19 Ideas to Help You Stay on Budget

An excerpt from Joan Kohn's It's Your Kitchen

PHOTO

In this appealing kitchen, the designer limited the use of the most expensive materials and employed simple bilateral symmetry to create a fresh and workable room. By putting glass fronts on two of the upper cabinets, he maximizes both light and space. Design by Andre Rothblatt
  • Save money on cabinets. Cabinets are generally the single most expensive element in any kitchen design. Fortunately, there are many ways to save money:
    • Refinishing or replacing cabinet doors can make a huge improvement at a fraction of the cost of new cabinets.
    • Noting that fine finishes cause cabinetry prices to soar, one shrewd home enthusiast I know recommends selecting less-expensive cabinets and then painting over the finish. (When it comes to appliances, he shops for last year’s models and doesn’t mind a few scratches or dents.)
    • Resist the temptation to fill all available wall space with cabinets. Buy only the cabinets you need. Don’t build so many that you are forced to shop to fill them when the kitchen is complete. The corollary is to streamline your kitchen supplies and equipment. I like the "one-of-each" rule: If you find one bowl that can be used for prep, storage, and serving, buy just that one. The less stuff you have, the fewer cabinets you need.
    • In lieu of a wall of costly cabinetry, use the space for something other than storage. Create a seating area, office space or a place for the kids to play.
    • Flush-overlay cabinet doors generally are less costly than inset doors. Open shelves are decorative, provide easy access, and also save money.

  • Add life. Real life makes any kitchen more beautiful, often at little or no extra cost. Plants and fresh flowers enrich any kitchen design. Books are also wonderful signs of life, with their vivid implications about the people who enjoy them. Add color and texture to your kitchen by making foods a living part of your decor. A bowl of fruit or a garland of dried chilies enliven a space for next to nothing.

  • Do it yourself. Lots of money can be saved by doing some of the work, such as demolition or painting, yourself.

  • Avoid construction changes. Nothing can drive up the cost of a new kitchen like making last-minute changes in the design plans. They can really throw a "money wrench" into the best-laid blueprints!