Question: I just bought a house that was built in 1996. What suggestions do you have for updating my bathroom and kitchen cabinets?
Answer: To answer your question, I turned to Rosie Right. Design. Build. Remodel. sales consultant Rochelle Horn.
“There are a lot of upgrades to typical cabinets whether they are in your kitchen or your bath,” Horn says.
Some upgrades can be made to existing cabinets, and some upgrades work best with new cabinets.
Existing cabinets
Horn tells us one of the simplest upgrades for existing cabinetry is installing new knobs and pulls. Most cabinets these days have doors and drawers with finger pulls, which means you pull them open with your finger and not by pulling on a knob or handle.
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Putting on knobs and handles, or a pull, can really change the look of your cabinetry. Horn says she prefers a closed pull to a knob. By closed, she means a pull where there are not any wings to get caught on. Wings refer to a handle that has an exposed end sticking out. The down side is clothing and such can get caught on. There are literally hundreds of styles to choose from that will spice up your cabinets.
Various aftermarket accessories, such as cutlery trays and knife blocks, help you organize your kitchen.
Most base cabinets (the ones on the floor) have a middle shelf that only extends three-quarters of the cabinet depth. Extending that shelf to the front of the cabinet can add to your storage capacity.
Pullout shelves for lower cabinets can be retrofitted. The pullouts will make it easier to reach what you keep in the lower cabinets. Horn recommends making these pullouts full-cabinet depth for best storage results.
Another way to dramatically change the look of your cabinetry is to paint your cabinets. When your cabinets were first installed, they came from the factory with a furniture finish designed to reduce maintenance on a cabinet’s surface. Once you paint them, they may need a bit more maintenance as the paint may wear down as you clean your cabinets. It’s not a big deal, and the low-cost upgrade may certainly be worth it.
Horn highly recommends a waterproof liner in kitchen sinks. Sinks can leak and sometimes the leaks go undetected for a while. The liner will help protect the cabinet from water damage.
New cabinets
If you are replacing cabinets or building a new home, there are several options to consider.
Use more drawers. Base cabinets with doors and a middle shelf can limit storage options and make it more difficult to access those items in the back of the lower shelf. By incorporating more drawer cabinets, you can increase accessibility and storage capacity.
Incorporating glass in upper cabinet doors can make your kitchen cabinets look pretty snappy. The glass also opens the opportunity for in-cabinet lighting.
Look at add-ons that will help organize kitchenware. Spice racks and pullouts specifically designed for common storage items, such as bottles, are helpful.
Most new homes have taller ceilings. This allows you to extend your upper wall cabinets to the higher ceiling and add more storage.
Cabinets above your refrigerator can be made a full 24-inches deep. Most upper wall cabinets are only 12 inches deep. Again, more storage.
Trash pullouts with the capacity for both trash and recyclables are a convenient accessory. Be sure to get that little add-on for trash bag storage, as well.
A great convenience in the bathroom is to include an outlet in the drawer for electrical devices, such as shavers, hair dryers and curling irons.
These are some of our basic ideas to spruce up your existing cabinets or help with your new ones.