10 Updates to Make Your Kitchen Cabinets Look New Again

Whether your kitchen cabinets are boring or have seen better days, you have lots of options for achieving a new look that don’t include shelling out for replacements. From a fresh paint job to useful add-ons, here are 10 ways to update and enhance your existing cabinets inside and out so they meet your needs and look as good as new. 

1. Stain Your Cabinets

If your cabinets are in good condition, you can stain them. This means cleaning, then sanding or chemically stripping the existing finish, and applying new stain. 

Since wood stain tends to have more water than paint, it lets the tone and natural grain of wood shine through. The current go-to stain shades are very dark (think true black, ebony, or espresso), gray, and brown (such as walnut, pine, mahogany, or golden oak). For visual contrast, select a hue that contrasts with your flooring. So if your floors are white, consider true black for your cabinets.

2. Paint Your Cabinets

Unlike stain, paint is opaque and hides wood grains and tones. For this reason, painting is a smart approach for cabinets that aren’t in the best condition. As with stain, you’ll need to clean, sand, and chemically strip the existing finish before applying primer and paint. Popular paint color choices include neutrals (especially white, beige, gray, and black), blue, and green. Make sure that the hue you select meshes well with your backsplash and flooring. 

3. Reface Your Cabinets

Refacing is the most dramatic way to rehab your kitchen cabinets without replacing them. With this approach, you keep the cabinet boxes, apply a new finish material to their surfaces, and install new doors, drawers, and hardware. If you pursue this approach and hire a cabinet refinisher, your cabinets should look completely new.  

4. Remove Some Cabinets 

If you feel like your kitchen is too boxy, consider removing some of your upper cabinets and replacing them with open shelves. Open shelves will give your space an airier look and provide you with space to display collectibles, plants, and cookbooks. Alternatively, you can move some cabinets and reconfigure them for a new layout.

5. Play With the Doors

Removing cabinet doors can break up the monotony of a wall of cabinets. Whether you replace them with glass-front doors or leave the space exposed, you can show off dishes, art, and more. 

6. Add More Cabinets

If you’re lacking storage space, ask your cabinet maker to fabricate additional cabinets, like a kitchen island or sideboard. You can frame up more space with a DIY cabinet carcass. For kitchens short on square footage, toe-kick drawers placed between your lower cabinets and the floor provide an opportunity for hidden storage—they’re a great spot for pet food and water bowls.   

7. Decorate the Interiors

Add color and excitement to the insides of your cabinets with removable wallpaper or paint. For visual impact, try a contrasting hue, like yellow if you have dark blue cabinets, or a pattern. Although your guests won’t notice this update, you’ll appreciate it every day.

8. Upgrade Your Storage

Although improving the storage of your cabinets won’t amp up their style, it will up their organization potential by putting every inch of space to good use. Some ideas for adding storage: pull-out shelves, drawer dividers, hanging storage bars, a pegboard organizer, lid storage, and rotating spice racks.

9. Illuminate Your Cabinets

Interior lights will allow you to easily see your food, dishes, and collectibles at night. Under-cabinet lighting will show off your backsplash and shed light on your countertops, which is especially handy when you’re prepping meals and tackling other kitchen tasks.

10. Change the Hardware

 Updating knobs, pulls, and mechanisms—as well as the hardware placement—is a surefire way to transform the look and functionality of your cabinets. Decide whether you want the hardware to be a design focal point or blend into your space, keeping in mind that matte and muted finishes are currently popular.

Beyond that, you can buy electric-assist hardware that allows you to open and close cabinets with a single touch, as well as knobs and pulls that are easier to grip to make your kitchen more accessible. You can also ask your cabinet contractor to retrofit your existing drawers to make them soft-close or full extension—both are in-demand features.