6 Kitchen Cabinets Makeover Ideas Without Replacing Your Existing Ones

This is a great guideline made to help inspire your next kitchen cabinet makeover, and on a budget!

Do your kitchen cabinets need replacement? If you are looking to replace your old kitchen cabinets, reconsider your thoughts. There are other things you could do instead, like updating them. 

A kitchen is perhaps the most expensive room to renovate, and even painting or changing the cabinets seem to cost more than a couple of thousand dollars. But buying new cabinets might not be your call right now, especially if you’re short on budget. Before hiring a pro to do the job, read the following smart tips on how to upgrade your kitchen cabinets, and on a budget. 

1. Paint the Cabinets

New cabinetry can take between 30% and 40% of the kitchen to remodel. So, if you are happy with their location and functionality, but not with the finish, consider painting them, instead of replacing them. It’s a fairly cost-effective solution, but also a fun DIY project. Your wallet will thank you later. For a fresher airily look, remove the doors of some of the cabinets and create open shelving. 

2. Prepare Before You Start Painting 

If you’re not doing it yourself, then you might keep an eye on the painter. Here are some tips to help you get it done right.

• Prepare before you pick up a paintbrush – if the walls are cracked or have holes in them, no amount of paint will cover them. Fill the holes first, and caulk all seams. Any uneven spot must be smoothed out. If you’ve decided to hire a company to do it for you, then make sure they do it right.
• When’s the best time to paint your kitchen? The walls should be painted before you change/update kitchen cabinets, as this will help reduce labor costs, eliminating paint drips on the cabinets and tiles. Ensure there’s a perfect line between them on the wall. 
• The shininess of the finish impacts how easily the area could be cleaned out. Choose semi-gloss on the trim, satin for the cabinets, and eggshell for the walls. 

Color changes everything. The style of the cabinets is the heart of the kitchen – you can choose from simple style to rustic, modern, provincial, shabby chic, etc. There are other kitchen designs, of course, including stone, metal, glass, embossed ceramic, metal ceiling tiles, etc. It’s important to choose something that reflects your tastes. 

3. Put Undercabinet Lighting 

There’s something that most people don’t consider when remodeling kitchens: simply good lighting. Hidden fixtures of undercabinet task lighting it’s a fairly easy way to add lights to your kitchen for reading recipes, dicing veggies, and so on. Pro tip: connect the fixtures to a dimmer switch to add a more dramatic accent lighting or a bit of light for midnight snacks. 

If you’re afraid to DIY, then get instructions from the internet, searching how to install under cabinet lighting.

4. Building a Window Seat

Large windows are attractive, let’s face that, but only a few homes have them. Adding a window seat has always been considered elegant but cozy at the same time. So, why not build a window seat to fit the size and sill height of the window? It does not come out as a surprise that this approach is a bit expensive, maybe time-consuming, but the result it’s wow. 

However, it’s a DIY approach that can be adapted for any size window in almost any home. The seat can be made of about six kitchen cabinets and around 50-inch-tall bookcase units. A window seat is definitely a great approach for any home. What are you waiting for? Write down on your shopping list the tools you need to build a window seat. 

5. Add More Kitchen Cabinets! 

If you’re tired of the overflowing drawers and kitchen cabinets in your home, here’s a solution: add more kitchen cabinets! It will greatly improve your kitchen’s storage space. Kitchen cabinets are always a great investment, but they might not be the best option for all kitchens. So, what to do? Before you start your kitchen cabinet shopping, consider some things about your kitchen first, like:

Do you have upper wall space? Then adding cabinets might be a great use of the space and the existing countertops. If you don’t mind using a scale to look for cutlery in the above cabinet, then it’s a simple way to increase your kitchen’s storage, and without making massive changes. 

Knock out two birds with one stone – if you have lower wall space and need more storage to work with, add more cabinets! It might be a great option for your kitchen. 

However, there might be too small kitchens and cabinets might not fit well, as it will make your kitchen even smaller. You need more storage, not to create a messy space. Also, a little decluttering might be more important than you think. Before thinking of buying new kitchen cabinets, consider scaling down your kitchen inventory and making the most of the space. Getting rid of the things that aren’t used anymore, or never have been can greatly improve the kitchen’s organization. 

6. Get the Look!

Unless you’re shopping for something truly atypical, you can find many custom cabinets without spending a fortune. Consider stock cabinets – they’re less expensive and offer great style and finishes. Or, you could go for semi-custom cabinets, available in many styles, options, and features, allowing you to create a personalized look for your kitchen. 

Whether you need to help hang stylish detached shelves or need a full remodel of your cooking space, you can find various services to help you turn your kitchen exactly how you want it. There are plenty of kitchen trends for 2022, with classic and more bold design styles. Whatever you’re aiming for, most of what you’re searching for is in the above list. 

The goal is to make it suit your personality and follow the inspirational tips above.