Transform Your Space With Affordable Home Improvements

If the roller coaster economy has dampened your plans for sprucing up your home, then think again. You can make a dramatic change to an outdated kitchen without a huge investment. Create new excitement by simply replacing your countertop with one made from the latest generation of laminate.

Have you looked lately at the design possibilities this reasonably priced material can bring to your kitchen or bath? Today's laminate is more striking than ever before. The color and texture choices of Wilsonart® Laminate are amazing. It's possible to find laminate styles and finishes that take inspiration from granite, marble, glass -- even the surface of the moon -- sparing your budget in the process.

As today's kitchens have become more sophisticated with the use of high-drama materials like stainless steel, chrome, copper, and black glass, the adjoining countertop surfaces should complement these colors. When shopping for laminate materials that can complete the high-end look you desire, consider Wilsonart's just introduced Eclipse Series, with the light and dark dimensional look of engineered quartz surfaces, and Medallion, a rich layering of bronze, red and green shadowed in black that can be interpreted as metal, leather, or even a painted surface.

These are just two of the Wilsonart HD® High Definition® offerings from this laminate design leader. Wilsonart's Premium designs bring unparalleled clarity and depth to a new Gloss finish, thanks to AEON™ Enhanced Performance technology. These surfaces are up to three times more wear resistant than the industry standard and five times more scratch-resistant than previous Gloss-finish laminates. For more information on Wilsonart, visit www.countertop.com.

In addition to affordable and beautiful laminate countertops, here are some other improvements that have high impact without requiring a big financial investment:

Rather than replacing a dishwasher that doesn't match your other appliance's stainless steel theme, purchase stainless steel sheeting with an adhesive backing to apply over the front panel of the dishwasher to match the refrigerator and stove.

Remove your kitchen cabinet doors, sand and refinish with either new stain or paint. Replace the hardware and achieve a new look without having to spring for new cabinets.

Lighting can dramatically make over a room. Consider installing small task lights under cabinets to shed more light on countertop areas. Replace dated ceiling fixtures with new.

If you're replacing countertops, why not install a new sink as well? New Wilsonart® HD® Sinks provide more options for today's custom-minded homeowner, and are specifically designed to be undermounted to laminate countertops.