Let’s be honest. We would love to remodel and upgrade almost every corner of our home. Unfortunately, that typically involves some careful planning, money and time. All things that most of us don’t have a lot of.

While you’re saving up and searching for the ultimate kitchen remodel on Pinterest, why not get a head start on the no-brainers. The easy wins. The low hanging fruit.

Here are some easy upgrade ideas for that sacred place, where all of us food and drink lovers spend most of our time, the kitchen.

Whether you’re looking for some basic tips or a complete kitchen remodel, here are simple and effective ways to get you started on the right path. Best of all, these simple upgrades won’t cost you an arm or a leg.

Here are our 3 favorite instant upgrades that no modern kitchen should be without:

1. Getting splashy with color

If your kitchen is suffering from the dullness of neutrality, adding splashes of color is the first place to start. Nothing attracts the eye more than contrasting color tones and it elevates your kitchen from basic to rock star status instantly. Highlighting certain features such as the cabinets, light fixtures and plants can do wonders for making your kitchen feel like a breath of fresh air whenever you walk in the room.

2. Go under the cabinet

Under cabinet lights are never a bad idea. Keep your countertops well-lit and looking sparkly clean as you do your chopping, slicing and pouring with style. Depending on your setup, these little disks of magic can be easily installed for less than you’d think.

But more than anything, they just make everything look really cool.

3. Let your lights lead the way

Pendant lights aren’t just pretty to look at, they’re also a great way to steer your guests to the ideal congregating area (in our case, the bar). A modern kitchen isn’t quite complete without hanging a set of stylish pendant lights to shed some light on your favorite meeting points.

Your new problem will be getting your guests to leave (and we can’t help with that).

Instant Kitchen Wins

Rome wasn’t built in a day and your dream kitchen won’t be either, but with these quick and simple tips, your kitchen can stand out from the pack. Who knows? Maybe your kitchen doesn’t need a complete overhaul, just a slight tweak here or there.

Sometimes it’s the little wins in life.