Whether you own or rent your home, at some point you'll probably tire of eating out all the time and crave a functional and inviting kitchen space where you feel motivated to make healthy dinners. If the high cost of a complete kitchen remodel is holding you back, you can still improve your kitchen on a budget. (Renters, keep in mind that you'll need to get approval from management or your landlord before making any changes.) With a few budget-friendly changes, you'll even find that the right renovations can encourage you to adopt healthier eating adapts too.
Here are six kitchen renovations you can do for $5,000 or less that can also help motivate a healthier lifestyle.
1. Transform the cabinets ($60 to $5,000)
Cabinetry is an important feature of any kitchen, and updating yours can really upgrade the space. Your options include replacing old cabinets, refinishing existing cabinets or using shelving for storage.
When you're upgrading your cabinetry, this is also a good excuse to declutter and get rid of anything that encourages bad eating habits. Take this opportunity to throw out your high-calorie snacks and switch them with healthier alternatives. Or at the very least, hide the unhealthy options where they're tougher to reach, and put the healthy foods upfront.
Replace old cabinets
Replacing old, beat-up cabinets with new ones can transform a kitchen, but the cost could put you over budget—the national average for replacing kitchen cabinets is just over $5,000.1 If you decide to do it anyway, consider cabinets that extend to the ceiling to get some extra storage space. This approach works best for ceilings no higher than 10 feet.2 Ceilings that are 8-feet high require only one longer cabinet, and 9- and 10-foot ceilings require two stacked cabinets.2 This gives you a place to store all those kitchen gadgets you use only occasionally. Painting is easy to do yourself to keep costs low. You can expect to spend between $200 and $7501 to paint your kitchen walls. The cost range depends on the paint quality, how much of the equipment you already have (like drop clothes and paint trays) and the size of the kitchen.
Refinish existing cabinets
Refinishing existing cabinets provides a similar effect as getting new cabinets, but for less money. The national average for refinishing kitchen cabinets is just under $3,000. 3 You might wish to make your darker cabinets lighter, for example. That involves removing the current finish and applying new stain or paint. Going from lighter to darker is easier, and typically involves tinting over the current finish. This can be a do-it-yourself project, or you can hire someone if your budget allows.
Use cabinetry lights to draw attention to healthier foods
Whether you're replacing or refinishing your cabinetry, consider a few additional design tricks that can encourage healthier habits. For example, install lighting or an LED strip on the underside of the shelves4 where you keep your healthy snacks. Or use puck or dot lights to highlight specific healthy items. This can draw your attention to your healthy options and help make them look more appealing.
2. Change the lighting ($125 to $450 per fixture)
You might be surprised to learn that lighting can actually make quite a difference in your motivation levels. If you plan to eat healthy, you'll need to spend more time in the kitchen prepping and cooking food. This means you'll need lighting that encourages you to feel productive and energetic, not drained.
LED lights create less eye strain
Having a huge, rectangular fluorescent light in the middle of your ceiling gets the job done, but changing it out can really upgrade your kitchen and your mood. LED lights create less eye strain because they don't flicker like fluorescents. They also give off less heat, less glare and can be adjusted based on preference.5 With LED lights, you can choose cooler hues when working, which encourages productivity.6 All of this can help you find the motivation you need to make healthier dishes at home.
Recessed lights and task lights create a pleasing ambiance
Recessed lights that mount into the ceiling are a more modern choice than fluorescents. You'll probably want to add a dimmer switch—sometimes you need your kitchen brightly lit, such as when you're preparing healthy food, but other times you may want a cozier vibe. The average cost to install recessed lighting is between $125 and $300 per light.7 Recessed lights are considered ambient lighting: lighting that lights the entire room. You might also wish to add task lighting—lighting that illuminates what's underneath. This can help when you need to focus on a task, like cutting fresh veggies.
Pendant lighting is one popular task lighting option for kitchens, particularly over a countertop or island. It's a good idea to install pendant lighting with a dimmer switch, too, to control the brightness. The price reflects the actual fixtures you select. The average cost to install pendant lighting is between $300 and $450 per fixture.8
3. Put in new flooring (About $2,400)
So far, we've been looking up to make kitchen improvements. Now, look down. The flooring in your kitchen can not only change the atmosphere, it can also help you stay on your feet longer when you're meal prepping.
