Kitchen on a budget: 5 life hacks for savings without compromising on design and quality.

Different materials

A solid wood kitchen is the dream of many, but not everyone can afford it. Fortunately, solid wood can always be replaced with more affordable but equally beautiful and durable materials. For example, MDF: instead of the Farm model in the "Maria" kitchen studio, you can choose Mix or Rumba and save some money.

Do you like weathered surfaces? Instead of Acacia, take a look at Daniela or Nicolle: no one will know how much cheaper your kitchen turned out compared to the original price.

"Never buy a kitchen made of particle board!" - a representative of the older generation might tell you, or even a friend who isn't very knowledgeable about it. In reality, modern particle board (wood chipboard) has all the necessary quality certificates and comes with a warranty of up to twenty years. And no, it doesn't smell like cheap material!

Other options can be considered as well; for example, choosing facades made of a more expensive material for the upper half of the kitchen, and opting for a more budget-friendly material for the lower half. Alternatively, you can cleverly combine them on the same level.

You can also save on the countertop. The most expensive option is quartz. Options made of artificial stone cost slightly less. If the budget is limited, order a countertop made of first or second-category stone, without grooves, complex edges, curves, hotplate stands, and other additional options. The most economical option is countertops made of particleboard. "Maria" manufactures them from high-quality, reliable, and environmentally friendly materials.

Material costs money!

Regardless of the material you choose for cabinets and countertops, there's a rule: the more material you use, the more expensive the project will be.

What can you compromise on?

1.The height of upper cabinets.

Floor-to-ceiling cabinets are currently in style, but not everyone stores a year's supply of food or a hundred different kitchen gadgets. Calculate how much space you approximately need and order cabinets of standard height.

2.By choosing a built-in refrigerator

Undoubtedly, a refrigerator integrated into the kitchen design looks beautiful. But its 'enclosure' costs money, and built-in refrigerators themselves are usually more expensive than those installed separately. Besides, where would you put your collection of magnets if the refrigerator is hidden?!

3.With the number of cabinets

It's not necessary to occupy the entire wall space with upper cabinets. You can limit yourself to a couple of sections or even completely do without them, replacing them with open shelves. Especially since the streamlined upper part is trendy now!

4. Island

Need additional surface space? A bar counter will be cheaper than an island or peninsula with built-in cabinets (do you really have something to store there?).

Dear Trifles

When designing a kitchen, there is sometimes a desire to go all out and order something ultra-modern with curved facades and trendy decor—and something that opens with a light touch. These seemingly small details significantly increase the cost of the project, and you will probably stop noticing them in just a week.

Upper cabinets that open upwards instead of sideways look impressive. However, if you replace such an opening mechanism with regular hinges, the savings will be quite significant. The same goes for ordering ordinary drawers instead of those equipped with a hidden sliding system (where several drawers are hidden behind one facade), glass sides, or various organizational features.

The lights inside the cabinets or the black dishwasher may be charming, but with a limited budget, you can opt for simpler lighting and classic "metallic" colored accessories. Many of the things you desire can be purchased separately and integrated into the kitchen later, such as a "carousel" or a garbage disposal.

Appliances on sale

Manufacturers of kitchens often offer appliances not at a discount, but with a markup. It's not surprising that many buyers prefer to search for the necessary models separately. This issue should definitely be discussed when planning the future kitchen.

Sometimes, when buying 3-4 units of appliances, another one is given as a gift, or a discount is offered for loyalty to a certain brand, or last year's models are sold very cheaply (find ten differences from the new ones). Don't hesitate to ask!

A skilled designer

This person is responsible for much more than you think! They will not only design the kitchen to make cooking convenient but also help you navigate through promotions and special offers. And there are plenty of them at a good kitchen studio (for example, at the same "Maria's").

For example, it sometimes happens that when buying a kitchen, they give you a sink, or even a whole countertop. Sometimes—even a stone one! To make such offers, a kitchen studio needs to either negotiate with the countertop manufacturer or produce it independently. The latter is even more convenient in terms of logistics, assembly, and customization for the project.

Another option is a discount on the entire kitchen when purchasing accessories for a certain amount. Someone not interested in this might not realize that by buying, say, cassette holders for 5 thousand, you can reduce the total amount by 15. Significant savings!