You may be looking at your tired old kitchen and thinking it could do with a little freshening up. You might also be lamenting the fact that you can't afford a full-scale renovation right now.

Not to worry. There are still plenty of updates you can make to the room without spending a fortune, and they will be just as effective in sprucing up the space.

Get scrubbing

OK it's not an update per se, but you'd be surprised at the difference a little elbow grease can make to the overall look of your kitchen.

Over time, grease and dirt can gather around your hob and cooker hood, while limescale can surround your kitchen taps. Give everything a good scrub and it will look shiny and new once more.

Experiment with colour

Painting the walls of your kitchen doesn't cost much yet it can have a real impact. Alternatively, you could update your cabinets by turning them a calming shade of blue or a vibrant shade of orange.

Create shelving

All you need to do to create some shelving in your kitchen is to remove a cabinet door or two. Sure, you'll need to think carefully about what goes into that cabinet and keep it tidy, but if you've got a lovely collection of wine glasses or a nice set of colourful mixing bowls you want to show off as a feature in the room, then now's your chance.

Change your fixtures and fittings

Whether it be a new kitchen mixer tap or some funky cabinet handles, those little updates can go a long way towards making your kitchen look revitalised.

Get gardening

The great thing about growing your own herbs or vegetables in tubs on your kitchen windowsill is that you can enjoy their taste and their aesthetic appeal. Your kitchen will look instantly more inviting with some fresh produce on show, so get planting. You can also add a splash of colour with a well-tended fruit bowl filled with exotic varieties.