Ideas for a cheap kitchen update

I did it in a previous kitchen. Paint effects were very "in" at the time so I did a kind of blue wood effect with a kit. It worked!

The kitchen is still there, painted a different colour again. I don't live there now.

I'd definitely do it. Tile paint is really effective too. Mind you, I paint everything. There are some really good "craft" paints in B and Q.

In my rather grease-battered kitchen I've painted my old wallboards with Satin Paint and it looks much better. I've painted the walls in ivory (boring) but with a feature wall in graphic wallpaper (black and white) which you can colour in yourself. I've bought a long, leggy sideboard from BHF and painted that in yellow, to sit in front of the graphic wall. On that I have two tall lamps with bright pink shades. I like it!

Oh, and I have one of those black and white Ikea rugs. They seem to be the in thing at the moment, along with bright colours and an eclectic look.

I don't eat in my kitchen, though. Too narrow.