Straightforward Home Upgrades for Kitchen Cabinets

Upgrading your kitchen cabinets does not need to mean replacing them or completely refinishing them. Simple changes like new seams or hardware on the doors transform the look of cupboards for much less than the cost of replacing them.

New Hardware

Replace obsolete or nondescript cupboard hardware using new pulls, hinges and knobs. Pick smooth pieces in colours like platinum or stainless steel for a sleek kitchen, or even proceed with retro- and vintage-style pieces to provide the cupboards a nation, rustic or shabby chic-style makeover. Buy matching hardware for all the cupboards — including drawers and cupboard doors — to provide the kitchen a cohesive appearance. Match cupboard hardware to appliances or other accessories in the room; for instance, if the refrigerator and oven have stainless-steel doors, stick with a similar finish for cabinet knobs. Assess the space between holes on cupboard handles to make certain you buy suitable replacements.

Open Access

Remove cabinet doors on a few or all of the wall-mounted cabinets to show off your set of dishware or teacups. Fill screw holes with wood putty, then paint over the putty to eliminate all of the signs of former holes and doors. Paint the insides of the cupboards a contrasting color like apple green or cobalt blue in white cupboards for a stunning background for your dishes.

Let There Be Light

Accent lighting beneath, above or inside the cupboards adds the heat of surrounding lighting to the kitchen after dark. Low-profile LED lights install under wall-mounted cabinets to emphasize the countertops under them; the exact same type of lighting may be within the cupboards beneath shelves in cupboards with glass-fronted doors or doors. Up-lights or rope lighting atop cupboards adds a warm glow close to the ceiling. Plug-in solutions allow for mild installation without contacting an electrician.

Textural Transformation

Insert decorative trim around the perimeter of apartment doors to provide them a customized appearance or swap out the doors for a handmade wooden frame of the identical size, backing the framework using chicken wire or hardware cloth for a rustic appearance. Add crown molding to cap the tops off of wall-mounted cabinets for a shapely upgrade. Faux-tin ceiling panels mounted to the exposed sides of cupboards or on cupboard door fronts, painted to match the cupboards, gives them a new appearance.

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