10 Tips for a Kitchen Cabinet Facelift

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Ryan Fitzgerald Ryan Fitzgerald
Jan 17, 2024 9 min read
10 Tips for a Kitchen Cabinet Facelift
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Tips for a Kitchen Cabinet Facelift

Do you want to give your kitchen cabinets a facelift and are wondering how to do it affordably? Keep reading to learn more about how to give your cabinets a facelift. 

If you are a project lover and love fixing up things, home makeovers are your favorite. With many current trends as well as changing trends, it can cost a lot to remodel your home through professionals and companies. 

Cabinets often cover a large part of the walls, so painting them in different colors, refurbishing them, or just adding unique touches can dramatically change the whole look. If you like the cabinets in your home and they are in good shape, repainting is cost-effective and one of the best ways to revamp your home. 

Knowing how to DIY your own cabinets is a perfect way to upgrade your home's cost effect. Refreshing your kitchen is an easy task that you can do with standard tools, straightforward installations, and many other things that are affordable but can make your kitchen look new. 

Here are the tips for a kitchen cabinet facelift. 

1. Paint the Cabinets

To get a professional look, you need to make sure you get high-quality paint. It may cost more, but it will make it last longer, look better, and be more accessible than others. Oil-based paints are moisture and stain-resistant, which is a popular type for kitchens. 

Next, you need to find the right color. Color is one of the most important things when it comes to painting and decorating the interior of your home. The color you choose should complement your counters, floors, and other features and appliances throughout the room. White is one of the most popular colors because it brightens up any room. 

Painting the kitchen cabinets white

You need to make sure you follow all the steps and do not skip any because it will make a massive difference in the end. Some important things to remember are making sure you sand down the surface, remove all hardware, add your primer, do enough coats, and protect it. 

If you are thinking about painting your cabinets, check out DIY tips for painting your cabinets to help you with this project. 

2. Add an Undercabinet Lighting

In most homes, there is missing lighting in the kitchen. The hidden fixture of the undercabinet task lighting helps add a unique style as well as helps you see without using the overhead light. Adding this undercabinet light is very easy to install. 

Connect the fixtures to a dimmer switch, and you will also have a beautiful accent light or nighttime light. If you are not very good at working with electricity, do not worry. The installation of this light is simple and shock-free if you safely cut off the breaker box first. 

Under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen

3. Add Cabinet Crown Molding

Crown Molding trim transforms your kitchen storage into a seamless design and makes your cabinets look like they are custom. Adding extra things to your cabinets simpler by mounting molding on the hardwood frame above your cabinets is how to add the uniqueness that most cabinets do not have. 

Using the frame allows for detailed work and is a straightforward way to add it without any holes or complex assembly. Many people love this option to give their cabinets a facelift because it adds a nice little touch that is subtle but yet has a significant difference in the appearance of the cabinets. 

Crown molding at the top of the cabinets in the kitchen

4. Install New Hardware

Installing hardware for a kitchen cabinet facelift says it all. Hardware gets wear and tear throughout the years and can become rusted or broken over time. Adding new hardware to replace the old ones or getting new style hardware will make a huge difference in the kitchen look. 

Installing new hardware is a very cost-effective and easy way to give the cabinets a new look. You simply remove the old hardware by removing the screws, measure, and mark where your new holes will be, drill the new mounting holes, and install the new hardware. Simple and easy, it significantly impacts the cabinet's appearance. 

5. Replacing Doors

Making the decision to replace your cabinet doors is easy, but the hard part is choosing what kind of doors you want to replace them with. You can choose from custom doors, semi-costume doors, stock or ready-to-assemble, wood, veneer, or laminate. 

Replacing your kitchen cabinet doors can make your kitchen come alive, even if the kitchen is outdated. You can do this step without spending a fortune, which will make a huge impact. Even if there is a slight difference in your old doors, they will still look newer and better and make the kitchen look more attractive. 

6. Install New Countertops

Installing countertops is something many people do not think about. Cracks, stains, and scratches indicate that a brand-new countertop may be the best way to give your kitchen an updated look. Adding the right countertop will make the space look new again. 

On the other hand, if you ever plan on moving, having ugly countertops in bad shape will not get you much money in resale value, but adding new ones will make your home more acceptable to more buyers. 

Installing new countertops will also offer a more durable and easy-to-maintain surface that can withstand more daily wear and tear. New things always lead to improved functionality and make it more efficient. So whether it be for updated looks, durability, or more future buyers, installing new countertops may be the project for you.  

Adding new countertops to the kitchen cabinets

7. Upgrade Appliances

Upgrading appliances is something so tiny and may not make a huge impact, but it does have some. Having older appliances on your new counters or with new cabinets takes away from the updated style. You do not want to waste all that time updating your kitchen and ruining it with ugly and old appliances. 

