Life Style

Simple DIY Ways to Reinvent Your Kitchen Cabinets

By Tracy Anderson

Bad cabinetry is like bad pizza: it has no place in anyone’s kitchen. Dark, dingy, and outdated cabinetry can age an otherwise attractive kitchen. And because cabinets are so expensive to replace, many homeowners simply make due rather than attempt a remodel. Luckily, you can transform old and unattractive cabinets rather than replace them. Here are 9 ideas to inspire your next kitchen upgrade.

Hand in the Hardware

New hardware can go a long way to making old cabinets look new, and at almost no cost. For a timeless look, choose knobs and pulls with clean lines, in contemporary finishes such as brushed stainless or pewter.

White Kitchen Cabinets

Open the Doors

You may not want to fully commit to open storage (why showcase the mismatched Tupperware?), but a few open cabinets will add texture and interest to your kitchen. Make your own by removing cabinet doors and hinges, then giving everything a fresh coat of paint. Consider adding a contrasting paint color inside the cabinets to set off white dishes.

Open the Doors

You may not want to fully commit to open storage (why showcase the mismatched Tupperware?), but a few open cabinets will add texture and interest to your kitchen. Make your own by removing cabinet doors and hinges, then giving everything a fresh coat of paint. Consider adding a contrasting paint color inside the cabinets to set off white dishes.

Painted Perfection

A fresh coat of paint is sure to revive tired cabinets—no heavy machinery required. And don’t be afraid to go dark; this set of deep navy blue cabinetry is absolutely striking against its all-white surroundings.

navy blue painted cabinets

Stick to It

If you can’t afford new cabinet doors, fake them. This blogger created classic Shaker-style cabinets by adding trim to the existing doors.

DIY Kitchen Cabinets

Stand on Your Own Feet

Give your kitchen cabinets a more upscale feel with the addition of some custom-fit feet. All it takes is some plywood scraps, screws, and a bit of paint. Inspired to try this at home?

Custom Cabinetry

Fun with Fabric

Here’s a cabinet transformation you can turn around on a dime. Liven up a set of dreary cabinets in just a few hours, by pushing fabric-covered foam board in place at the back of the cabinets. When you need a change, simply swap them out for a new look.

DIY Open Shelving

Create Contrast

Break up the blah by using opposite colors to create a beautifully bold design statement. Bright white cabinetry, shelving, and painted subway tiles elegantly set off a row of sleek black drawers below.

Black and White Kitchen

Inspired by Wire

If you like the look of open shelving but want an extra barrier between your dishes and the outside world, here’s a happy compromise. Chicken wire can be used as a stand in for inset panels or glass. With a few strategically placed staples, this wire stays locked in place.

DIY Cabinet Doors

Add an Unexpected Element

Add an element of surprise to the kitchen by jazzing up a most unlikely spot—the toe-kick! Created with contact paper and tape, this lively design is fun, decorative, and 100% noncommittal.

diy open cabinets

 

 

 

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