How to upgrade the kitchen without renovating
Three cheap moves that make an ordinary rental kitchen feel personal — no painting, no drilling, no new doors.
You don't need to renovate to make the kitchen yours. Here are three things that make the difference for us — and that don't require a landlord's permission.
1. Change the light The biggest kitchen move is often the ceiling light you already have. A vintage Murano pendant over the dining table, or a small flush mount overhead, changes the room more than a whole new countertop would.
2. Show the beautiful things Take the prettiest glasses and pitchers down from the top shelf and put them on the counter. A little group of vintage carafes by the coffee machine, a few coloured wine glasses on a shelf — suddenly the kitchen looks like a place where someone lives.
3. Lay down a vintage runner A long strip of old rug or a kilim on the floor of a narrow kitchen does wonders. It softens the sound, warms the feet, and breaks up the long line of cabinets.
It's not new furniture. It's just looking at what you already have, one more time.
