It’s the most wonderful time of year, and nothing can bring you down – except, of course, a kitchen that’s too small, too dated, too messy, or otherwise not fit to be seen by others.
If your lackluster kitchen has you reluctant to host holiday festivities in your home, you’re not alone. Home shame is real, and according to one survey of 1,000 homeowners, 61% of adults in the US have admitted to not inviting guests into their home because they are embarrassed by what lies inside.
However, you don’t have to sit out from the hosting rotation this holiday season. Here are some quick and easy solutions to your biggest kitchen problems, and their answers will have you sending out invites in no time.
Scuffed Counters
Your kitchen counters are going to get a lot of attention during your holiday gathering. So what are you to do if yours are scratched, scuffed, or bear the marks of a few unfortunately hot pots and pans? The easiest way to go about fixing this without installing new countertops is to create some festive holiday decor to place right over top any imperfection.
Dated Cabinets
Your cabinets may be straight out of the 1960s, but it’s not the end of the world. Your best option is to paint your cabinets. Paint is a great, affordable way to refresh old cabinets. It helps to cover up imperfections and stains, and you can choose from thousands of colors. However, if you want a professional, lasting finish, it requires a lot of prep work.
If you don’t have time to remove cabinet doors, sand, and paint, you’re not out of options. For a simpler update, adding new cabinet hardware can bring them back to life.
Botched Backsplash
A backsplash is supposed to catch the eye, but what if yours draws the rye right to a mislaid or missing tile? The counter backsplash can make or break a kitchen. Try a peel-and-stick backsplash applied directly over your botched backsplash job. There’s no grout, spaces or level needed. For an even easier solution, you can always just hide those embarrassing spots on your backsplash. Our favorite trick is to put a decorative item or a small appliance to black the offending area.
Mismatched Appliances
It’s not too often that appliances stop working all at the same time, so there’s a good chance the ones in your kitchen don’t exactly match. If they’re really different, like different colors, there is no need to purchase new ones just to make them harmonize.
You can easily fix this problem with stainless steel contact paper that can be cut and affixed to your appliances. Within two hours, all of your family hand-me-down appliances will look like they just rolled in off the delivery truck.
Worn or Cracked Vinyl Flooring
Redoing floors is a major expense, especially with the holidays right around the corner. However, even if your floors leave a lot to be desired, you don’t have to rush into a major construction job. If you vinyl floors are cracking chances are the flooring is old. Which probably means the pattern is dated as well. Give new life to your floor by covering it up with peel-and-stick wood-plank vinyl floors.
Lack of Counter Space
For some homeowners, the scariest part of the holiday is trying to find a place to set out all the food. Wayfair has many rolling islands that add counter space and can store things that you used to keep on the counter.
Scratched-Up Sink
White kitchen sinks and gorgeous – at least, until you use them a few times. After you’ve washed a few loads of dishes, they start to look scratched, stained, and a lot less attractive. But they don’t have to stay that way.
If sinks stains and scratches are a problem, then you need to head down to your local hardware store and pay the paint aisle a visit. There are several easy to apply tub paints and tile refinishing kits that will have your sink Martha Stewart-ready in a quick weekend.
Scratched Table
The last thing you want to do is have friends and family sit around a scratched-up old table for the big meal. Crayons work great in a pinch for covering scuffs, chips, and dings in furniture. If you aren’t comfortable turning your table into a coloring project, try adding a tablecloth.