It's easy to transform your kitchen
into a designer showplace on a budget. If you can't afford new cabinets
and appliances, don't worry. The secret is to use bright, bold colors
to complement the rest of your kitchen instead of spending a fortune
to totally remodel.
Monochromatic decorating is one of the easiest ways to make a dramatic
impact without spending a lot of money. A monochromatic decorating
scheme uses different shades of the same color. Red, apple green,
and yellow are three colors that will give you spectacular results
if you use a monochromatic color scheme.
Red
Red is one of the best monochromatic
colors to use to create a cozy feeling in your kitchen. Start with
a red plaid, or red and white checkered tablecloth. For a really
bold look, try an all red tablecloth. Set it off with red ceramic
canisters on your counter top and add some fresh red apples in a
wooden bowl.
A red sinkware set would also harmonize
nicely. A red dish drainer, drain board, and sink mat would certainly
brighten up your kitchen and take away some of the drudgery of washing
dishes. Add café curtains with red trim and top it off with
colorful red print potholders and dish towels.
Apple green
Apple green is the perfect
color to create the feel of a cool oasis in your kitchen on a hot
summer day. Depending on how brave you are, start out with a splash
of apple green colored paint. If you're in the mood to be daring,
paint all of the walls; however, painting one wall will also make
a dramatic statement.
The wall behind the sink or table
is a good place to add drama and character to your kitchen with
some apple green semi-gloss latex paint. A throw rug in various
shades of apple green in front of the sink will highlight your new
kitchen décor. A rug is a good place to start your new decorating
scheme if you don't want to go to all of the trouble of painting.
Add an apple green table cloth that
you buy or make yourself. It's easier than you may think to make
a table cloth yourself and it's usually less expensive than buying
one. All you have to do is buy some cotton or cotton-polyester blend
fabric and create a one inch hem around the edge by using washable
fabric glue. It should take you less than an hour to create a beautiful
tablecloth with the fabric of your choice.
Embellish your new apple green décor
with green plants; hang them from the ceiling or set them on top
of your refrigerator or counter. If you don't have enough space
for as many plants as you would like, install several small shelves
high on the kitchen wall near the ceiling to display even more plants
and turn your kitchen into an indoor garden. Then put a finishing
touch on your decorating by adding green and white striped or print
potholders and kitchen hand towels to match. Complete the look with
sheer apple green curtains.
Yellow
Yellow is a cheerful, happy
color that brings thoughts of sunlight and daffodils. A lemon or
pineapple hue of yellow will brighten up your kitchen and your spirits
while you're cooking especially if you have dark wood cabinets.
Use bold yellow as an accent color and soft yellow in larger doses.
A tablecloth is always a good place
to start when using color to decorate your kitchen. You can complete
the look of a yellow tablecloth with a vase full of sunflowers and
placemats with a sunflower design. Then give your kitchen a light,
airy look with sheer yellow curtains and add a colorful yellow area
rug to give the space texture and interest.
If you're in the mood to paint, the
color yellow is an especially good choice to use on the kitchen
ceiling to reflect light. Or surround yourself with a glow and paint
the whole kitchen a soft yellow.
You should be able to purchase what
you need to complete each of the above three monochromatic color
schemes for around $150. There is also a side benefit that goes
along with affordable kitchen decorating. Since it doesn't drain
your bank account to spruce up your kitchen using a vivid display
of color, you can change your decor more often. -Cassie Brill
