When most people decide to remodel their kitchens, they have absolutely no intention of taking on a kitchen cabinet refacing project. They usually take one last look at the old cabinets before they head off to Home Depot to get new ones. But before you pull the dump truck up to the back door, you may want to actually check the condition of your current kitchen cabinets first. More than likely, you will find that they’re in perfect condition. If this is the case, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars replacing your cabinets, you simply need to reface them.

What to Look For

When inspecting your existing cabinets, there are a few things to look for to determine whether or not it’s time to bury them. First, open the cabinet and inspect the inside boxes. Are they cracked and damaged? If so, then you will probably need to replace them. If not, check this off of your list and move on. Is there water damage that cannot be repaired? This normally occurs under the sink cabinets, but I have seen this happen in the top cabinets when people don’t dry the dishes before putting them away. If there is water damage, you should replace the cabinets. If not, check one more thing. Are the cabinets metal or wood? Metal kitchen cabinets are mainly old and should be replaced whenever the opportunity arises (that’s just my opinion though) If the cabinets are made of wood and have no signs of water or other damage, you should keep them and start planning your kitchen cabinet refacing project.

Interior Paint Color Ideas for Cabinets

Kitchen cabinet refacing is a great entry level DIY project. With some tools and a lot of patience (and paint), you could transform your ugly kitchen into one that is way more appealing, and save some money in the process. You can start by visiting your local home improvement store (I want to say Home Depot, but I know some people don’t shop there. I happen to live there!) to look for interior paint color ideas. Now, most people like to stick with light colors for the kitchen, but remember, this is your space, so do what you will. I will say that dark walls and dark cabinets will make you feel like your kitchen is a gateway to hell, so if you’re not into the “depressing design theme”, stick with this simple rule; light walls look great with dark cabinets, and dark walls look great with light cabinets. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but they are so few that they don’t need to be mentioned.

After you decide what color the kitchen walls will be, you can now move into the meat of the kitchen cabinet refacing project, which is choosing the paint colors for the cabinets. Assuming that you read the basic color rules above, choose something that looks nice to you. If your current cabinets are dark, you may need to add extra coats of primer if you’re taking them down to a lighter shade.

Hardware

There are thousands of different hardware styles for your kitchen cabinet refacing project. From brush nickel to “super gold” there is a truly something for everyone in this department. There are even handles for cabinets that are made in the shapes of forks and spoons. Be creative in this area and if you just don’t have a clue, try looking at some displays in your local home improvement store or flip though a magazine. You will find plenty of design inspiration ideas.

Refacing your kitchen cabinets is a fun project and you will save thousands of dollars by doing so. All you need is a design plan and a bit of patience. If you decide that the project is a bit too much to handle, there are companies that specialize in kitchen cabinet refacing and their services are still more affordable when compared to buying all new ones. The most important thing to do is to take your time and research this type of project. Education and planning will go a long way.