1. Paint

Paint doesn’t have to be expensive, and a fresh new colour can make the room look quite different. Plus, with cupboards etc covering a lot of wall space, you won’t need to paint much. Just think how cheerful a lovely bright yellow would look.

2. New Curtains

Are you handy with the sewing machine? Pick up some fabric and run up a pair of simple curtains, or check out your local shops. There are some great designs that would work well in a kitchen – and you don’t have to pick something with a food theme. Be as creative as you want!

3. Flowers

Fresh flowers can cheer up any room, especially if they are picked from your own garden. Of course, it’s not flower season at the moment, but there are bargains to be had from market stalls, or at the end of the day in supermarkets. So buy some cheerful blooms as often as you can afford them!

4. Herbs

Dried herbs are handy to keep in the cupboard, but the fresh variety are so much nicer. They’re not difficult to grow, so why not have your very own indoor herb garden (especially if you live in a flat). The aroma of fresh herbs might encourage even me to cook!

5. Plates

There is such a wide variety of dinner sets available at reasonable prices that a new set is easily affordable. Look for a set that can be displayed in a rack, as then you can enjoy the design (I have my eye on a lovely flowery set).

6. Scent

We all know the old trick about baking fresh bread to make the house smell nice when you’re selling it. Still, we can’t spend all day baking, so there are other simple ways to cheer up your kitchen with scent. Try diluting a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle of water for a natural air freshener, hang up dried herbs, or have some scented flowers.

7. Fun Glasses

I have a set of glasses with cartoon cats on them, and they really cheer me up when I look at them, because they’re fun. Glasses are so cheap, so forget about boring plain ones and pick up some with a fun design.

8. Clean

A clean kitchen undoubtedly makes for a brighter kitchen. So give it a good once-over every now and then, cleaning the bits you normally miss out. Getting rid of the accumulated fluff under the fridge may not be fun, but it will feel good to know it’s not there any more!

What other tips can you share with us for cheering up your kitchen – or do you go in there as little as possible?

Top Photo Credit: supershoppertoo