Even if you don’t spend much time in the kitchen or centre your lifestyle around cooking culture, how your kitchen looks still matters.

According to Looeeze Grossman, founder of The Used Kitchen Company, the kitchen has “become the real hub of the home”, particularly as “people have created these open-plan living areas”.

Grossman adds: “So they’ve got rid of their dining rooms and they’re using the kitchen as their entertaining space.”

It is a reflection of how we spend our lives, think “the kitchen island to chat around when cooking, or for when the kids are doing their homework, or for working from home”.

“That space has become such a multi-purpose area,” says Grossman, who has more than 20 years’ experience of helping people plan and source the perfect kitchen.

And with this, the fashion to blend function with flair and create a cohesive scheme that’s bang up to date, without blowing the budget.

Here’s how to give your kitchen a fresh, contemporary feel and elevate the atmosphere.

Tired paintwork

There’s nothing that can make a kitchen look more outdated than tired or chipped paintwork, says Grossman.

And after years of stark white kitchens, we’re embracing warmth in our surroundings.

“That’s the beauty of the painted kitchen really, because you can just repaint them however often you want to,” says Grossman.

“But I’d say at the moment, a lot of the muted colours are very much in, so if you’ve got a kitchen island, you might make a feature colour of say muted greens or a blue. And then have cream or off-white units behind it, so there’s a bit of a contrast.”

She also advises to use good quality kitchen paint, saying: “It’s worth the investment, and should definitely be matt… the big thing with matt is it looks great, but you’ve got to get the one which doesn’t show fingerprints.”

There are various types of formulas which resist fingerprint marks, splashes and smudges, so it’s important to pick the right matt finish to suit your needs.

And as Grossman points out, a freshly painted cabinet, wall or ceiling can take years off the look of your kitchen.

Worktops – replace dark speckled granite

Dark speckled granite, aka ‘salt and pepper’ might have been the trend in the early 2000s, but it now easily dates a kitchen, showing its true age, underlines Grossman.

“The lighter stones are definitely in, and there are so many different stones. Whereas before, people would have marble, or they’d have granite; or if you couldn’t afford stone, a laminate-looking stone.

“But now, there are so many varieties on worktops. You’ve got your marble, which is less popular now because it stains terribly… and there are so many better food-friendly, stain-friendly versions.

“Granite’s still very popular, but then you’ve got things like all the composites… corian, dekton or caesarstone quartz.”

And for busy families, investing in a worktop that’s built to withstand daily life is a great and inexpensive way to update your kitchen.

Splashbacks

If you thought splashbacks were reserved only for tiles, think again.

“People always used to have tiles on their splashbacks… like little square tiles with a few flowers in there; or a pot, a pan, or something,” says Grossman.

“And that’s very passé, I’d say now. Obviously, if you want to make a particular sort of quaint country kitchen look, then yes, you probably might still use that finish.

“But now it’s much cleaner. It might be just the same as your worktop, so it’s seamlessly blending in. Or you might do something like glass.”

From vintage mirrors to painted glass, or matching your worktops with your splashback, she says there are colourful, chic and stylish options available to elevate its look far beyond plain metro tiles.

Knobs and handles

As Grossman points out, long, bar-style, kitchen handles are now considered dated, and today’s trends lean towards cup handles and more minimalist designs.

“People aren’t necessarily doing those very long handles anymore; it’s more like smaller knobs, or cup handles are very popular.”

Moreover, she says finishes such as bronze, brushed brass, gold and stainless steel can instantly give cabinetry a more contemporary look.

Vintage, mismatched knobs are also growing in popularity. “It’s a lovely look, particularly with a painted kitchen – that looks very nice.

“People are creating a look much more themselves, rather than a designer look these days… you know, with all sorts of things.”

And when it comes to busy kitchens; or if you’re on the move and just want to grab something, she says handless kitchens are still very in for a clutter-free, pared-back look.

Another trend is mixing hardware by using one style of knob or handle on wall cabinets, and a different design on drawers to create a more bespoke feel, adds Grossman.

Best of all, she says, replacing your cabinet hardware is a relatively inexpensive update that can transform the look of your kitchen, without requiring extensive DIY.