How to Update Old Kitchen Cabinets

A lot of kitchens look dated even when they still work fine. Maybe the doors are dark wood from the 1980s. Maybe the cabinets have an orange or yellow stain that screams 1970s. The room feels old, but you do not want the cost and mess of new cabinets. The good part is you do not need them.

Updating old kitchen cabinets is one of the easiest ways to make a kitchen feel new again. There are several paths, and most of them keep the cabinet boxes you already have. Below we walk through how to check your cabinets and the best ideas to update them.

First, Check if the Cabinet Boxes Are Solid

This first step decides everything else. The cabinet box is the frame that holds each cabinet to the wall. The doors and drawer fronts are just the parts you see and touch.

Open a few cabinets and look inside. Press on the sides and the back. Are they firm? Do the shelves still hold weight? Is the wood free of water damage and rot? If the answer is yes, your boxes are solid and you have lots of low cost choices. If the boxes are soft, swollen, or falling apart, then new cabinets may be the better path. For most homes, the boxes are still good. They were often built better than the doors that hang on them.

Reface the Cabinets With New Doors

Refacing is the biggest single update you can make to a dated kitchen with solid boxes. With refacing, a pro keeps your boxes, then adds new doors, new drawer fronts, and a fresh skin over the frames. When the job is done, the kitchen looks like it has a brand new set of cabinets.

This is the best fix for an old, dark kitchen. You can go from heavy brown wood to a clean white or soft gray in a few days. The change is huge, and it costs far less than new cabinets. Learn more on our cabinet refacing page to see how it works.

Paint or Refinish the Doors

If you like your door style but not the color, paint or refinishing can help. Painting covers the old finish with a fresh color. Refinishing strips the doors and adds new stain. Both can take a dark kitchen and make it brighter.

Paint works best on smooth doors with simple lines. It does take care to get a finish that lasts and does not chip. If your doors are worn at the edges or have a style you no longer like, paint will not fix that. In those cases, new doors are the better move.

Replace Just the Doors and Drawer Fronts

You can also keep the boxes and only swap the doors and drawer fronts. This is a smaller version of a full reface. It changes the parts you see most, which is most of the look of the kitchen. It is a good middle path when the frames look fine but the doors feel old.

More Easy Ways to Update Old Cabinets

A few smaller changes can add up to a big lift. You can mix and match these with any of the steps above.

• Swap the hardware. Old handles and knobs date a kitchen fast. New ones are cheap and quick to install.
• Add open shelving. Take off a door or two and use the space for dishes or plants. It makes a room feel open and modern.
• Add under cabinet lighting. A strip of light under the upper cabinets brightens the counter and makes the whole kitchen feel current.
• Add a glass door. Swap one or two solid doors for glass doors. They give you a spot to show off nice dishes and break up a flat wall of cabinets.
• Paint just the island. A bold color on the island alone gives the room a fresh point of interest.

Making a Dark, Dated Kitchen Feel Bright

Many older kitchens feel dark because of the cabinet color. Brown, orange, and yellow wood tones soak up light. The room ends up feeling small and closed in even when it is a fair size.

The fix is to bring in light, both in color and in actual lighting. Lighter doors, from refacing or paint, bounce light around the room. Under cabinet lighting fills in the dim spots near the counter. New hardware in a clean finish adds a modern touch. Together, these changes can take a heavy 1970s kitchen and make it feel open and current. The walls and floor can stay the same, and the room will still look years newer.

Plan the Budget for Your Update

Each idea on this list sits at a different price. Hardware swaps cost very little. Paint is low cost but takes time and care. Refacing costs more than paint but far less than new cabinets, and it gives the biggest change. Before you start, it helps to set a number you are happy to spend. Our guide to a budget kitchen remodel can help you sort out where your money goes.

The best first step is to have a pro look at your kitchen in person. They can tell you if the boxes are solid and walk you through the choices that fit your home and your budget.