How can I improve my kitchen without spending a fortune??

[Seaviewsunshine]

We’ve lived in our house for 18 months and spent a lot of money upgrading heating/electrics/roof etc and now run out of money to do the kitchen. One day we would love to do an extension but that’s a pipe dream at the moment. Anyone got any good but cheap ideas how I can improve it...it’s dark and uninviting at the moment.

Sunny that’s a very good idea about the tall cupboard! My DH is very capable so could do that.

We had thought we could put a range cooker in the gap where the hole and the cooker is. Just the expense (even 2nd hand ones!). The big block above the cooker is big bit of wall and very solid!!

I love the utility room, so useful.

Im waiting to afford an Everhot, so in the meantime Ive brought a cheap range style oven, a Beko from co-op it was £600 and actually is really sturdy and looks pretty good.

You could move the hob cupboard into the gap on the left and then have the range in the hob and existing oven space - with the tiled wall behind. Then have DH make some sort of range hood to include the bit of strange wall!

Then a gap to the tall cupboards (still waiting for my DH to build ours).

I would change the lighting, not spots, too expensve to retrofit, but multiple moveable lights on a track.
www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/lighting/ceiling-lights/hektar-ceiling-track-3-spots-white-art-90336296/

Tiles are easy to paint, but preparation is the key. They must be spotlessly clean. Paint each tile separately with a very small sponge roller.

Get pale washed oak planks laminate flooring.
Change the tiles.

Something like these in laminate. Wide boards. Not too wide though.
Fresh tiles on the wall.

How about changing the door that leads out to the utility room with a glazed one and likewise the one that leads from the utility room to outside?