Tips for Upgrading or Renovating Your Kitchen Cabinets

Renovating cabinets can be a great way to improve the look and feel of the kitchen. It might also help sell the home faster and for more money. Because they take up so much surface area, cabinets shape how residents interact with their kitchen. Quality cabinets can streamline the cooking process or encourage homeowners to spend more time relaxing at the breakfast bar. Learn more about the large and small ways homeowners can update or renovate their cabinets.

A Quick Refresher

Unless the cabinets are in extremely poor condition, experts recommend refreshing rather than replacing them whenever possible. When it comes to home renovations, small upgrades tend to have larger returns. This is because the value of a home is limited based on the value of its neighbors and surrounding areas. If the cabinet costs $15,000 to renovate, the value of the overall home may only increase by a fraction of the price. Refreshing cabinets may just mean replacing the fixtures or giving them a quick coat of semi-gloss enamel paint. Choose fixtures based on the style of both the kitchen and the overall home (e.g., modern, rustic, French country, etc.)

Staying Neutral

Homeowners who want their kitchen to appeal to future buyers should keep their kitchen colors neutral. No matter what province the home is located in, it's easier for people to imagine themselves living in a home if the cabinets are painted in neutral tones such as white or gray. This isn't to say that homeowners can't show off their creativity though. Interior decorators recommend painting the upper and lower cabinetry in complementary colors to give the upper and lower portions a little contrast.

New Ideas

Homeowners may need to think outside the box when it comes to renovating their cabinets. For example, adding under cabinet lighting can coat the kitchen in a warm glow while providing more visibility when chopping or dicing in the kitchen. Other homeowners will choose to reface their doors instead of replacing the full cabinets. This option is not only far less expensive than replacement, but it may be every bit as effective in terms of aesthetics. Finally, some kitchens may actually look more open if the cabinet doors are removed entirely.

Adding Function

If homeowners are planning to replace their cabinets, they should focus on adding functionality to the kitchen:

• Spice racks: Helps homeowners organize their spices, so they're not jumbled together.
• Spinning shelves: Allows residents to quickly spin the shelf and find the lid they're searching for.
• Base cabinets with drawers: Drawers mean homeowners don't have to reach back in the deepest corners of their cabinets.
• Built-in organization: Pegboard or dividers specifically designed for flatware or plates make it easy to set the table.

Windermere new home buyers are notoriously practical people on the whole, so homeowners should understand what they're looking for if they hope to increase their resale value. Buyers don't necessarily need to have sandalwood cabinets to inspire them to make an offer on the home. Instead, they're looking for easy ways to make a quick snack for their children or to reduce frustration when they have to prepare a week's worth of meals in a single day.

Homeowners who care about the cabinetry in their kitchen are homeowners who take pride in their property. However, there's no need to redo the cabinets just because their dark colors make the kitchen look outdated. Instead, homeowners can focus on practical additions that will give their kitchen a new look without overtaking their budget.