Updating Kitchen Without Renovation: 7 Ideas from Fresh Projects

Spring is about to arrive — and with it comes the desire for change, including interior changes. We offer several easy-to-implement ideas we spotted among designers.

Replace the light fixture with a bright and unconventional pendant

This approach looks especially great in a monochrome interior — as in this project by Ksenia Yerlakova.

A loft-style pendant with a bright yellow inner part of the shade sets the tone for the entire interior: graphic chairs and decorative elements echo it in geometry, and the mustard shade in the carpet pattern repeats its color.

Design: Ksenia Yerlakova

Update soft furniture

By 'update' we don’t mean 'buy new'. Simply reupholster the kitchen sofa with a vibrant printed fabric — it will instantly become the main accent. Additionally, you can place a couple of different chairs in Scandinavian style — this will give your space a dynamic and very 'European' look.

Design: Ekaterina Malmygina

Use eye-catching chairs as the main accent

If your kitchen is minimalist with minimal color and smooth closed fronts, play on contrast: place a couple of luxurious chairs in the dining area — for example, Maria Rubleva chose golden Kartell chairs in this design project.

By the way, the same type of chair was used in the first project from this selection but in black color — compare how different moods they set for the interior!

Design: Maria Rubleva

Instead of upper cabinets — a bright hanging cabinet or shelves

This solution helps make the interior lighter and airier. For Olesya Shlyakhtina's interior, a retro-style hanging cabinet was custom-made, but if you have such an 'old-fashioned' cabinet left over, it's enough to repaint it in a bright trendy shade. Alternatively, just hang several shelves — they can also be painted in different colors.

Design: Olesya Shlyakhtina

Beautiful plates for decoration and dining

With them, your kitchen will taste better!

Repaint (or even replace) the fronts

A bright kitchen cabinet will look completely new. A fairly simple solution is to buy colored fronts at IKEA: the brand currently has kitchens in green, blue and burgundy colors. Or repaint them yourself.

Design: Natalia Shirokorad

Add greenery

In a monochrome modern interior, live plants can become the main stylistic element. Ecology is trendy now — and it's easy to bring it into your kitchen by simply adding a few plants in beautiful planters.

Design: Irina Goryachko

And bold art

A fairly obvious tip for quickly transforming an interior, but for some reason many people don’t consider the kitchen a suitable place for art — and they're missing out!

Certainly, you shouldn’t keep a masterpiece from the 18th century here, but a modern poster, especially under glass, won’t suffer. The key is to place it away from the sink and cooking area. And don't go small: bold large images look much more effective in spacious rooms and on small areas.

Design: Svetlana Kuksova