10 Ways to Totally Transform Your Kitchen Cabinets Without Replacing Them

If you’re looking to update your kitchen cabinets but don’t have the bandwidth (or flush bank account) to outright replace them, there are some more frugal options. With a little bit of creativity, preplanning and elbow grease, you can give your cabinets a facelift without too much hassle.

Beautiful modern kitchen with a butcher block topped centre island, cabinets painted in BEHR Classic Silver PPU18-11 and Polar Bear 75 with yellow Buzz-In P300-6 inside, and walls in BEHR Optimum Blue M540-7

Behr: Optimum Blue M540-7, Polar Bear 75, Classic Silver...

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Light it Up

Installing under cabinet lighting doesn’t take too long and doesn’t cost a fortune, but the benefits of adding these little lights are huge. Not only does it make chopping or reading a recipe that much easier, but they also add an attractive atmospheric glow to the room.

Chic open plan kitchen and dining room with white wood floors, large wood dining table with four white chairs, and cabinets and an accent wall painted burgundy with BERH Dressed To Impress MQ1-19

Behr: Dressed To Impress MQ1-19, Minimalistic PPU25-12,...

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Match Point

If you have an open-concept living space, consider creating cohesiveness by matching the colour of your cabinets to an accent wall. The oxblood shade of paint here certainly makes a statement.

Beautiful traditional kitchen with large plank wood floors, a large wood centre island, white cabinets painted in BEHR Ultra Pure White 1850, and walls painted with BEHR Harmonious Gold M300-3

Behr: Harmonious Gold M300-3, Ultra Pure White 1850

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Don’t Break the Mould

To add a layer of interest to simple white shaker cabinets, install crown mouldings along the top. They’ll instantly make a kitchen feel more traditional.

Cool modern kitchen with a quartz topped island, stainless steel appliances, wood floors, black cabinets painted in BEHR Carbon N520-7, green walls in BEHR Free Green M420-5, and open shelves in BEHR Painter's White PPU18-08

Behr: Free Green M420-5, Carbon N520-7, Painter's White...

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Black Magic

Since black paint would cover up any other original cabinet colour with fewer coats, opting for a chic, high-gloss black paint is a time (and paint) saver.

Beautiful traditional style kitchen with grey walls painted in BERH Intercoastal Gray MQ5-23 and kitchen cabinets painted in BEHR Silky White PPU7-12

Behr: Intercoastal Gray MQ5-23, Polar Bear 75, Silky White...

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Open Up

If you’ve been dreaming about adding another set of cabinets to an empty wall in the kitchen, but haven’t been able to stomach the price, shelf it (literally). Adding a couple of open shelves provides that extra storage without a massive install.

Traditional kitchen with white and blue centre island paint in BEHR Ultra Pure White 1850 and Extreme S530-6, wood cabinets and walls painted in BEHR Mushroom Bisque PPU4-07

Behr: Mushroom Bisque PPU4-07, Mocha Latte PPU5-04, Ultra...

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Stain Remover

If your wood-face cabinets are in good shape, but the stain colour is feeling a little tired, consider restaining them yourself in a more modern finish. With a good stain stripper, the job could be done in a day.

Pretty, traditional kitchen with three windows, wood countertops, beige walls painted in BEHR Hayloft MQ2-22, and white cabinets with black hardware painted in BEHR Swiss Coffee 12

Behr: Hayloft MQ2-22, Swiss Coffee 12

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Hard Wear

One of the easiest, but most effective ways to update kitchen cabinets is to switch out the hardware. Black handles are en vogue right now but there’s a whole bevy of options, from matte gold to hand-painted ceramic pulls.

Fun modern kitchen with a checkered board color, small sit at island, stainless steel fridge, three glass pendant lights, grey upper cabinets painted in BEHR Digital N530-6 and white lower cabinets painted in BEHR Eon N370-2, with walls painted green in BEHR Fresh Artichoke M340-5

Behr: Fresh Artichoke M340-5, Digital N530-6, Eon N370-2

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Chalk it up to Chalk Paint

The beauty of chalk decorative paint is that very little prep is needed to get a smooth matte effect. Painting a small set of upper cabinets in a chic smoky grey would only take a couple of hours, but still get you big results.

Modern kitchen with a centre island, light wood lower cabinets, stainless steel appliances, white walls painted in BEHR Silky White PPU7-12, and grey upper cabinets painted in Rainy Season MQ5-27

Behr: Silky White PPU7-12, Rainy Season MQ5-27

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Upper the Ante

Rather than kitting out the kitchen with a whole set of new cabinets, opt for adding half of one. Installing new upper cabinets that tie in with the original set provides more storage and unifies the kitchen design.

Charming country kitchen with large copper over hood, stainless steel range, pretty red and white curtains, wooden countertops, creamy walls painted in BEHR Raffia Ribbon PPU7-20, and blue cabinets painted in BERH Nypd N480-6

Behr: Raffia Ribbon PPU7-20, Cameo White MQ3-32, Nypd N480-6

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Bold Colour

While some would baulk at moving away from neutrals in the kitchen, bold-coloured cabinets are right on trend for 2019. A gritty grey-blue, a bright sunshine-yellow or even emerald green: this year, anything goes.