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How to give your kitchen a makeover for less than £100

With the average kitchen costing around £3,000, what do you do when you don’t have the cash to splash out on a new kitchen? And if your kitchen is functioning just fine but you’re bored of the cupboards and worktops their outdated design, how can you justify spending loads of money?

  • Clare - copywriter
  •  
  •  8min read
How to give your kitchen a makeover for less £100

Kitchen paint

Start with the basics - kitchen paint. Our kitchen paint will keep your kitchen looking fresh and it’ll withstand the grease and moisture from everyday cooking.

Here are the key benefits to our kitchen paint:

  • Grease and moisture resistant
  • Washable
  • Dries in just 2 to 4 hours

These benefits will keep your kitchen walls looking fresher for longer, and if the pasta sauce splashes on the walls, fear not! The paint is washable so you can simply wipe it off.

How to paint kitchen walls...

  • The best results always start with the best preparation
  • Prepare the area, gently sand any shiny paint, imperfections or flaking paint - wear a mask to avoid breathing in dust
  • Clean walls with wilko sugar soap
  • Tape up any edges with masking tape and lay down a dust sheet to protect floors. Our masking film is ideal as it comes with a sticky edge to keep it in place
  • Always remember to stir your paint first to allow any natural separation to be mixed back together. If you’re using more than one tin we recommend mixing the tins
  • Use a paint tray and medium pile roller
  • Apply paint liberally and avoid overspreading your paint (i.e. trying to cover too much of your wall with a single roller full of paint
  • Leave to dry 2 – 4 hours between coats
Kitchen paint

Wallpaper designed for busy kitchens

Did you know you can buy wallpaper that’s not only stylish but comes with anti-bacterial properties too? The Contour Antibac range features revolutionary anti-bacterial properties that helps prevent the spread of bacteria around the home. It’s super durable too so it’ll handle everyday bathroom and kitchen activities. There are so many designs to choose from.

Furniture paint

Wilko cupboard and furniture paint is ideal for bringing old kitchen units up to date.

Benefits of cupboard paint:

  • Choose from a range of finishes including chalky and satin
  • It’s hard-wearing and touch dry in 2 hours
  • It can be used on wood, melamine and

How to paint kitchen cupboards

  • Remove all the handles and set aside so nothing goes missing
  • If possible, it may be easier and less messy if you remove the cabinet doors - to save confusion at the end, you could label the doors lightly with pencil
  • If there are any chips fill them now
  • Sand the outside of each door, this will remove any varnish etc.
  • Clean the surface with sugar soap - this will remove any grease and residue
  • Top tip – place your cabinets on top of something like a bucket, so you can do the sides and the front at the same time
  • Never skip the primer – this provides the perfect base for your paint in terms of coverage, adhesion and finish.
  • Use a nook and cranny brush to get in all the grooves
  • You may want to use a small roller to be more efficient
  • Top tip – if using a brush on wooden doors, follow the grain of the wood. Where two pieces join, angle the brush to follow across the joining and lightly feather the brush over the join in the other direction to reduce visible brush strokes
  • Once the first coat has dried, decide if you need a second coat
  • Reassemble the cupboards, leave it as long as you can before reattaching (the paint will be dry to the touch in around 6 hours, but will gradually harden over the next 3 days)
  • You can use these tips when updating furniture too! Why not makeover the kitchen table too?
Furniture paint

Updating the kitchen hardware

If you fancy a total refresh you can update the hardware too. We have a range of cupboard door handle styles, or how about updating the existing ones with spray paint?

How to spray paint door handles

  • Remove the hardware and clean with sugar soap
  • Lay the hardware on something you don’t mind getting thrown away, an old dust sheet is perfect. We recommend spray painting in a well-ventilated area, outside if you can
  • Top tip – use a cardboard box to contain the spray paint
  • Use a spray paint primer, it’s specifically developed to be quick drying, tough and has a durable finish
  • Once the primer has dried, coat with your spray paint colour of choice. Be sure to coat everywhere
  • When your cupboards and handles are dry reattach the new handles!

Transform with self-adhesive tiles

Why splash out on a brand-new kitchen when you can transform it with tiles?

You could use them to create a slim border around the whole kitchen, or as a back splash behind the sink.

Tiles come with so many benefits:

  • They’re versatile
  • They add wow factor
  • Easy to use

Tiles come with so many benefits:

These easy-to-use mosaic sheets have a self-adhesive backing. Simply peel and stick, then apply grout to keep in place.

Update worktops with DC Fix

Using D-C-Fix self-adhesive film, aka sticky back plastic, to transform worktops. Available in a variety of colours and designs, it’s easy to inject instant style into your kitchen, whether you want to give it a complete overhaul or you just want to add some standout features.

Update worktops with DC Fix

  • Self-adhesive and easy to use
  • Water resistant and heat resistant up to 75 degrees
  • Durable, removable and can be wiped clean
  • When you fancy a change, simply peel back the film, and remove any residue with warm soapy water
  • Can be used on counter tops, tables and cupboard doors
  • You can even use D-C-Fix sticky back window film to update your windows, adding privacy with the window

How to use:

  • Make sure the area is smooth, free of dust and grease
  • Measure the area to be covered
  • Cut to size required using the handy grid on the backing paper
  • Loosen the back paper at one corner and peel off round 4 inches
  • Position the exposed corner at one edge and peel the protection paper off the reverse
  • Smooth out any air bubbles from the centre to the edges
  • Tip – if you find an air bubble, sometimes it may be best to pop the film with a needle to release the trapped air
  • Trim any excess film with a knife for a flawless finish.
DC Fix

Finishing touches

Once you’ve upcycled your kitchen, why not complete the look and accessorise with our wilko appliances:

It’s amazing what you can do with a lick of paint, sticky back plastic, spray paint and a bit of imagination! We'd love to hear how you get on with your kitchen refresh and if you have any great tips of your own let us know on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.