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9 Upgrades That Will Make Your Kitchen Infinitely More Awesome

9 Upgrades That Will Make Your Kitchen Infinitely More Awesome
Presented by Angie's List
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If we were going to give an MVP award to just one room in the house, it would have to be the kitchen. Not only is it the place where we cook and eat (not once, not twice, but several times a day!), it’s also our family headquarters and a prime spot for entertaining guests. This summer, why not give the hard-working heart of your home a pick-me-up? We partnered with Angie’s List to bring you nine simple yet sophisticated updates that will make your kitchen look like it belongs in a Nancy Meyers movie.

1. Make A Splash With Colorful Furniture

Hoxton: Tom Merton via Getty Images

Traditional kitchens with neutral color schemes can get a big energy boost from a few pieces of vibrantly colorful furniture. We love these stunning lucite chairs and found some great lookalikes to make a striking and stylish statement in the kitchen.

2. Unify Your Color Palette With Pastel Paint

Kim Sayer via Getty Images

Create a soothing, pulled-together kitchen (and spend almost nothing doing it) by choosing your favorite pastel color and using it on walls, cupboards and small accessories.

3. Add Texture With Shiplap Walls

MIXA Co. Ltd. via Getty Images

White shiplap walls add a clean, coastal feel and rustic charm to the kitchen. While shiplap wood paneling is often laid horizontally, the boards can also run vertically for a customized appearance that draws the eye upward.

4. Don’t Put Everything Away

Julija Svetlova/EyeEm via Getty Images

Let a treasured collection truly shine by taking it out of your cupboards. Use open shelving to display your best conversation pieces for all to admire ― and discuss. Storing colorful keepsakes in Mason jars is just one way to pull this off.

5. Draw Attention To Your Floors

Halfdark via Getty Images

Why should your walls have all the fun? Bring an otherwise plain-looking kitchen to life by using tile, paint, laminate or even throw rugs to give floors the attention they deserve.

6. Modernize With Stainless Steel

moodboard via Getty Images

If you want to give your kitchen a more contemporary look, consider investing in a stainless steel island or countertops. Not only is the finish minimalist and sleek, it’s also highly functional, heat-resistant and easy to clean.

7. Introduce Color With A Backsplash

Eric Hernandez via Getty Images

A backsplash adds personality, sophistication, and a perfect pop of color that can be echoed throughout the kitchen in subtle and inexpensive ways: For a chicly cohesive look, choose dishware and wall art in the same hue.

8. Get Glamorous With A Reflective Finish

Simon Bradfield via Getty Images

There’s something magical about the gleam of a wall finished with lucite, lacquer, a few coats of varnish or some high-gloss paint. When light bounces off a reflective finish, it can make a room look movie-star glamorous.

9. Change The Mood By Painting Brick Walls White

Nicolas McComber via Getty Images

Newsflash: brick does not have to be “brick” colored. If you’ve been craving a change in your exposed-brick kitchen, you don’t have to spend a fortune to do it. Give the heart of your home a makeover simply by painting the walls white.

Angie’s List is a leading provider of reviews, offers and information in over 700 service categories to help you improve your home. Finding a pro for a job well done is made easy online by visiting Angieslist.com.

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