Kitchen cabinets are one of the
most prominent features in your kitchen. If your
cabinets are looking worn or drab, it affects the
whole look and feel of your kitchen.
The good news is there are several
options available to you that can easily update your
kitchen with a modern look. Some options are
expensive and others are more economical.
If you like the cabinet layout and
the cabinets are in good condition, refacing or
resurfacing your kitchen cabinets may be a good
choice for you.
Refacing or resurfacing consists of replacing
the cabinet doors and drawer fronts with new ones
and then treating the cabinet frame with a matching
veneer. There are many types of woods and plastics
available for this, so your options are virtually
unlimited.
To get the best results, it’s
always best to hire a professional to do this work.
It can be quite expensive, though, ranging anywhere
from $3500 to over $10,000. The work usually takes
2-4 days, depending on how many cabinets and drawers
are involved.
If your cabinets are weak or
damaged or you just want to change their design,
replacing them entirely is another option.
Replacement cabinets may not cost much more than
refacing/resurfacing them, either. Brand new
cabinets can add more usefulness to your kitchen and
increase the value of your home, as well
If resurfacing or replacement of
your kitchen cabinets doesn’t fit your budget, there
are much less expensive alternatives.
My first choice for renewing the
look of kitchen cabinets is paint. What a difference
a coat or paint can make!
For a retro look you can use
splashy colors such as pink, turquoise or orange. Be
brave and paint designs on the cabinets or use
stencils or a faux finish. Add some matching
hardware and you’ve got new cabinets for less than
$300!
Another idea is to permanently
remove all the cabinet doors. This wouldn’t be
appropriate or even functional for every style of
kitchen. It might work well for a cottage kitchen
design or even an antique Victorian design. You
could line the shelves with lace or doilies that
flap over the edge to add to the look.
An alternative to completely
removing the cabinet doors is to replace them with
old windows that are the right size. You could also
create new doors from different types of materials
such as bamboo or fabric.
Another idea for resurfacing
kitchen cabinets is to wallpaper them or apply
contact paper. A plain pattern is best and, of
course, make sure it is washable. You don’t
necessarily need to cover the whole surface. You
could cut out different shapes or patterns and apply
them to the cabinet surface. This would be a good
short-term solution to freshening up your kitchen.
So there you have it. There are
many ways to make your kitchen cabinets look great
without breaking the bank!
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