5 Cheap Ways to Makeover Ugly Kitchen Cabinets

Walk into a kitchen, and what do you notice first? The cabinets, since they are the focal point of the room. That's why, no matter how decorated your kitchen may be, if the cabinets aren't attractive, they detract from the whole appearance of the room. Read this informative article and learn about 5 cheap ways to makeover ugly kitchen cabinets!

1. Makeover Homely Kitchen Cabinets With Primer and Paint
After my friend Laurie repainted her kitchen walls a bright aqua color, she took one look at the stained wood cabinets and announced, "Those got to go!" The cabinets are old, but they are solid-wood and structurally sound. It would have been a waste to rip them out just because they were ugly. Replacing them wasn't a cheap option, either. So, Laurie bought primer and paint and gave them a makeover quickly and easily. Most importantly, the makeover was cheap and within her budget.

Having aqua kitchen walls, Laurie decided to paint the cabinets a contrasting white color. I'll admit I questioned her judgment when I saw them since the white made the cabinets look disconnected from the wall. But when she painted the kitchen cabinet doors aqua to match the wall color, it brought the whole look together.

2. Choose Economical and Easy-to-Apply Appliqués
Another cheap way to makeover ugly kitchen cabinets is to apply appliqués. These decorative paper or plastic embellishments add charm and pizzazz to plain-looking cabinets. Check your local home improvement stores and wallpaper stores to find the designs you want. You can complement your kitchen cabinets with fruits, flowers, leaves, ivies, abstract shapes, animals- just about anything you can imagine. No matter if your kitchen style is Country, French Country, Contemporary, Victorian, or Art Deco, you can find cheap appliqués to makeover your kitchen cabinets.

3. Paint and Stencils Can Easily Makeover Your Kitchen
Using paint and stencils is yet another cheap way to makeover ugly kitchen cabinets. When my mother decided her painted wooden cabinets were boring and unattractive, she bought ivy stencils and paint supplies. She then hired an amateur artist to create an ivy design across the fronts. The process was rather time-consuming, but not really difficult. The finished look was magnificent with the green, draped ivy "hanging" across the cabinet fronts.

4. Simply Replace the Kitchen Cabinet Hardware
Have you ever visited a home improvement store and checked out the kitchen cabinet hardware? There are hundreds of styles to choose from! You can find pulls, handles, knobs, hinges- anything you need to makeover ugly kitchen cabinets- in a variety of materials including stainless, brass, pewter, glass and ceramic. Simply replacing the hardware is yet another cheap makeover you can do to beautify your kitchen cabinets.

5. Cut-Outs and Inserts Are Cheap Makeovers
This final way to makeover your ugly kitchen cabinets is to make cut-outs and inserts. First, a caveat: this treatment is permanent. The other ways are temporary and can be changed. This one cannot be changed except by purchasing new kitchen cabinet doors. It involves using a router to cut the middle section out of each wooden kitchen cabinet front. Then, install chicken wire, fabric panels, punched metal panels, glass panels- whatever you want- into the open panels from the back side. Secure them into place and your ugly kitchen cabinets will have a cheap and instant makeover!