How to Update Cabinetry Without Breaking the Bank

Our cabinets offer so much to our kitchens and bathrooms. They serve a functional purpose, yes. But we want them to look great. And they also help navigate the entire look of the room!

So their functions are both ongoing and multifaceted! But sometimes, we need a new look, but don’t necessarily need new cabinets.

Whether we’re looking for a cost savings solution or utilizing the solid bones of what is already in place, there are some great ways to update cabinetry without breaking the bank.

Repainting the Cabinets

Paint is our friend. It gives us endless options to update cabinets with little cost and little effort. And even after all our years in the construction and remodeling industry, we never fail to be amazed by the wonders that can be accomplished through a new coat of paint!

A faded color can bring the whole room down, and it might not even be clear that it’s doing that. Often, once a new coat of paint is in place, homeowners are shocked by how much the cabinets seem to elevate the room — and that’s even if using the same color as before.

If you’re planning to change colors, that adds a whole new layer of possibilities to change the style and mood of the room.

Make A Statement With New Cabinet Handles

Invest in some fun or elegant new cabinet and drawer pulls to give new personality to your cabinetry! No one said a handle has to be simple! Let your hardware make a statement!

You’ll have options about the handles’ design and color. You can either coordinate the colors, such as using a matte grey on dark cabinets, or create contrast with a move like using black handles on light colored cabinets.

If your cabinets are unpainted and wood-toned, brass handles can give an elegant look.

Cabinet Lighting

You don’t necessarily need an electrician to add interesting lighting under your cabinets. Not only do they add functionality to your kitchen or bathroom, but they also give an automatic upgrade to your room.

The room itself will have a higher end feel with cabinet under-lighting, and you’d be surprised what a difference it can make to working with the counter tops underneath even with ceiling lights on.

And in the evenings, the under-lighting can provide a more subtle light when the main lights might have been too much. (Like a night light, but covering a greater area.)

Adding Crown Molding to Cabinets

Crown molding may be one of the easiest, most inexpensive ways to polish off a space and automatically make your room look more high-end.

The addition of crown molding at the top of the cabinets adds height and sophistication, and is another way to add some personalized style to an existing set of cabinets.

Removing the Cabinet Doors

If your space feels crowded, remove some cabinet doors in order to open up the space.

Of course, this technique demands staying organized, but open shelves with stacks of bowls or dishes or glassware give a great look to a kitchen!

Another option, if you don’t want to completely have your cabinets open, is to replace the door insets with glass. Even an etched or patterned glass can make a huge difference, and it costs approximately 20% of what it would cost to replace the cabinets altogether.

Our team has helped save hundreds of homeowners money through the years by employing these simple techniques to their existing cabinetry. We call this kind of a project a refresh — it’s a cost-effective way to get a new look without the full-scale remodeling project.

We are happy to help!

Contact us at Kelly@LaelHomes.com or 336.462.6072 to learn more!

And in the meantime, look on our social media pages for examples of some of the incredible cabinetry transformations we’ve completed at Lael Homes.

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