Changing Your Kitchen Without Replacing Your Cabinets

This year, many of us have been spending more time in our homes than ever before. We are gathering in the kitchen and making plenty of home-cooked meals with our families. With so much time at home, you might have noticed that your kitchen cabinets could use an update.

Replacing kitchen shelves and cabinets with a custom design can be an expensive undertaking. However, as long as they are in good condition, you can completely transform your kitchen cabinets’ appearance without entirely replacing them.

If your current cabinets’ design is functional, consider these professional remodeling options to give your kitchen an instant facelift. 

1. Paint your existing cupboard doors

Painting the doors that are already on your kitchen cabinets is a great way to change the appearance and refresh doors without replacing them. With time, wooden cabinets can start to fade and look worn, painting them can give them a whole new lease of life and change the entire look of your kitchen. When painting your cabinets it is best to use a water and grease resistant paint to avoid splash marks on the doors. 

2. Wrapping cupboard doors

Another popular method to change the look of your cabinets is to wrap them, the most common material used to do this is vinyl. Vinyl is a great choice for a number of reasons, one being that it is available in many different finishes such as high gloss, wood effect, matte and textured or patterned. It also comes in a variety of colours meaning you can choose something that matches your kitchen or something completely different for a contrasting look. A combination of heat and specialist tools are used to manipulate the vinyl to fit the shape of your cupboards and is a quick way to make a big difference in your kitchen. 

3. Adding under lighting

The addition of lights under kitchen cabinets can create a whole new feel to your kitchen. LED light strips provide a simple and cost-effective upgrade to your kitchen and can enhance your current cabinets by lighting them from underneath. The LED light strips are a popular choice due to their versatility. Often controlled by a remote, these lights have a number of settings such as the ability to change colours, flash, fade in and out or be dimmed. Whether you use them as mood lighting when the main light is off or to give your cupboards a pop of colour in addition to the main lights, the possibilities are endless.

4. Add a molding

Molding is a decorative strip of wood or fabrication that can be added to the top, sides or bottom of your cabinets. There are many different styles of molding, and it can be easily installed to add character to your cupboards. The strips of wood are usually fixed with nails but can also be secured with adhesive. This means that it can also be removed just as easily as it was installed, making it a perfect option for people looking for a non-permanent cupboard upgrade.

5. Replacing cupboard doors 

Replacing cupboard doors is the perfect solution to change the entire appearance of the kitchen without making changes to the actual cabinet structure. A cost-effective alternative to ripping out the entire cabinet system. Fitting the doors is simple and can be done without the need for a kitchen fitter, just attach hinges to the doors and then screw into place. 

While updating your cabinets, consider if you would like to add any additional upgrades to your kitchen. You may choose to update your countertop, replace old drawer slides or hardware, or add a convenient new pots and pans drawer. Refinishing and refacing your kitchen cabinets are two fantastic ways to revitalize your kitchen without having to spend a fortune.