Budget-Friendly Kitchen Trends for 2024

If you’ve got 80s era wood-grain kitchen cabinets you’re in luck, as the unfinished and natural wood look is on trend for 2024. Start by sanding your cabinets to remove the old varnish and then stain them with a darker tone like Minwax Special Walnut to update the look.

If you’re seeking new cabinets, consider unfinished cabinets which are less expensive than finished cabinets and can be stained or painted to your desired color. To achieve a modern organic look, go for Minwax Pickled Oak, Warm White, or Weathered Oak. Two-tone kitchen cabinets remain popular, so mix the natural look with white or colored cabinets painted Sprig of Mint green or Freshly Baked brown.

A more cost-effective way of updating your cabinets is to leave the boxes in place and just replace the cabinet doors with a more contemporary profile like a shaker style. Replacing the doors is also a great time to update the hinges to soft-close and switch out the door hardware.

These design changes can be transformative and will cost thousands of dollars less than a kitchen remodel that requires new cabinets.

There’s no need to splurge on marble or granite countertops to achieve an on-trend look. Butcher block and quartz are popular choices that will work in any style kitchen. Butcher block countertops add a natural earth tone that is key to a modern organic style. Quartz countertops can be customized with a wide variety of colors and patterns that you can order using Lowe’s Custom Countertop Design Tool.

Butcher block countertops are the least expensive choice but aren’t heat resistant and require regular maintenance. Quartz countertops have been a popular option for years due to their upscale look, stain and heat resistance qualities, and reasonable cost.

Deciding on a kitchen countertop is a big decision, so before committing to a material or design, check to see if it’s available as a sample. That way you can bring it home to see how it looks against your cabinets, floors, and in your kitchen lighting.

If you don’t have the budget to upgrade your cabinets and countertops, you can still personalize your kitchen in a variety of ways that cost next to nothing. Creating a kitchen space that is unique to you and your family is a timeless trend. Start by bringing artwork into your kitchen, be it framed art from your kids or wall art that you enjoy.

Add wood, metal, or glass décor objects to balance the materials in your kitchen and inject color into white or monotone spaces. Plants, artificial or real, are another great way to personalize your kitchen. They’re a terrific way to add a natural element and easy to change out seasonally for a new look.

For a semi-permanent and colorful kitchen update, check out peel-and-stick tiles and backsplashes. There are hundreds of options to choose from that are designed to work with room styles and personal tastes. A colorful modern Spanish look with azulejos tile or a marble-look tile are two beautiful examples, many of which are available as samples.

Make simple and budget-friendly changes in your kitchen by adding a new sink, faucet and cabinet hardware. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

• Swap out old and dated cabinet knobs and pulls for sleek, modern ones. Brushed gold or brass looks great against white cabinets and keeps the kitchen from feeling cold.
• Purchase a kitchen faucet with a matching side sprayer.
• Get a kitchen faucet with a coordinating soap dispenser or water dispenser.
• Pull-down and touchless faucets make clean-up and prep easy.
• Consider a pot filler. These convenient faucets are placed above your stove for easy access, but new plumbing is required so it's best to do if you're renovating the kitchen.
• Upgrade your sink with a work station sink that can include a colander, drying rack, cutting board and more.
• Stainless steel kitchen sinks are the most popular, but granite and quartz sinks have increased in popularity and are scratch-, stain- and heat-resistant.