The days are flying by! We are almost out of the month of January. We can’t leave this month without addressing a space that usually gets the short end of the revamping stick: The Kitchen. The kitchen usually gets neglected for several reasons. A major culprit is living in a rental property. You want a drastic change in appearance without spending a fortune. If you are stuck in a space that is dated and can only be improved superficially, no worries! There are several things you can do to introduce some personality into your kitchen. Here are 8 simple tips to give new life to your kitchen for the new year.

1. Tighten Up

Dress up your mundane cabinets to give detail to your kitchen makeover. You can go many different directions with your kitchen hardware. Colorful, classic, or completely unique. Give your cabinetry some character with these glazed Prismatic Spring Pulls. $8.00/eachanthropologie.com

2. Charismatic Chairs

Living in a metropolitan city, you are blessed and highly favored if you have a dining area in your kitchen. You cannot underestimate the importance of dining chairs. They set the tone of the space. Enhance your kitchen appearance with these mid-century inspired Woven Jacquard Hayden Dining Chair.  $89.99, worldmarket.com *P.S. All your dining chairs don’t have to match… take a walk on the wild side*

3. Temporary Wall Paper To The Rescue

Being a renter can seem a bit restrictive when you are trying to redesign your space. In comes temporary wallpaper to save the day! You can use this as an accent wall or even a backsplash. Tempaper has a gorgeous gold and white Peonies Paper that would look great as the backdrop in your kitchen. $98.00/roll, tempaperdesigns.com

4. Magic Carpet

People usually avoid putting a rug in the kitchen fearing that it will be ruined by daily activities. Indoor/outdoor rugs are ideal for kitchens. They are easy to clean and do well in high-traffic areas. Add coziness to you kitchen with this water resistant Natural/Chocolate Rug Set. $97.99, overstock.com

5. Substantial & Stylish Table

Right now, my sister and I are in the market for a new dining table. The key to finding the perfect dining table is to shop for a piece that is both fabulous and functional. Check off both of those requirements with this good quality, sturdy TMS Dining Table. $129.99, wayfair.com.

6. Suspended Style

Changing the suspended lighting can have a huge aesthetic impact on your kitchen. Choose a fixture that highlights the color of your room. The kitchen ceiling fixture can act as a floating piece of artwork. Enjoy the unique illumination from the Indian-inspired Desiree Metal Ball Pendant Lamp. $69.99, worldmarket.com

7. Great Timing

Personalize your kitchen and dress up your walls with a big clock. Choose one with color to add a pop to the space. Keep track of time in style with this bold, retro inspired Newgate Electric Wall Clock. $60.00, westelm.com

8. New Dishes

Buying new dinnerware can really give your kitchen some interest. Find a dinnerware set that is ideal for everyday use as well as eye-catching. Astonish your house guests with this Room Essentials 12 piece dinnerware set in energetic green. $19.99, target.com