Is your kitchen boring? Does it lack a homey and creative touch? Do you wish you could overhaul the room, but don't have the time or the money? Your kitchen doesn't have to be drab and dull. By working creatively and doing a little at a time, you can transform your kitchen into a room that will make you smile.



Let's start by looking at the walls. Are they dull and dingy? Can you clean them, or is repainting a better option? If you choose to repaint, you can save a significant amount of money by doing it yourself. Stick to colors that are light and airy, something that can give you a background for the other personal touches you will be adding to your kitchen landscape. Stark white can be glaring and show too much dirt, so try to stay with a beige or cream type of color, something warm and homey. With just a gallon or two of paint, you can change the look of your kitchen in just a weekend.

Once you have the walls cleaned up or painted, it is time to move on to other personal touches. Walls need decoration. There is nothing more boring or bland than a large expanse of empty wall. One of the least expensive, most creative, and visually appealing options is creating your own wall art. Look on the Internet, or in art books for designs and motifs that you like. You'll want to stick with black and white images. Once you have found a design you like, take it to your local copy store and have them enlarge the print to a very large size. Cut out the image and paste it to your wall with wallpaper paste. Take lightly colored art paint (very lightly colored) and add your own personal flair around the design. Highlight areas of the image with yellows or blues, greens or pinks, whatever works with your color palette. Once the highlights are dry, take a bit of the wall color paint and mix with water to create a light glaze. Brush over the design to make it blend with the wall. The object is to make the glaze light enough that you can see the design through it, but heavy enough that it gives the illusion that the design is actually painted on the wall. Let it dry, and enjoy your masterpiece.

Once your walls are perked up, it is time to move on to the rest of the kitchen. Place your most beautiful dishes or pottery pieces up on shelves and invest in a few silk plants to grace the tops of your cabinets. Check second-hand stores for beautiful items that will make your kitchen sing. Remove a cabinet door completely to display your beautiful glassware. As the seasonal items go on clearance at the store, pick up kitchen towels and hot pads in assorted styles. Halloween comes around every year and it is so much fun to bring out the themed towels.

When you are looking for new kitchen gadgets, make sure they are functional and fun. Your kitchen will make you smile when you see a silly cookie jar or a whisk with a face, or even a funny egg timer. As you slowly add to your arsenal of cute and kooky, your kitchen will take on a whole new feel. Visitors will be amazed at all of the interesting or funny items your kitchen displays. And you can feel proud knowing that you designed it all yourself.