If you’re considering renovating your kitchen, there might be one thing standing in your way—the cost. Gutting an entire kitchen is a huge financial undertaking. It’s also a lot of work. You need to move all of your pantry items, dishes, and utensils for an extended period of time. Thankfully, there’s an easier and more affordable approach. Did you know that by refacing your original cabinets, you can save up to 50% of the costs of replacement cabinets? You might be wondering how to make your old cabinets look shiny and new. Thankfully, we have 10 kitchen cabinet refacing ideas that will make you feel inspired!
Read on to hear all about our kitchen cabinet makeover ideas!
10 Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Ideas
So what exactly is cabinet refacing?
With cabinet refinishing, it can be as simple as painting your cabinet doors to freshen them up. But when you reface cabinets, you remove the doors, reface the cabinet boxes and add new doors, drawers, hinges, and doorknobs.
Here are 10 amazing kitchen cabinet refacing ideas to help you give your kitchen a facelift!
#1. Cabinet Painting
If your cabinetry is in decent shape, consider cabinet refacing. It is amazing what painting your cabinet boxes can do to completely alter the look and feel of a kitchen.
With cabinet refacing, you replace the cabinet doors for an entirely new look. This often requires you to reface your cabinet boxes to match.
Use a glaze for making cabinets look distressed. Use a toner on the cabinets for a tinted stain finish. Or paint everything white for a more modern look.
One of the most popular trends in 2022 is two-tone cabinets. For this approach, paint the upper cabinets one color and the bottom cabinets another tone.
Refacing your cabinet boxes to match the new doors is one of the most affordable options for a simple kitchen renovation, but it can go a long way.
#2. Modern Cabinet Trends
If you’re looking for a sleek and modern feel, consider replacing your cabinet doors with something more modern. Solid colors or clean white finishes can brighten up a home and make it feel more current.
You can also upgrade the original hardware, like hinges and handles, to something a bit more interesting. Or, consider upgrading your countertop to something that compliments the new cabinet doors.
Another option is to ditch cabinet handles completely! Handleless kitchen cabinets are one of the most popular cabinet refinishing trends right now. By refacing your cabinets with handleless doors, you can achieve a clean, minimalist look.
Modern kitchens are focusing on the creation of brighter spaces with lighter colors. By lightning up your cabinetry and creating a beige or white clean look, you can create a space you will enjoy for years to come.
#3. Open Shelving
Before you rush to replace your cabinet doors, consider leaving a portion of your shelves exposed. Open shelving is a great way to showcase accent pieces, like vases or dishes, and give your kitchen a bit more personality.
While some designers criticized this trend, saying it was on its way out of style, others say open shelving is here to stay. The trend has recently been on the rise again, with many people creating large statement walls in their kitchens.
If your dishes are vibrant and make for great accent pieces, consider repurposing a shelf to build a plate rack to display them.
Make sure you take extra care with cabinet refinishing while the doors are off. Sand the cabinets and select a high-quality veneer or paint in any color or grain.
Then use the open space to display pieces that have meaning to you.
#4. High-Gloss Materials
Adding lacquered high gloss doors to your cabinetry is another great way to refresh the look of your kitchen. This approach to cabinet resurfacing provides a bold, unique, and modern look.
Red lacquered cabinet doors look great against exposed brick or barn board. It is a great way to add a splash of modernity to a vintage space.
Create a bold focal point by purchasing bright or patterned high gloss for your backsplash. These backsplashes look great against cabinets in a solid tone.
More people are opting for this modern high gloss look. The reflective surface helps light spread through the space. High gloss can provide the perfect blend of flair and a pop of color to your kitchen.
#5. Barn-Style Cabinetry
If you’re looking to apply a clean, modern design with vintage finishing, consider adding barn-style cabinetry. Replace your cabinet doors with doors made of wood paneling or barn board.
