Kitchen Facelifts that Won’t Break the Bank

By Laura Bickle | 2 minute read

How can homeowners give existing cabinets a new look?

Replacing hardware is an easy update and painting cabinets is a DIY that many people tackle to change the aesthetic. We often have existing cabinets sprayed for clients and love that the colour possibilities are endless. We recently had an island sprayed in a beautiful teal tone to offset the white cabinets along the perimeter. 

How about easy additions to improve functionality?

Adding interior organizers can significantly improve the function of existing cabinets. I like adding risers to shelving that allow you to double stack canned goods. 

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What about flooring?

Depending on the layout and location of a kitchen, replacing flooring in just one area is often difficult unless it currently has a different floor material than adjacent rooms. 

Changing the colour of existing cabinetry is an easy way to update your kitchen without breaking the bank. Photo: Stephanie Buchman

And backsplashes and countertops?

Replacing the backsplash and countertop can be done while the existing cabinets remain. Be careful to choose options that will wear well. That stunning marble mosaic with white grout looks great at the start, but it requires annual sealing and will stain more easily than ceramic or porcelain tile. I prefer tinted grout as it hides wear and stains better than white grout. Slab backsplashes are beautiful and easy to clean. We have installed a number of porcelain slab backsplashes that look like marble but do not need to be sealed. 

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As for countertops, quartz is still the number-one choice, as the variety of patterns and colours is vast and the maintenance required is minimal. Quartz is nonporous, so it won’t absorb stains as quickly as a natural stone would and does not require sealing.  

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Any other easy but impactful updates?

Changing the wall colour may be enough to refresh your space. Swapping out faucets is also a relatively easy upgrade that most homeowners can tackle themselves. A popular trend is eliminating upper cabinets and installing floating shelves. We love placing plants, art, and unique objects on open shelves. With the popularity of open concept kitchens continuing, we want to inject warmth and reduce the utilitarian feeling of the space. 

Replacing upper cabinets with open shelves can make a kitchen look and feel bigger. Photo: Stephanie Buchman

Under what circumstance is it not worth it to fix up an existing kitchen?

Ask these questions: Are the cabinet boxes in good shape and is the current layout efficient? It would not be valuable to add new doors to existing cabinet bases that are not sturdy or are falling apart. Many people are surprised at the cost of refinishing existing cabinet doors too. There is a lot of prep work that goes into achieving a lasting finish. [Replacing cabinet doors] should only be considered if the “bones” of the kitchen are wearing well. If the existing layout of a kitchen is not efficient it will be a waste to improve its aesthetic and ignore the function.