10 Upgrades For A Touch Of Kitchen Elegance

Laura Gaskill, Houzz Contributor

Elegant, sophisticated, simply beautiful are these words you would use to describe your dream kitchen? Even just adding a coat of paint, new lighting and carefully chosen decorative details can bring your current kitchen a bit closer to that dream. Here are 10 upgrades to consider.

1. Roman shades. Covering the window with a classic Roman shade gives the kitchen a finished look. Go with a color and a pattern that coordinate with your cabinet and wall color, or stick with natural linen, which goes with everything.

8 great kitchen cabinet color palettes for your space

2. Topiary. A pair of topiaries flanking the sink is an elegant finishing touch. Use a vintage champagne bucket as a cachepot, or wrap a simple pot in burlap and tie on a velvet bow. If your kitchen gets a good amount of natural light, by all means get real plants but if not, theres no shame in picking up a couple of high-quality fakes.

3. Pendant lighting. Swapping out a plain ceiling light fixture for something with more style can be done quickly and your new pendant light can become the focal point of the room. Dont be afraid to go big; even in a small kitchen like the one shown here, a sizable pendant looks striking, not overpowering.

Find that just-right pendant light for your dream kitchen

4. A rich cabinet color. Whether you paint your cabinets or stain them a natural wood tone, a rich color is a high-impact, low cost way to change the look of your kitchen. Try a saturated hue like the blue-green shown here, or a chic gray or slate on just the lower cabinets.

5. Wall paint. If you dont want to repaint or restain your cabinets, another way to bring in color is by painting the walls. With all of the appliances and cabinetry, kitchen wall space is often fairly limited which means not only is it quicker to paint, but the color is less likely to overwhelm than in, say, the living room. Try a smoky blue, rich greige or warm mocha.

6. Upscale counter stools. There are so many options when it comes to kitchen counter seating that theres no reason to stick with plain bar stools, unless you want to. Try classic bistro stools (like the ones shown here), sculptural wooden stools or sleek Lucite ones.

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10 Upgrades For A Touch Of Kitchen Elegance