3 Budget-Friendly Kitchen DIYs That Look Expensive
By Kristin DiversiDengarden
arena
Have you ever looked around your kitchen and thought it looks fine, but could use a few more details? Maybe the appliance fronts don't match. Cleaning supplies end up piled wherever there's space. The area around the stove feels strangely blank.
That's part of why these kitchen DIYs that creator @surryplace shared a few weeks ago work so well. None of them involves tearing out cabinets or starting from scratch. They add small details that change how the kitchen looks once everything is in place.
Next, you'll want to decide whether you want your herbs together or apart-and what kind of herbs you plan to plant.
For example, I planted thyme, dill and parsley in one container together, and kept basil in its own pot due to its different watering needs.
img_5134.jpg
Other herbs you could consider planting include:
Mint
Rosemary
Oregano
Sage
Lavender
Chives
You'll want to do some research as to what herbs go best together, and which are better on their own. Mint and basil each do especially well on its own due to its invasive nature. Some herb combinations that grow great together include:
Rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano
Chives, cilantro and parsley
Marjoram and oregano
Lavender, Rosemary and Thyme
Pot Them Up
Once you know your herb combo, all you need to do is place them in the right size container. For herbs being planted solo, any small pot that fits on your windowsill will do.
If you're planting multiple herbs in one container, it's best to get a deep, rectangular pot or a metal tub with drainage holes. The individual plants can fit a little snug, so long as they have vertical room to grow.
Environmental artist Nelson ZêPequénol 3D- printed his own planters to perfectly fit his ledge. But if you don't want to "make your own", it may be helpful to measure your windowsill to find the perfect planter for your space.
Then there's the stove hood. You can build a full-custom hood, customize an existing one, or purchase one from a homeware store, but almost any version draws the eye upward and makes the kitchen feel more pulled together.
What makes all three projects stand out together is that they don't rely on expensive materials or bringing in expensive experts. They're mostly about making ordinary kitchen elements blend together more seamlessly and making one of the most-used rooms in your home look more cohesive.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 3:18 AM.
Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
