11 DIY Kitchen Projects You Can Do Over the Weekend

If you’re feeling uninspired every time you go to make a meal, it might be time to spruce up your kitchen. But that doesn’t mean you need a complete overhaul. Here are a few DIY kitchen projects that you can do in a weekend to take your kitchen from drab to fab and help you find your cooking mojo again.

Refresh the Walls

If you feel like you need a kitchen overhaul but don’t have the budget for a renovation, a fresh coat of paint can revamp your space for a fraction of the cost. This project can be pretty time-consuming depending on the size of your kitchen, but since a professional painter’s biggest cost is labor, you’ll save a bundle doing it yourself. Make sure to choose a satin or semi-gloss paint for these walls since they’ll likely need extra cleaning, and those paints clean more easily than a flat option.

Paint the Cabinets

Refreshing your kitchen cabinets is a fun and easy way to get a whole new look in your kitchen without breaking the bank. If your cabinets are dark, painting them a lighter color can make the room feel larger and brighter. Make sure you do your research on painting kitchen cabinets to ensure you’re following the correct steps, such as priming the cabinets appropriately and choosing a paint specifically designed for kitchen cabinets.

Update Your Cabinet Hardware

Painting is a big project, but if you’re looking for a quick way to upgrade your cabinets, switching out the handles is a quick way to change the look of your kitchen. There are tons of options out there for this DIY kitchen cabinet upgrade, from shapes like knobs, pulls, and hexagons to materials like brass, nickel, and even marble.

Pull-Out Shelving

If you’re happy with your hardware but tired of getting down on the floor to reach for your pots and pans, pull-out shelving can help. The cost for a DIY shelf and hardware is around $100, and you should look for designs with a raised edge to prevent your items from falling out as you move the shelves.

Soft-Close Drawers

Then there are soft-close drawers, which are all the rage in new construction for kitchens. For about $20 per drawer, you can buy a soft-close kit that will prevent your kitchen drawers from ever slamming shut again. Your local hardware store should have all the tools you’ll need in addition to the soft-close kits.

Make a Splash

A new backsplash can change your kitchen’s entire look. From subway tiles to peel and stick vinyl kits, backsplash options are plentiful, and you can tailor your choice based on the look and the amount of labor you want to put into your DIY kitchen project. Hardware stores carry hundreds of options. Just be sure to look for materials that are easy to clean and heat and moisture resistant.

Light It Up

Under or over cabinet lighting can brighten up your kitchen and be achieved pretty simply with a strip of LED lights. This feature made its first appearance in high-end kitchen designs several years ago and has become a staple in many homes since making its debut. Under and over cabinet lighting strips usually range from $10 to $100, depending on the quality of the lights and the length of the strip.

Replace Your Kitchen Faucet

Swapping out your kitchen faucet can give your kitchen a whole new look with minimal upheaval. Today’s plumbing and faucet designs have made DIY faucet swaps totally doable. Just make sure you research the steps you have to follow, or you could find yourself in a plumbing predicament.

Plant a Garden

If you’ve always dreamed about plucking fresh herbs from your plentiful backyard garden but haven’t gotten around to actually planting those herbs, an indoor herb garden is a good start. All you need are a few pots, some ready-to-plant herbs, and a little shelving space, and voila! Fresh herbs at your fingertips.

Make Storage Fun

Yes, label makers are an easy and fast way to label your jars and storage containers. But if you’re looking for some pizazz for your countertop, getting a set of matching containers and labeling them with paint, paint pens, or chalkboard paint and chalk can add a personalized touch to your decor.

Divide and Conquer

Tired of digging around in your fridge and pantry to find that one jar or can of something you need? There are tons of organizers and dividers out there designed to keep your kitchen in order so that it not only looks good, but so you can actually find what you need.