25 Ideas for Kitchen Cabinet Makeovers

Tired of the way your kitchen looks? Changing the color, hardware or door style of your existing cabinets transforms the appearance without busting the budget. Here are 25 ideas for inspiration.

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Country charms

Cabinets given the patina of age contribute to country charm. Replacing doors on one cupboard with curtains expands on the theme. (And talk about country-look at that faucet!)

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Beautiful bling

Gluing baubles onto knobs (or purchasing decorative ones) transforms practical into beautiful.

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Wired for fun

Replacing the center of doors with chicken wire exudes country charm and keeps contents visible.

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Background notes

Painting the inside of cabinets a different shade energizes without overwhelming. Use your dishware as inspiration for the color palette.

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Triple the impact

Give each zone its own personality with a different shade of paint. The corner office is calming blue, the cook zone energetic yellow, and the doorway is a powerful terra-cotta.

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Artsy application

Backs, sides and ends of cabinets tend to be plain and flat. Consider them a blank canvas!

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Catch the wave

Replacing the wood of a cabinet door with glass-smooth or textured-increases the sense of space.

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About face

Refacing cabinets updates the look fast. If that is beyond budget, stripping and staining wood cabinets brings out the grain.

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DIY style

Decoupage on decorative details for a really personal look.

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Change the hue

Power blues set a serene tone by calling to mind the sky. This shade lends casual elegance, too.

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Super stencils

Stencils add dimension to otherwise plain doors and come in almost unlimited designs.

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Add-ons

Applying architectual elements enhances a look. Corbels like this come in a range of styles so can be matched to your home's decor.

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Make a statement

Tell everyone what is behind closed doors with etched glass. Or conceal contents with abstract designs.

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Convenience factors

Communication centers are practical, trendy additions. Magnetic and chalkboard paints make creating one simple.

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Rich shades

If your cabinets are wood, updating the look is a matter of stripping and staining. This dark shade reflects the traditional style of the cupboards.

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Sunny shades

We spend a lot of time in our kitchens, so keep a sunny perspective by applying a sunny shade to the expanse of cabinets. Choose your mood-pastel to neon.

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Fabulous fabric

Fabric pops in these cupboard doors. Replace the center of a few doors with fabric for eye-popping impact. Toile, gingham and plaid all look great in kitchens.

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Trims work

Crown molding elevates the look. Dentil, smooth, cove, egg and dart ... there is a style for your home.

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Eliminate the obvious

Removing cupboard doors extends sight lines to increase the sense of space. Just be prepared to keep dishware and glassware organized for a neat look.

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Focus on one point

A rich shade of red draws all eyes to this majestic kitchen centerpiece while framing the decorative tilework.

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Great grilles

Traditional kitchens might benefit from inserting grilles in glass panes. Snap-in versions make the update quick.

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Expanded storage

An appliance garage on the counter expands storage for everyday appliances. Tambour (roll-up) doors in an accent color inject mod styling.

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Naturally bright

Inspired by butterflies, this kitchen has a bright outlook. In addition to painting, the owners installed clear acrylic handles that almost disappear but still make a modern impact.

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A leg to stand on

Give basic cabinets furniture details such as column onlays, which come in styles from Doric to Craftsman.

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Flip it up

Cabinet doors that flip up have modern flair corresponding to the corrugated steel backsplash.

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