Stop being afraid of outdated kitchens

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Published Date 8/6/2025

The floor plan is perfect. The yard is just the right size, and you adore the curb appeal. Just one thing is wrong with the house you’re considering. The kitchen. It’s outdated, laid out a bit funky, and simply not the chef’s delight you’d hoped for. Dealbreaker?

Realtor.com’s Lambeth Hochwald asked a few pros, and those experts say it’s not nearly as big of a red flag as you might think. “A kitchen that hasn’t been updated in decades will have most buyers convinced they’ll have to spend a lot of time and money to redo it,” says contractor Bill Samuel.

He goes on to advise that there are plenty of ways to make your kitchen work without breaking the budget and the best thing? Even if you end up doing a floor-to-ceiling renovation, you’ll be 100% in control of where your dollars are going.

First off, a coat of white paint can work wonders, according to Samuel. Cool, neutral, or warm white? “Cool whites have a darker tint (blue, black, etc.), neutral whites are the bright whites (plain white), and warm whites have a lighter tint (yellow, red, etc.),” he says. To be sure, paint a small section of the wall, then observe the colors over a few days. Then stand back and consider how the wall looks in direct sunlight, overcast light, and artificial light.

Now that the walls have brightened up the room, how about a bit of open shelving? It’s a great way to give your kitchen a low-cost makeover and some individual style, according to Connecticut-based Realtor Mike Gregor. Shelves can be sleek and minimalist or rustic-industrial. Gregor likes a bit pricier white oak shelves that can be customized to the exact dimensions you need.

The key to true style? Keeping those shelves simple by avoiding overcrowding. Less is more with open shelving. “Instead of exhibiting every piece of glassware and china, choose favorite everyday objects that can stack to provide depth, color, and intrigue.”

Got space for a breakfast bar? It takes significantly less space than a table and chairs, can be used to prepare and serve food, and adds a point of architectural interest. No one knows this better than northern California homeowner Dena Kouremetis, who, after several years of dreaming about it, took their 1996 kitchen from an outdated u-shaped room with a breakfast nook to a huge open concept layout, eliminating the breakfast nook and peninsula entirely. “My very social husband prepares amazing food, and I noticed our guests just wanted to watch him in action while socializing with him,” she said. A set of cool bar stools not only face him now, but our dinner guests can also snack on his hors d’oeuvres atop the island as they are entertained by him.”

Samuel weighs in on eliminating a peninsula in favor of an island: “It’s as easy as installing new larger countertops with a big overhang—provided you make sure the overhang is properly supported,” he says. If your existing layout doesn’t have a peninsula, then you’ll need to redesign your layout a bit—which could be as simple as adding a standalone island.

Old flooring? Why not lean in a bit? “Those black and white tiles are always in style,” says Hochwald. Alternatively, Gregor suggests peel-and-stick flooring: “It’s easy to use and can transform an unsightly kitchen floor into one that looks updated—and clean.”

Of course, changing out cabinet and drawer fronts or replacing your countertops with stone, quartz, or porcelain can offer an instant update as well. A great idea is to have a big box store kitchen expert come to your home and offer tips. They usually offer to credit the fee they charge toward buying their services, products, or appliances. Win win.

Realtor, TBWS

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