Kitchen Renovation Ideas Under $1,000
This article is part of our kitchen renovation series. If you’re thinking about renovating your kitchen, check out our other articles in the series - the cost to renovate a kitchen, kitchen renovations for under $10,000 (coming soon) and kitchen renovations for $30,000+ (coming soon).
If your kitchen feels tired but a full renovation isn’t on the cards, there are still loads of great things you can do to freshen up your kitchen space. Many homeowners want a refresh without blowing the budget - and the good news is, a small spend can still make a noticeable difference.
This level of kitchen renovation is about sprucing up what you already have, not replacing everything. Think smarter upgrades, better function, and a fresher feel.
Let’s be realistic though - if you’re planning on spending sub-$1,000, a bit of DIY might be needed to make the budget go a bit further. Let’s dive in and see what you might get to help spruce up your space for under $1,000.
What a sub-$1,000 kitchen renovation looks like:
At this budget, you’re not moving plumbing or installing new cabinetry. Instead, you’re improving how the kitchen looks and works day to day.
Common aesthetic upgrades include:
New kitchen tap or mixer
Swap out an old school mixer for a nice gooseneck option with a pull-down handle (we like this brushed stainless as an affordable option at $364 incl + install).
New cabinet handles
This is our fav budget facelift activity and can really change the look of the kitchen. You can select handles that suit your personality and their prices range from around $7 - $20 per handle for a good quality handle at Bunnings. It’s also a task that you can often do yourself, so there’s no install cost. For 10 handles that’s only $200 for an instant aesthetic upgrade. Top tip: Make sure you select handles that are at least the size of your current ones to avoid have any marks or holes from the existing handles showing.
Soft close hinges
If you’ve got an older kitchen, these may not have been very popular when it was installed. Upgrade your current hinges to soft close, so no matter how hard the drawers shut, it’s nice and quiet!
Better task lighting
Strip lighting attached to the underside of an overhead cupboard to give your bench extra lighting or mood lighting so you don’t need your overhead lights on. This smart strip product by Phillips uses a USB chord and requires no electrician for install. Simply measure, cut, attach and plug in - this one is also dimmable and controlled via bluetooth on your phone.
Fresh paint or splashback touch-ups
If you’re handy with a paintbrush, painting a room has a big impact - even if you’re just freshening up an already white walled kitchen with a brighter white to enhance the space.
Installing a filtered water tap
Everyone loves a crisp glass of water and you can make it tastes even better, by installing a filtered water tap at your kitchen sink area. If the space allows, the filter is installed in the cupboard under the sink and a small tap is placed on the bench giving you instant access to filtered drinking water for your family.
Installing a waste disposal
If you’ve got the space under your sink, installing a waste disposal is a great functional upgrade. While we love a home compost setup not everything can go into it so, enter the waste disposal. The most convenient way to dispose of organic matter so your everyday rubbish bin doesn’t smell of food scraps. If you’re not sure if your under bench has the space, we can usually tell over the phone with a couple of photos. Waste disposal machines start from around $230, but generally the more your spend, the more powerful they get - which can be ideal for those more tricky and fibrous foods. We can walk you through the options.
Important but hidden upgrades:
These are two things that are best done by a professional plumber. They’re not visible to the eye, but they’re important to get sorted and worth spending the money on before they turn into bigger problems.
Replacing worn valves or traps
Fixing small leaks or drips
It’s amazing how much better a kitchen feels when things stop dripping, turn smoothly, and don’t have a strange smell.
An under bench waste disposal install.
Remove unwanted food smells from your kitchen.
DIY vs calling a plumber
DIY-friendly:
Painting walls
Changing handles
Installing new hinges
Call a plumber for:
Taps, valves, wastes, or leaks
Installing water filters
Call an electrician for:
New hard-wired lighting
New power points (for new dishwasher or waste disposal installs)
A professional install gives peace of mind, ensures compliance and avoids any surprises down the track.
Timing and planning tips
Most of these jobs can be done in under half a day. If you’re combining a few small plumbing fixes, it’s often more cost-effective to do them together rather than calling someone out multiple times. This is the case with all trades - less trips = less $$.
If you’re thinking about giving your kitchen plumbing a small refresh, we can provide you with transparent pricing and honest feedback. Fill out our contact us form or give us a call on 04 890 5707.