitchen space much more functional, and safer than ever.”
5. Add a pot rack (or two).
Pot racks are great because they not only make room for other appliances in your kitchen, but they also look tasteful and more expensive than they actually are.
“A pot rack makes a standard kitchen space look like it came out of a chef’s catalog, and it can really make the room pop,” says Rudin. “Not only does a pot rack suspended from the ceiling open up cabinet and drawer real estate by freeing up space, but it also makes these everyday tools much more accessible and easier to use. Anything that makes cooking easier is a valuable improvement.”
As a plus, you can hang other appliances other than pots on your racks, like pasta drainers, coffee or tea accessories, and any other miscellaneous items you don’t have room for in your cabinets. What’s not to love?
What’s your favorite way to make your kitchen look more “expensive”? Let us know in the comments below!