Sometimes an aging kitchen just needs to emphasize its built-in charm. The great news is that if you have an older kitchen that demands a blast of charm and color, you don't need to go through intricate and endless stripping and refinishing; you can regenerate the appearance of your kitchen more simply. Here are some suggestions on how to love what you have, and have what you love.

Vintage Cabinetry Makeover

Many older kitchen feature the retro charm of all white cabinets and black and white checkered counter tile. Cheerful yellow paint can brighten up this color scheme. For kitchens with curved corner shelves, outlining the edge of them in a perky blue shade is another great way to add color. You can add an open shelf trimmed in the same blue above the kitchen sink to display collectibles, coffee tins, vintage vases, and the addition of blue and white checkered curtains on kitchen windows adds retro polish. Keep the color going with brightly patterned ceramic canisters on the counter. A bare wall can be dressed up with a spice rack or a wooden shelf that is either painted blue or trimmed in blue. This color scheme is ideal for a number of themes, from Tuscan accents and sunflowers to roosters and cherries.

Simple Fixes

- When cabinets must have a facelift, it's much easier to paint than to strip and refinish. To paint cabinets, you just need to lightly sand the existing surface. It's easiest if you remove doors and drawers, remove all hardware and work on a flat surface. Use a paint roller to make things go more quickly.

- Replace old cabinet fronts with glass for a quick facelift. Simply paint the interior of the cabinets with a deep shade that will allow you to showcase the contents of the cabinets.

- Perhaps the fastest and easiest update for kitchen cabinets is a quick and thoughtful change out of the cabinet hardware. This one small and simple change can work to provide inspiration for an entirely fresh and different color scheme and style that you can reinforce with the use of wall art, chair cushions, curtains and other accents. Glass knobs are ideal for hardware changes when you want to add some sparkle to a kitchen that is lifeless.

- Try a new backsplash to brighten things up. Green and white tiles add cheer to a dark kitchen. Make a backsplash out of mirrors to open up the space and reflect light. A glass store can cut mirrors for a perfect fit.

- Get rid of your upper cabinets and opt for open shelving instead. It is much more affordable to hang shelving than to buy new cabinets, and you can choose to paint new shelves or adorn them with scrolled wrought iron brackets to fit the retro theme. Open storage and plate racks allow you to add color wherever you like while also giving the illusion of more space. Hang cups or cooking utensils below the shelving for convenience and decorative appeal.

- Be daring and go with an unexpected theme in an old kitchen: Try bold colors like yellow and mango as a backdrop for a tropical theme kitchen complete with palm tree wall art and tropical wall hangings.

As you can see, there are other options that most homeowners can easily undertake to bring color and brightness to the kitchen rather than refinishing or even replacing the existing cabinetry. Stylish wall art, wall paint, collectibles situated in different areas on the top of upper kitchen cabinets, and improved lighting can really make a huge difference in the overall aesthetic enjoyment of your kitchen.

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Designing a New York Styled Bedroom