15 Designer Tips Under $500 for Kitchens

Paint the sashes (or inside frames) of your windows black for a chic and unexpected way to accent the kitchen, says Ili Hidalgo-Nilsson, architect and designer with Terracotta Design Build in Atlanta. This kitchen also has another design trick, depending on your budget: Install tile backsplash all the way to the ceiling. Here, dark tile grout ties in with the black window sashes.

When the kitchen is in the center of the house or in a windowless space, place an oversized mirror over the sink to create the illusion of a window, says Ili Hidalgo-Nilsson, architect and designer with Terracotta Design Build in Atlanta. This home also uses furniture in the kitchen for storage, instead of another row of built-in cabinets.

Using gray grout with white subway tiles accentuates the tiles and provides contrast if your cabinets are white, says Patti Wagner, a senior product designer for Target. Plus, they easily hide food splatters, she says. David Heide Design Studio, a design company also in Minneapolis, won a 2016 National Kitchen + Bath Association Design Competition award for this kitchen. 

Don’t let the backsplash area go to waste. Lean small pieces of artwork and family pictures against the backsplash, like in this kitchen by Atlanta's Terracotta Design Build. You'll decorate your kitchen and give the space added depth, without sacrificing valuable storage or food prep real estate. 

Instead of going overboard on a bright island color that you may question later, a vibrant trio of bar stools can give you the shot of color you desire. These stools were less than $40 each at a home decor store. New River Building Co. in metro Atlanta used just one bank of cabinets for the island, providing a deep space for seating.

Simple changes, like switching out your bar stools or introducing a new metal through a lamp or stool, can really change the look of a space with a fairly small investment, says designer Donna Mathis of Haven Design Works. So look for the little ways you can make a big change in your kitchen, and don’t forget to look down in the process. Mathis says adding or changing a rug in a breakfast area can alter the feel of the entire space. 

A little bit of chalkboard paint can go a long way. Carlton Walker and Tony McNeal of Atlanta's McNeal Walker Interiors created a wall with a message to fit the theme of the coffee bar area, complete with a thick wooden shelf with chunky metal bolts.

Make a monochromatic statement in an eating nook--this one abuts the kitchen cabinets--with a curated collection of plates. Designer Jennifer Foster with Eanes Foster Design found these old platters and round plates at an antiques store, and buying some in small sizes also saved money.

Large pieces of art are dramatic and create a center point for a design. Stephanie Andrews of Atlanta-based Balance Design suggests looking through thrift stores for a painting that’s within your budget. She stumbled upon this one at a consignment shop for a couple hundred dollars.

If you have a dining room, letting it serve double duty as a library is a great use of space -- plus your dining area will benefit from the style and warmth that comes with books. Susan Sully, author of Past Present: Living with Heirlooms and Antiques, says you could also put shelves in a dining area of an eat-in kitchen, even if they only came up halfway, which would be much more budget friendly. 

Interior and under-cabinet lights add instant flair to this stylish kitchen, a 2016 National Kitchen + Bath Association Design Competition winner. Judith Wright Sentz of Judith Wright Design in Seattle used ribbon lights in the leaded-glass cabinets to illuminate the shelves within and low voltage lights under the cabinets to bathe the countertops below in warm light.