New appliances are also more energy efficient and will save you money and the environment. On the other hand, more recent appliances have more practical benefits, such as space being designed and enchanted functionality. So, the look in your kitchen will look cleaner and nicer as well, and it may be easier to hide away from oversized bulky items on your counters. 

8. Add New Storage

Adding more storage will give your kitchen a higher value for your home and improve your quality of life. Kitchen storage is critical to the design and helps with the trend of a more open-plan style for less clutter. 

There are so many spaces throughout the kitchen that many people look past, but they can be used for storage. There is a space in between the fridge and cabinets that can be used for storage; adding taller cabinets adds more storage, and adding sliding shelves helps with wasted space and helps you stay organized. 

There are so many simple and little ways to add more storage and organization to your kitchen. Updating the look of your kitchen cabinets is essential, but if your kitchen is cluttered and messy, that takes away from all the work you put into it, so adding more organization will help set the kitchen appearance and functionality together. 

Adding new storage to the inside of the kitchen cabinet

9. Build a Window Seat

Window seats are a desirable option to revamp your home; only a few older homes seem to have them now. To build one, you need a niche that features a window. After that, you will need. A seat that is custom-built by a cabinetmaker to fit the exact width and height of the window. However, remember this option is one of the most expensive and time-consuming but has a huge impact on your kitchen. 

Most people want the window seat because it makes the kitchen more attractive, adds seating, adds an abundance of storage space, and is unique since many homes do not have it. If you are interested in building a window seat, search around for help and find the best way and option to do it for you. You will not regret it. 

10. Pros and Cons Of Cabinet Facelift

Doing a kitchen cabinet facelift can have many advantages as well as disadvantages. However, it all depends on what your preferences are and your lifestyle. Many people love updating things and being on trend, while others like the original style. Below are a few pros and cons of the facelift that may help you decide whether it is right for you. 

Pros:

  • Retains the kitchen layout
  • There are many various options and styles
  • You save money
  • It is an eco-friendly option
  • DIY Project on your own

Cons:

  • May be time consuming
  • Can't change the layout much
  • Interiors can not be changed
  • DIY can be hard
  • Sometimes, costs may add up

FAQS

How to do a facelift on kitchen cabinets?

To reface your cabinets in the kitchen, you can do a couple of things. You can remove any existing drawers and cabinet doors, add new paint or stain, add new hardware, install new doors, add undercabinet light, or many other things. Updating your kitchen is simple and easy. 

What are the downsides of cabinet refacing?

Refacing your cabinets means that your kitchen layout will stay the same. You are just updating and improving the space and functionality. So, if you are looking for a more significant change and layout change, refacing may not be enough for you. 

How can I make my kitchen cabinets look better?

Refacing your cabinets will be done quickly, cost-effectively, and with minimal disruption to your kitchen. It takes less time than installing all new cabinets. The kitchen is a space that is used every day and is needed in a home, so doing a DIY project may take away from its functionality of it, but if you are refacing and adding new features, you will not have that issue. 

Tips for a Kitchen Cabinet Facelift

Cabinets often cover a large part of the walls, so painting them in different colors, refurbishing them, or just adding unique touches can dramatically change the whole look. If you like the cabinets in your home and they are in good shape, repainting is cost-effective and one of the best ways to revamp your home. 

Refreshing your kitchen is an easy task that you can do with standard tools, straightforward installations, and many other things that are affordable but can make your kitchen look new. Whether you want a new color, new style, or even added storage, you can do it easily on your own and change the whole look of your kitchen. 

Facelifting your cabinets is a great way to revamp your home cost-effectively. Many people enjoy DIY projects, so updating and adding to your cabinets could be the perfect solution if you're looking for a budget-friendly home makeover. 

Whether you are fixing up a home to sell, just bought a new home, or are repairing things to sell your home for a higher cost, giving the kitchen cabinets a facelift is something that can dramatically change the kitchen and the way your home looks. 

However, if you are interested in selling or buying a home, please contact us here or visit our website to connect you with one of our local agents at Raleigh Realty to help you.  

Ryan Fitzgerald
Written by
Ryan Fitzgerald
Realtor

Hi there! Nice to 'meet' you and thanks for visiting our Raleigh Real Estate Blog! My name is Ryan Fitzgerald, and I'm a REALTOR® in Raleigh-Durham, NC, the owner of Raleigh Realty. I work alongside some of the best Realtors in Raleigh. You can find more of my real estate content on Forbes, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and more. Realtor Magazine named me a top 30 under 30 Realtor in the country (it was a long time ago haha). Any way, that's enough about me. I'd love to learn more about you if you'd like to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram or connect with our team at Raleigh Realty. Looking forward to connecting!

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