kitchen makeover on a budget

Is your kitchen looking dated or doesn't reflect your current style? There are many ways to update your kitchen without ripping everything out and starting from scratch. Over the next several blogs I will provide some budget friendly ideas and insight for updating your kitchen. I will provide options for the cabinetry, counter tops, back splash, lighting, floors, appliances and decorative accents. The first area I will cover is kitchen cabinetry.

Many times clients want to remove their outdated cabinetry even though it is still in good condition.  They either don't like the color, wood grain or want to add decorative molding to the top or bottom of the cabinets.  Their structurally sound cabinets can now be the base for a dramatic new look to their kitchen.  By adding crown molding to the upper cabinets, base molding to the lower cabinets and decorative molding to the sides of plain cabinet boxes, you can easily transform your kitchen cabinetry.  Carpenters are even able to add feet to the lower cabinets to show like the latest kitchens in magazines.  Once all of the decorative woodwork has been added the painted finish can be applied to make it all uniform and enhance the newly added details.

 A carpenter can also improve how seamlessly your appliances fit into spaces and fix unsightly problems. Many times the space for the refrigerator is too big. There are gaps around the sides and the top and it keeps the kitchen from looking seamless and custom. These spaces can be built up and filled in with moldings. Another idea is to build in your microwave. A microwave sitting on the counter also doesn't have that new custom look, most are built into a cabinet. Another way to beautify your cabinetry is to fix corners that have cracked or side panels that have discolored from floor cleaner. These are small, but important details that can be corrected with the addition of trims, moldings and paint.



Finally, the paint finish. There are endless combinations of paint colors and glazes that can be used to create the exact finish you desire. You are able to create a traditional white glazed finish or a contemporary look with a bold color. The painted finish works to enhance the architectural details that have been added. Once you have transformed your existing cabinets with trim and paint, friends and family will not believe the cabinets aren't new.
If you have any questions please comment below or contact me on my Facebook Fan Page at Facebook.com/dottywymandesigns. I would love to hear from you. I look forward to writing about more ideas for your custom kitchen.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.