Creating the perfect kitchen doesn’t mean doing an expensive makeover. Sometimes, the best ideas cost next to nothing to complete. Simple DIY projects can instantly transform your kitchen into a luxurious, eye-catching space that reflects your personality. Use this guide to learn a few fun and cute kitchen decor ideas to spice up your space.

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Build Upwards

One of the biggest problems of modern kitchens is that it’s easy for clutter to take over. In order to reduce the mess and make the room functional, you need to start taking advantage of wall space. Try adding some floating shelves or installing extra wall cabinets. Complete organization systems and bookshelves can easily help tame the mess!

We love these floating KANKEI shelves with four different colour options.

Fresh Colour

A fresh coat of paint goes a long way. While it seems like it would be expensive to paint your entire kitchen, it’s actually one of the most affordable ideas! The average kitchen will only require one gallon, with some people using smaller sizes to add accents. Try using a bright pastel colour to invite the light in or a rich dark colour to make the room feel more spacious.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you could try a patterned wallpaper for some personality. This would let you tie in other colours within your kitchen, bringing the whole look together.

A Colourful Statement Piece

Most modern décor incorporates very neutral colours like white, black, tan, or brown. This allows the room to be easily updated when trends change. One of my favourite kitchen decor ideas is adding a bold statement piece, such as a bright blue buffet or firetruck red range, which goes against the norm in a kitchen. This makes the item immediately catch the eye and changes the tone of the room.

And because you are only updating one piece, a remodel is far less expensive when trends change!

Incorporate Technology

At one time, displaying recipes or cookbooks was a popular part of kitchen design. Now, most people pull up recipes on a tablet or smartphone. Try to find a way to display your tablet near where you prepare food. Wood cut-outs with tiny shelves give you room for a display, yet add personality to the room. All you need is an old doorstop, a sheet of wood, sandpaper, and paint to make your own custom design.

Bring in Some Greenery

If you’ve got a lot of light in your kitchen, bring in some houseplants. Greenery and flowers brighten up a space, you can switch them out as you’d like and they can even be functional if you go with herbs. We’ve seen some great wall and window gardens that add a wonderful touch of decor to the overall look of the kitchen.

This Umbra hanging planter works well on a wall or in the window.

Lighting Matters

Whether you choose a statement pendant light or soft lighting throughout, you can add a lot of elegance with the lighting options you choose. And it doesn’t have to be a lot of money either! Lighting is the finishing touch for your kitchen, so make it worth it.

This industrial pendant light could add some character and interest to your kitchen.

Check Out the Hardware

You would be surprised at the difference you’ll see in your kitchen by simply updating your hardware! Go sleek and simple, or turn your cupboards and drawers into a feature.

These sleek nickel handles create an elegant look for your kitchen decor.

Or you could go with a black knob pull for a more classic look.

There are many ways to enhance your kitchen without spending a lot of money. Investing in shelving, painting, and a colourful statement piece is a great way to spice things up.

Originally published July 12, 2017; updated Mar 24, 2023

Author: Sereena S.

Mom of two, wife to one, and a dog lover. Although cats can be okay too, but only sometimes...