If you have old linoleum flooring, you might want to replace it to improve the look and feel of your kitchen. A more modern approach is luxury vinyl sheet, which is typically made using layers.9 Just make sure the product you purchase is waterproof; otherwise, the floor could buckle under standing water. Luxury vinyl flooring can mimic any look you want, such as hardwood or tile. Vinyl flooring costs between $1 and $14 per square foot.10 The national average to install this flooring is just under $2,400.10
No matter what flooring you choose, you can add anti-fatigue mats to your kitchen that provide extra cushioning to help you stand longer while you're cooking. They range from just $30 a mat to more than $100, so you can pick what fits in your budget.11
4. Replace or refinish the countertops ($23 to $355 per square foot)
Whether you're prepping a meal or enjoying a cup of coffee, you probably use your kitchen countertop every day. If yours is showing signs of wear and tear, making some changes can revitalize your kitchen. And with a little creativity, your new look can also inspire healthier eating.
Replacing your countertop
If you want to replace your countertop with a new one, laminate is a sensible budget option, though it may not last as long as some other materials. Laminate kitchen countertops cost between $15 and $40 per square foot for materials and $8 to $10 per square foot for installation.12 Ceramic tile is another budget option, costing between $18 and $35 per square foot for materials and $15 to $25 per square foot for installation.12 Note that the grout lines on ceramic tile can be difficult to keep clean.
Granite and quartz are popular overall countertop choices, both for looks and function. Granite costs between $40 and $200 per square foot for materials and $35 to $85 per hour for installation.12 It generally takes about two to three hours to install granite countertops in a smaller kitchen. Quartz costs between $55 and $155 for materials and $50 to $200 per square foot for installation.12
Refinishing your countertop
If you don't want to replace your countertop, try refinishing it instead. Refinishing with an epoxy or polymer resin coating costs an average of $5 to $10 per square foot. Re-laminating costs about $5 to $15 per square foot (which is about 75 to 80 percent less than replacing.) For porcelain or ceramic tiled countertops, painting costs about $10 to $15 per square foot.13
Design your countertop with an eye to healthy living
Take the time to redesign your countertop space to encourage healthier choices.14 Start by decluttering so you have access to more counterspace, which will give you room for prepping healthy meals. You might also want to fill a fruit basket and place it in the center of your countertop for easy snacking.
If you have the room, leave out a kitchen appliance that encourages healthy choices, like an air fryer. If you have to dig into your cabinets to find it, you're less likely to use it.
5. Change the backsplash ($25 to $135 per square foot)
A backsplash is not only practical—it prevents grease from ruining your wall—but it can also serve as a focal point for the room. Updating the backsplash is a top consideration for any kitchen remodel. Trendy kitchen backsplash materials include neutral, blue or green square tiles, stone slab to match your countertop and the perennially popular white, rectangular subway tiles, which can also be installed in a pattern such as herringbone to offer a twist on the classic style. The average cost of backsplash is between $10 and $95 per square foot.15 The cost of installation is between $15 and $40 per square foot, with an average overall installation cost of $1,000.15 When choosing a backsplash, try avoid materials that will add more work to your cleanup routine (and perhaps discourage you from cooking as much.) This might mean avoiding glass or pebble mosaic backsplashes that can be tough to clean, or using white grout that can easily pick up dirt.16
6. Put in a new sink or faucet ($240 to $4,000)
Last but not least is the kitchen sink. The best time to upgrade yours is when you're installing a new countertop, but you can also change just the sink if the new one works with the same size hole you already have. Including installation, a drop-in sink costs $240 to $950, an undermount sink costs $240 to $1,500 and a farmhouse sink costs $1,000 to $4,000.17 While replacing the sink, you might want to replace the faucet too. Or if you want to keep your current sink, a new faucet by itself can be enough to enhance your space. Look for one with a retractable sprayer, which can be very helpful when washing fruits and vegetables.