The kitchen is the centerpiece of your home. I’ll bet for most families, the function of the kitchen goes beyond simple cooking – kids doing homework, morning coffee, the place where party guests undoubtedly congregate.
If you’ve been looking around your kitchen and thinking it could use a facelift, you don’t need to venture into the realm of renovation. A complete kitchen do-over can be time-consuming, not to mention financially burdensome. Sometimes, an upgrade to your cabinets is all you need for a fresh, new look.
Take a look at our list below of the top five ways you can update your cabinets – all for under $100. Personally, I love under-cabinet lights and a fresh coat of paint. Read on to get your DIY juices flowing.
1. Color Change – If your kitchen is looking a little dated (still sporting a 70s avocado-green motif?), you can change the mood quickly and cheaply with a few cans of paint. For a modern and fun feel, try one shade on upper cabinets and a darker hue down below. Or, if you have an island, try painting the cabinets a different shade for contrast. To make a small space feel larger, go with lighter tones.
Proper prep is the key; make sure you get cabinets ready before you begin. For laminate and melamine finishes, for example, rough the surfaces with 150-grit sandpaper and start with a good bonding primer.
2. Lighten Up – In the olden days, shedding light on kitchen tasks required hard-wiring under-cabinet lights. No more. These days, you can add lighting under and inside cabinets with battery powered, peel-and-stick LED lights. The gadgets cost only about $8 each, so you can buy a bunch and scatter them around.
3. Accessorize – The knobs and pulls on your cabinets are like jewelry – you can dress your cabinets up or down. Depending on your taste and budget, there are myriad options out there, from mid-century modern to farmhouse themed to nautical inspired. If you want to keep your cost down, consider a multi-pack of simple, contemporary hardware at your local big box stores. You’ll shell out less than $20!
4. New Glasses – By simply changing the glass inserts in your cabinet doors, you’ll change the look and feel of your entire kitchen. For this upgrade, save some potential frustration and first check the backs of your doors to see if the center panel can be taken out. If so, consider decorative glass – whether contemporary- or antique-themed – to give your cabinets a custom look.
5. Break Out the Molding – Crown molding is a stunning addition in many areas of a home, and the kitchen is no exception. Adding some molding around the tops of cabinets creates a classy, sophisticated feel to your kitchen. An 8-foot length of three-inch, primed composite molding can cost as little as $20, so this trick can improve the look of both your kitchen and your budget.
