Revamping Old Kitchen Cabinets: Designer Secrets

If you've ever been inclined to revamp your tired out-of-date kitchen cabinets on a dime, and without tiptoeing around your lease agreement, this is where you'll find inspirations – straight from seasoned interior designers.

Three experts in the industry divulge five ingenious tips for making lackluster cabinetry a talking point in your kitchen, and that too without spending a fortune. Whether you lean towards the antique chic or modern minimalistic, there's something for everyone.

Esther Ellard, founder of Effortless Designs, swears by simple stick-on LED strips as under-cabinet lighting for a quick glow up. "Under-cabinet lighting lends a luxe touch to even the cheap cabinets, and add a 'wow' element," Ellard reveals. Ellard suggests opting for warm white LED strips for the best impact.

Smart planning can give your cabinets a high-end makeover on a shoestring budget. Ellard points out, "Adding a crown molding can dramatically change the look of your cabinets and draws the eye upward, creating an illusion of tailor-made cabinetry and adding vertical dimension." For rental property dwellers, there are versions of crown molding available that come with adhesive spray for easy installation and removal.

Don't shy away from colors, advises Jennifer Jones, founder of Niche Interiors. "Splash of a saturated hue can jazz up a plain white kitchen," she says.

Adnan Anwar, founder of Adnan Anwar Design, suggests a novel approach when painting is forbidden - wallpapers. Specifically, pieces of grasscloth style wallpaper glued to the center panel of a shaker cabinet lend a rich custom-made feel. All you need is a faux grasscloth - a practical choice for kitchen due to moisture and oil resistance, a craft knife, and a smoothing tool.

Another tip that Anwar swears by - "Dress-up flat panel cabinets with patterned vinyl paper. It gives a cohesive look binding the cabinets together, and is easy to clean."

Anwar and Jones both advise upgrading the hardware pulls to give a quick facelift to your kitchen cabinets. "Think of them as a piece of decor, not just functional elements," Anwar points out. Get imaginative with hardware - vintage doorknobs picked up from flea markets, or oversized architectural pulls in stark contrast with the cabinets - can make a dramatic statement, they advise. As Anwar concludes, "Size does matter; bigger the better, but even usual-sized ones can make a noticeable difference."