Be You Always.
Use the share link to the left to share this post to your social media. Just copy the text below, click share and past the text and click share again. It’s that easy. front porch… We make it easy.
Every home has a story, and they are as vast and varied as the world is wide. But they all start with inspiration, and inspiration starts with our surroundings. That’s what home is. Family. Friends. A sense of place. An amazing view. It is all part of what makes a space a home because your home is where you truly live. As homeowners ourselves we understand that your best life begins with a home that inspires you.
(This page includes affiliate links – our full disclosure statement is available {here}
— Mother Theresa
It’s a Catch-22 homeowners are all too familiar with: Remodeling your outdated kitchen is almost certain to pay off big when you sell—but the actual makeover takes big bucks.
Is there any way to make a huge change without all the expense? Well, believe it or not, you can give your kitchen a face-lift without ripping out everything and starting from scratch. Yes, it all comes down to being creative with your cabinets—uppers, lowers, and everything in between.
Here’s some savvy advice from the pros who know, along with excellent cheap and simple cabinet updates you can start—and finish—this weekend.
You can’t go wrong with basic white in the kitchen. It channels a clean vibe that’s easy to live with, and makes resale a breeze when you’re ready to move.
But a little color is also lovely, especially cool blue hues and trendy pastels. A handy DIYer can fix up kitchen cabinets with a fresh color coat in a couple of days. (It’ll cost you only the paint and brushes—and your time.)
Marty Basher, a professional organizer with Modular Closets, votes for matte paint finishes over glossy, as the latter sheen can veer into garish territory.
“Choose muted colors in jewel and earth tones instead of overly bright ones for a more luxe feel,” he says.
This one’s easy: Grab a screwdriver and put in new drawer pulls, says Drew Henry of Design Dudes.
“It’s super easy to upgrade your cabinets with different hardware, and it’ll give you a lovely look,” he says. Henry’s pick: brushed brass for a chic but quiet appeal. “And go for elongated drawer pulls with clean angles over small knobs,” he adds.
Glass-front cabinets are all the rage—you might even have a set in your kitchen right now. But rather than style (and restyle) the plate stacks and glasses inside, let paint step in (again) to do the tough work of updating and beautifying your workaday cabinets.
“A fun pop of color on the backs of a few glass-front cabinets adds interest to the room and lightens up the look,” Henry says.
Just as bright paint can enliven your cereal bowl display, so too can a couple of pieces of wallpaper. Even better: Make it temporary paper, which you can remove anytime you need a change.
And don’t stop with cabinet backs—temporary wallpaper is a nifty surprise along your drawers’ outside edges. (Just pull the drawers open to reveal a pretty pattern.)
You know that gorgeous glow you spy on Instagram when you’re scrolling kitchen renovations? It comes from under-cabinet lighting. This smart upgrade brightens shadows that are invariably created by overhead pendants and can be installed by a pro for just a couple hundred bucks.
Want to go cheaper? You can get lights that plug in to existing sockets or grab some adhesive lights to press on in dark corners. Or just place a couple of small lamps you already own along counters under your cabinets.
A simple rack or drawer rearrangement can take advantage of unused kitchen cabinet space. If you’re a wine person, you can quickly create an X design with plain wood for stacking bottles on their sides.
Or if baking’s your game, a shallow pull-out to store cookie cutters means you’ll never lose these little tin items again.
You may not notice it at first, but molding is the unsung decor hero in every room. Simple pieces of crown molding, whether stacked, stepped, or the traditional variety, can be added to the tops of your cabinets for an upgrade that looks custom and expensive.
Karen Gray-Plaisted of Design Solutions KGP approves of crown molding on top of cabinets as it extends the design right the ceiling.
“Or reconfigure just a couple of upper cabinets to reach your ceiling like the ones around the sink or refrigerator area,” she says.
You might also try bottom molding, which is just what it sounds like: decorative pieces you attach to the edges or the base of lower cabinets or the kitchen island.
Adding these “feet” transforms lowers or an island, making them look like pieces of furniture.
🚪 Front door color need some freshening up? Before you reach for the paint, know that your choice of color tells a lot about...
🫗 There are a lot of decisions to be made when renovating any room in your house, but spots like the kitchen often take...
🥩 If you haven't cooked with tri-tip beef, you're missing out on a delicious, relatively inexpensive cut of meat.
The move you are scared to make is the one that will change everything for you. You can find this and many more like...
🌱 We’re here to say that growing flowers and veggies is definitely an art, but it’s one you can learn fast with a few...
🤧 HAY FEVER GOTCHA DOWN? Fall allergy season is upon us, and if you’re one who suffers, you know all too well what this...
🍁 It all starts at the front porch. The first impression. Welcoming your guests to Fall sets the tone from what one might expect...
🏡 It’s a Catch-22 homeowners are all too familiar with: Remodeling your outdated kitchen is almost certain to pay off big when you sell—but...
🚪 We love the feeling of walking into a foyer that’s perfectly styled. Unfortunately, entryways are one of those spaces that seem to be...
🌞 With a myriad of stone colors and pebble sizes create swirls, clovers, and starbursts and turn ordinary rocks into a landscape focal point.
🌻 Yard looking worn by the end of the summer? Planting fall-blooming flowers for a fresh look is a perfect remedy to perk up...
🐶 Bringing your furry friend on a road trip sounds like a pure delight. Most dogs love the open road and exploring new places....
🧠 Ever wonder why getting ahead can sometimes seem like such a struggle? The truth is: If you want to be highly successful, you...
Happy Labor Day weekend to the workers of every field! The world runs on your contributions and you all deserve respect, recognition, and a...
🍁 Consider this everything you need to know before your house transitions from hot summer days to cool fall nights...and eventually freezing temperatures.
🚮 Don't blink, because the fall season is just around the corner. That means the end of summer camps, vacations, and lazy mornings. It...
🌱 There are many opinions about climate change and how best to live our lives, prosper and care for earth and the environment... no...
The definition of curiosity is “a desire to know or learn.” It’s a deep feeling inside that drives you to discover more. It is...
Perseverance will prevail is a free translation of “turn an iron rod into a needle”. It was a story that happened in the Tang...
🧳 Some travelers just aren't content with the normal, run-of-the-mill vacation destinations. White sand beaches and national parks are great, but sometimes you want...
🛋️ Fixing up an old couch isn’t as expensive as you might think—and it’s not that hard to go beyond the standard “sprucing up”...
🍭 Do you crave sweet foods to the point where once you start, you can’t stop? Simple ways to quit eating sugar.
Give us 15 minutes and we’ll walk yout through all the details and benefits of our Agent Assist Marketing Program. This is a real live Zoom call so you can ask all the questions you want. We will cover building your brand, websites, social media, newsletters and our blogging and transforming you into a ROCK STAR!
