A full kitchen remodel is not the only way to change the look of the heart of your home. Kiplinger’s has compiled seven low-cost projects that can perk up your kitchen. Without busting your budget. Take a look, the slide show begins to your right.
By Amy Pollak

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7 Ways to Enhance Your Kitchen on the Cheap

Replacing your dishwasher is not only an aesthetic upgrade but can be an environmentally conscious one too. With various finishes -- black, white, stainless steel or matching cabinet-paneled -- switching out your dishwasher can quickly update your whole kitchen.
The Energy Star-rated Bosch Evolution 800 series (SHE65PO; $998 in stainless steel at Sears) surpasses federal requirements for energy-efficiency by 80% and uses less than 3 gallons of water per cycle (compared with the 8 gallons used by a dishwasher built before 1994). Typical savings on utility bills: about $50 annually.

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Switch Out Your Dishwasher

Organizing your kitchen cabinets and shelves can save you lots of time and sanity. Drawer organizers and cabinet racks will make a kitchen free of clutter. Adding slide-out cabinet shelves at www.shelvesthatslide.com for $32-$60 per shelf can make the room more accessible for everyone in the family.

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Mission Organization

Changing the backsplash in your kitchen can breathe new life into the space. With a variety of finishes and colors, you can go from country to modern in a snap. It’s easy with Aspect peel-and-stick, 3-by-6 inch tiles in brushed metal ($21 per square foot at Lowe’s).

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Spice Up Your Backsplash

The most overworked piece in the kitchen can often be neglected. Add efficiency with a top-mounted, two-basin model in stainless steel (Kohler Toccata, $178 at Home Depot). Add a single-control faucet, such as the Kohler Coralais with pull-out spray nozzle ($167) or the Pegasus Arko with pull-down spray and high-arc spigot ($279).

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Sink Into A Sink

It’s the most expensive flooring options, but wood brings timeless appeal to any space. Hardwood comes in different grains and stains and ranges in price from $9 to $22 per square foot installed. Bamboo ($12-$28 per square foot installed) is the green alternative. With a tighter “grain” it is a more modern look and is very durable.
Engineered wood (Bruce Engineered Cherry Hardwood at Lowes, $106 per 22.5 square feet) is a more cost effective option that doesn’t require a tool belt. The interlocking system floats and gives your floor a new look without a nail in sight.

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Floors You Wood Love

Ceramic tile is also a lush option for a kitchen floor. Think terracotta. These squares come in a variety of colors and sizes. A disadvantage though is their temperature under your feet (wear socks) and most anything will break when it falls. The price range for these tiles is $3 to $20 per square foot, installed.

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Cool Ceramic

With a price point between $7 to $10 per square foot, installed, linoleum flooring is the biggest bang for your buck. Newer types have an interlocking installation and cork backing, making it easy and soft on your feet. With a “floor life” of four decades, make sure to pick a style that has that type of longevity.

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Not Your 1950's Linoleum