Then, consider adding other barn-inspired details to your cabinets. Old wooden crates can be stained and repurposed for produce baskets. Replace your cabinet handles with vintage handles.
If you’re looking for an accessible space to load up as a pantry, a sliding barn door is a great way to conceal cluttered shelving.
#6. Glass Doors
Replace some of your cabinet doors with glass. This will allow you to partially expose select shelves in your kitchen. Doors with glass inserts have become a popular option for kitchen cabinet makeover plans.
Glass doors are a great way to showcase your glassware or dishes. It can offer a clean aesthetic. Matching the glass to your kitchen windows can also provide a cohesive feel.
If you want to replace your cabinets with glass, but are not sold on exposing the contents of your cupboards, consider frosted glass. Frosted glass helps to conceal the contents of your shelves while providing a sleek glass look.
Enhance the glass look in your kitchen by installing under-cabinet lighting to create a polished look.
While this look has increased in popularity in recent years, it has also become more expensive. Glass cabinetry prices have increased, but so has the durability. This is a beautiful option for any kitchen cabinet refinishing plan.
#7. Integrate Bold Colors
If you’re looking to add some color to your kitchen, reface your cabinets with a solid color.
Adding bold blue cabinet doors can give your kitchen a light, airy, coastal vibe. This is currently trending and can make your kitchen feel warm and welcoming.
If you’re not comfortable including bright-colored cabinets, consider using neutral cabinet colors like white. Then add color to your kitchen using blue accents.
Earth tones are also trending. Replace your cabinetry with greens and greys. These colors are easy to match to other home decor, and can create a calming environment.
#8. Industrial Cabinets
If you’re looking for more of an industrial vibe, consider replacing your cabinetry with unique metals. This can make your kitchen feel modern and edgy.
Replace your cabinet doors with laser-cut steel—steel that has simple cut-out patterns, like small circles. Or, repurpose old locker doors for your drawers. You can also create a distressed look on dark wood or stain cabinets with darker tones.
Accessorize the kitchen by applying industrial finishes. Black drawer pulls or cast shell pulls can be added to the cabinetry to emphasize the industrial look.
If you’re concerned about your budget, an industrial kitchen can be created at a reasonable price. Blend leather with metals like steel, brass, and copper, and stick to neutral, toned-down colors. This look is timeless and blends well into any home.
#9. Add Effective Storage
Use your cabinet refacing process as an opportunity to reexamine your kitchen storage options.
When refacing your cabinets, consider building in drawer dividers or converting a drawer into a pull-out cabinet shelf. Install a pullout spice rack. Or, consider building in a lazy susan or rev-a-shelf to hold pots, pans, and cooking utensils.
Replace a section of shelving with glass or a sliding door to create a unique pantry. Add drawer inserts, pull-out trays, or pegs and hooks to your cabinetry. Consider building in a pull-out for your garbage and recycling.
These additions to your kitchen can make the space more useable and effective.
#10. Accessorize
Accessories are a crucial part of cabinet refacing. Make sure you choose hinges, drawer pulls, handles, and doorknobs that are cohesive with your upgraded design. This can help you create refaced cabinets with a touch of personality.
For example, adding a modern gold handle or drawer pull to fresh green cabinets can make an old, outdated kitchen look modern and regal. Adding a built-in wine rack or crown molding can make a kitchen look more polished.
It’s important to source your accessories before beginning your renovation to map out a plan and make sure your renovation can come together as expected. Hire professional cabinet painters and refinishers, as this job requires a high level of skill.
Cabinet Refinishing You Will Love
Renovating a kitchen is a big commitment and an even larger expense. The kitchen is typically the place we spend the majority of our time. It is important to create a space that you love without overspending.
Cabinet refacing can save you a lot of money and time and help you create a clean and professional look that you will love for years to come. These 10 kitchen cabinet refacing ideas can help you get started.
If you’re thinking about refacing your cabinets, our team can help. Contact us today, and let us help you create your dream kitchen!