This list is for you if you want to reface, restore, or freshen your kitchen cabinets without doing an entire remodel.
Here is a list of 10 methods that require no more than some common household items and a few hours of your time, and range from simple DIY projects to ready-to-use kits.
Prime and paint kitchen cabinets
The black cabinets in your kitchen make the space seem like a cave since they absorb all available light. But if you want to give your space a more cheerful feel, you don’t have to throw out those old, dark cupboards just yet. If the frames and doors are in good shape, a weekend of cleaning and painting can completely transform your kitchen from dismal to bright.
To add some character to your kitchen cabinets, consider the following:
Crackle
Color is a game-changer. Simple cabinets can be transformed into shabby chic, rustic, provincial, or futuristic with the help of some well-placed color. Some of our favorite imitation finishes that can be used to update your kitchen’s look are listed below.
This antique look is achieved with a “crackling glaze” that may be purchased from hardware stores or home improvement centers. Put the glaze on top of the dry base coat and brush it in one direction (thick for large cracks and thin for fine cracks). Once it is dry, apply a flat top coat of the base color in a direction perpendicular to the glaze and let it dry again. About an hour after painting, cracks will appear in the paint due to the drying process.
Distressed
This weathered, worn, or otherwise abused surface has a layered, multicolored, and splattered-on-dark-paint rustic finish (to mimic fly specks). When the paint is completely dried, you can “distress” the finish by slamming a chain against it and lightly sanding the areas where the cabinets are used the most.
Antiqued
This homey style suggests a patina acquired over time. You can hasten the aging process by lightly brushing the surface of detail trim, corners, or seams with a paintbrush dipped in a color lighter than the cabinets, then wiping off the excess into a cloth until the brush is almost dry.
Super Shiny
A high-gloss surface not only mimics the look of metal or glass in a contemporary setting, but it also repels unclean fingerprints better than any matte (and is easier to wipe clean). Painting a high-gloss clear acrylic varnish over the last coat will give your cabinets a crystalline sheen and depth.
Refinishing Cabinets in the Kitchen
Especially for the manner she passed out holiday cookies she prepared herself, that elderly lady you bought your house from is lovely. However, the space where she baked them is unsightly. What’s old is fresh again, but not on those cabinets covered in grease and scratch marks from the kids.
Nobody is suggesting that you knock everything down and start over. You may save a ton of money by refacing your existing cabinets for less than $1,000 rather than purchasing brand new ones for $5,000, for example. A fresh coat of veneer and some new doors may do wonders for a dingy room. Both can be purchased from suppliers in the woodworking industry, with some manufacturers even providing a veneer that can be applied with a simple peel and stick. Just remember the old adage, “measure twice, cut once.” The kitchen can appear like new in no time if you take your time and do a thorough job.
Put in a shelf that slides out of the cabinet
Installing a pull-out shelf in one or more of your kitchen’s base cabinets is an easy way to maximize the space you already have. The shelf is designed to be pulled out like a shallow drawer, making it simple to get to whatever might be stashed away in the depths of the cabinet.
Install lighting beneath cupboards.
Something is lacking in the average American kitchen, and it’s not a $7,500 stove or a 4-acre refrigerator. Good lighting is all there is to it. Undercabinet task lighting is installed easily behind upper wall cabinets and casts a bright white light onto the countertop, making it ideal for everything from chopping vegetables to reading recipes.
To create dramatic accent lighting or a night light for late-night snacking, simply connect the fixtures to a dimmer switch. Fear of electricity is normal; there’s no need to avoid this. If you turn off the power at the breaker box before beginning the installation, you won’t risk getting shocked.
Construct a Butcher’s Block Island
You may achieve a more rustic, at-home vibe by replacing the built-in cabinet-base island with a table-like piece of furniture that features a butcher-block top. These thick wood-slab tops are more durable than flat-laid wood due to the exposed edge or end grain. This means they are more durable than laminate and nearly as tough as stone when it comes to warping and nicks.
To soften the industrial feel of stone countertops and stainless steel appliances, 19th-century worktable-style butcher-block islands are a great choice. A traditional look can be brought into your kitchen by building a prep island out of inexpensive materials or purchasing one of the many designs offered by stores and manufacturers.
Construct a Cabinet for Extra Storage
A sideboard is a great addition to any home because of the abundance of room it provides for storing dishes, serving pieces, and table linens.
Use a day to assemble unfinished 15- or 18-inch cabinets with doors and functional drawers (not the phony drawer fronts used for sink cabinets). For years to come, when you bring out your handsome creation, all eyes will be on you.
Install a Window Seat
Although window seats are a nice amenity, they are largely restricted to older houses with particularly deep dormers. Not to mention the fact that installing a window seat has long been seen as unnecessary luxury. To begin, locate a suitable window-equipped nook. A cabinetmaker or trim carpenter will next have to measure the window’s width and sill height before constructing the seat. This method is time-consuming and costly, as may be expected.
Through this easy DIY method, you can get the “niche,” the window seat, plus a ton of extra storage all in one go. The original design of this window seat was made to fit a 6-foot-wide window in a kitchen, but the concept is flexible enough to be applied to windows of varying sizes and locations. The chair’s construction includes crown molding and a total of six kitchen wall cabinets and two 48-inch-tall bookcase units. The window seat itself is comprised of two 15-inch-tall, over-the-refrigerator cabinets positioned side-by-side.
Put in a Plate Rack
Dishes could be stored discreetly out of sight. Another option is to find a way to showcase them if they are visually appealing; this will both free up much-needed cabinet space and inject some much-needed color into your cooking space.
Installing Crown Moulding on Cabinets
Mounting molding on a hardwood frame that rests above cabinets is a simple way to give your cabinets more character. Using a frame makes it possible to complete the detailed work on a bench rather than a ladder, and then to attach the crown from behind, eliminating the need to fill any nail holes. The frame and crown can be installed together, saving time during the process.
