You don't have to go all out in cost to make your kitchen look amazing. Use some tricks of the trade to make your kitchen appear to be much more expensive and luxurious than your wallet put out. Use decorative tiles on the backsplash sparingly.

Mix high end with low end finishes wisely. Consider exquisite cabinet pulls on inexpensive cabinets.

Who says you need closed cabinets everywhere. Open shelves are so trendy right now and can be much less expensive than closed cabinets.

Splurge on an awesome faucet. The sink is less noticeable so you can spend less on that to counter the cost.White appliances are less expensive than stainless ones and are still a classic choice and can look great! They blend nicest with white cabinets, which is the most classic kitchen choice anyway.Countertops can be very expensive so consider your options as your starting point. Some granite colours, for example, are 1/2 the price of others so it's a good place to start the colour scheme.

And don't discard laminate counters. There are colours and edges that make them look like real stone at bargain prices compared to solid surface.

Remember to mix high end with low end and to shop wisely. A great kitchen that can last for years doesn't have to cost a fortune to look like it did.