Making kitchen upgrades is an easy way to increase your home’s resale value, and your cabinets are a great place to start! There are many great ways to upgrade your kitchen cabinets that won’t break the bank, and most of them will only take about a weekend to complete. If you’re interested in learning how to make old cabinets look modern, here are nine ideas suitable for DIY homeowners of all ability levels.
1. Add a Coat of Paint
If your home’s current kitchen cabinets are still in good condition, one of the easiest and most cost-effective options is to pick a new finish and paint your cabinets. Even if you choose a designer color, a fresh coat of paint is a very budget-friendly option. The color of your painted cabinets will set the tone for the rest of your kitchen decor, so be sure to decide what new look you hope to achieve and choose your colors carefully.
Chalk-style paint offers a great rustic look for a country kitchen theme, and neutral colors allow you more options as you decorate other areas of your kitchen. Alternatively, you could go for a new stain. It will take a lot more work to sand and stain your cabinets, but it gives them a great new look at a fraction of the cost of new cabinets.
2. Replace the Hardware
Another alternative to replacing kitchen cabinets is switching out the hardware. New drawers and door pulls are available in hundreds of styles and finishes. You can find a wide selection online or at your local home improvement retailer. You might need to sand and touch up the paint around the base of the door pulls, but if you buy new hardware in the same width, you won’t have to drill new holes in your cabinet doors or drawers.
3. Create Open Shelving
Many homeowners looking for new ways how to make old cabinets look modern are choosing to take away a few of the doors to create open shelving in their kitchens. Space is always at a premium in the kitchen, and removing a few cabinet doors is a great way to give a small kitchen a more open look. You can also install additional accent shelves in the kitchen or add under-the-cabinet hooks to free up extra counter space.
4. Add Glass Inserts
If you don’t want to remove your cabinet doors, adding glass inserts is another excellent way to open up the space. You can open up a few cabinets to showcase your family china or add glass inserts to the cabinet doors nearest your stove to create a space that gives your food preparation area more style and functionality.
5. Reface the Doors
Homeowners looking for ways to make old cabinets look modern on a budget often hire a professional carpenter to add new veneers over their existing doors. But, you can reface your cabinets as a DIY project. Beadboard paneling is an easy way to add texture to otherwise plain doors, and you can frame the beadboard with molding to give it a more finished look!
6. Install Crown Molding
Gray cabinets offer a classic look, and you can add a touch of class with white crown molding. Once you get more confident using your miter saw, you might want to use leftover molding to embellish the front of your cabinets. Be sure to paint your baseboards the same color as your molding to maintain a consistent visual theme from floor to ceiling.
7. Add a Tile Backsplash
A tile backsplash offers a lot of style and function for a modern kitchen, and it’s easier to install than you think! Be sure to select a tile pattern that complements the color of your cabinets, and don’t be afraid to choose something bold. For best results, replace your existing drywall with a backer board before installing the tile. The backer board ensures that you’ll have a waterproof surface, and it helps you avoid future structural damage and cracks.
8. Get Organized
When you’re planning DIY kitchen cabinet makeovers, it’s just as important to upgrade the insides of your cabinets as their exterior. Take some time to find creative solutions for the areas that get cluttered. Roll-out shelving is an excellent option for the cabinets that hold your pots and pans because it enables you to access all those hard-to-reach areas in the back quickly. You can find a variety of drawer dividers to help you keep your silverware organized and wire racks for all those non-stackable lids.
9. Upgrade Kitchen Lighting
Your kitchen needs plenty of task lighting for food preparation, and you can install additional lighting underneath your cabinets to have ample light throughout the kitchen. You can also install recessed lighting over your cabinets to create extra warmth and ambiance. LED lighting offers more lumens, and it uses a fraction of the wattage of conventional bulbs.
Be sure to take some time to learn about LED color temperatures and select bulbs that fit your kitchen’s color scheme. Bulbs with a 3,000K color temperature are suitable for kitchens with natural woodgrain cabinets. You’ll want to install bulbs between 4,000K-5,500K if you have white cabinets.
Upgrading Your Cabinets Is Easy and Affordable
Upgrading your cabinets is an affordable alternative to installing new wholesale cabinets, and it’s a great way to breathe some new life into an older kitchen. Some kitchens have unusual spaces that just don’t work, and you shouldn’t be afraid to think outside the box. You can convert an area into a dedicated spice rack. Or you can custom-build a one-of-a-kind wine rack to be a great new focal point for your bistro-style kitchen. A creative homeowner can easily transform a kitchen’s weaknesses into strengths, and you’re only limited by your own imagination when you make kitchen upgrades!
By HomeLight Homes
