You can get as decorative as you want by adding trim. If you want space you can use, you can also buy thin cabinets that will fit in the area and paint all the cabinetry to match.
A very simple and quick update is to add molding or trim to the cabinet doors. You can attach using short nails, but for doors that are thin, you want to use a strong adhesive. There are many benefits to using chalk paint over latex or another type of paint on your kitchen cabinets. First of all, in many instances you simply need to clean the surfaces and apply one coat.
You will need to add a sealant over the paint and while wax is often used it is not a good fit for kitchens as it is hard to clean. Chalk paint is not only easier to use, but also gives your cabinets a great look.
Check out an example: HERE. Beadboard is another great way to update the doors of your cabinets. Beadboard can be purchased rather inexpensively and is easy to cut.
You can also put beadboard around your kitchen island to add visual appeal. You can find a variety of hardware styles at your local home improvement store. You can do this buy adding chair legs or bun feet, that you find in the molding section of the home improvement store. All you need to do is cut them to fit and paint or stain to match your cabinets.
Another quick and easy trick is to add corbels under your cabinets. This adds character and is so inexpensive to do. Just paint or stain to match your cabinets and attach. You can find kits in the lighting section of your home improvement store.
The extra moldings needed to make the soffit look good are not that cheaply installed either, and although a great fix it will look like a fix—the inspiration photo looks like that to me. Removing the lone cabinet is a good idea that may require a wall fix up. I would add up all the money it would take to make the kitchen updated enough to suit you.
Take all that money you would spend on this idea and redo the kitchen the right way by removing the cabinets entirely. You already plan to replace the countertop which is a major expense anyway.
You can get medium quality cabinets installed properly to look fabulous and it may not be that much extra at all! Nancy I agree with what you are saying. Why not just take out the cabinets and do it right. It will end up looking better every thing will look new and not remodeled. Nancy, Brilliant comment. Seems like a lot of cash to come up with something to make the kitchen work — halfway.
The wood grain is going to show through — texturally, so there is also that to keep in mind. Bet it will be gorgeous when finished though — such a great space to work in. I am amongst other things a cabinet painter. There are products that professional painters can use to fill the wood grain so that the surface is smooth. I, too, agree with you Nancy!
SAME goes for adding an expensive solid surface counter top! I agree that something needs to be addeded to the soffit area and with that said the sink valance should go then. Budget is going to be the big question on how to proceed. Also, with adding in upper cabinets over the existing you have to match the overlay of the door and the door style which can cost more then just buying new uppers.
However, you can add upper boxes, less the doors, and have it as an open display area. If cost permits, add in lighting. Then build up as Maria suggested, in the remaining area to the ceiling. Then raise the new box up to meet the level of the other upper cabinets and perhaps make wine storage or open shelf area in the space between the refrigerator and upper box.
Ooh, you have some fantastic examples here of how people have handled their less than awesome upper cabinets!! Seriously some fresh ideas I have not even seen before. Then we replaced the lonely cabinet with two open shelves for cookbooks, plants, and a colorful framed painting at the top. Good luck Sherry! It can turn out great, I promise! Wow so many good suggestions! I guess what it boils down to is her budget. It looks like her ceilings are 8ft. IMHO putting in a soffit above the cabinets with a nice crown moulding could more inexpensively update her look!
That also would solve the valance over the window because the gap would be closed. She could put a glass door on the small cabinet on the left to make it look more up to date. I hate refrigerators that stick out beyond the cabinets because I also have one but a counter depth was not an option because I had a family of 4 and needed the extra space. If she is am empty nester she can now solve that problem. Hope we get to see her reveal! I love this idea and have been considering it for my kitchen…however, is it possible to do this if your cabinets are not the same heights?
It was the builder trying to make the kitchen look more custom. They all have crown moulding already. Fantastic post, Maria, with visuals and practical considerations for DIY or a professional renovation. Just voted and you were in the 2 spot… We all need to remember to vote every day and lift Maria to the top where she belongs!
This is Sherry! Thank you for all the helpful feedback. I left out some of our plans on my original question, so here is some additional info —. The ceilings are 9 foot. Yes, we do realize the gap is a problem above the cabinets and plan to box them in, or add trim.
There is very little wall in the kitchen and we may just paint the remaining walls the same white as the cabinets. The microwave will be moved from above stove and placed in a cabinet beside the refrigerator. We plan on installing a slightly smaller one. The table extends and there is small dining room with another table. I have personally painted all the oak in the house white and this is the last room. Hidden hinges will be installed on the kitchen cabinets before painting. We also have redone a similar kitchen.
The crown was extended around the entire room. It ties the lone cabinet to the left of my sink in with the rest of the kitchen. We had a cabinet maker then close up the top and put a tall narrow cabinet to the side so the refrigerator seems built in. If it is in the budget you can get an integrated refrigerator and they put cabinet doors on it so it just looks like cabinetry. The best microwave I have ever had is mounted under counter.
If you can afford to give up a drawer space it is very unobtrusive and easier too since you just lift the hot item up to the counter. What would one suggest for a contemporary kitchen modern slab doors? The heavy traditional crown would not do…. Take both the valance and the cupboard to the left away!
I love a mix of open shelves and ceiling height cabinets! I also had to put in a new AC unit that week. There was no time to get creative. My kitchen is small, with little counter space and no real options. It IS bulky and has an annoying off center logo! Recently, the double ovens have broken and need replacing. Valance must go. It looks like she has enough room to add cabinets above her current ones. They could have glass doors with lights. The soffit will be substantial in this space.
I agree with boxing in the upper spaces. What about removing the balance and single cabinet, replacing the cabinet with open shelves with possibly a plate rack? I love what you did with these kitchen cabinets. I also have the kind that does not go to the ceiling. My ceilings are pretty high and I think that is why the cabinets did not get installed or made to go all the way up.
Remove the single left cabinet and replace with open shelving. Remove the stove bump up and replace with hood. Remove the fridge and fridge bump up. Slide the far left pantry over to the current fridge spot. Put new counter-depth cabinet on far left and box it in. Maria, you are 2! Top 3 get awesome prizes! I would look at the cost of adding the soffit, moulding and painting the cabinets vs getting all new cabinets. Or have glass doors and lights for the uppers. The frig and pantry cabinets need fixing.
The small cabinet on top of the pantry should be the same depth as the panty and the cabinet above the frig also should be same depth as the frig. You were number 2!! I would like some creative advice about the area above my kitchen cabinets because I have a vaulted ceiling.
Very informative post. I have vaulted ceilings and am planning a kitchen remodel. One side is very high and the cabinets are high up but could not possibly reach the ceiling and one side the cabinets hit the ceiling but at an angle because of the vaulted ceiling.
What are your recommendations for dealing with a vaulted ceiling when it is not feasible to go all the way to the ceiling? Personally I hated open shelves. They might look nice but too much work to keep dusted and clean especially in a working kitchen.
We put in a cabinet with glass door and glass shelves, painted it a pretty color and store everyday white dishes so it looks nice but stays clean. Wonderful post! So much better than the wavy cut out which is so common. The other option would be to extend the cabinet to the left down to the counter as a stand-alone. I have the microwave over the stove. The height works except for cleaning, which I hire out anyway. The lower grade microwave fan combinations are horrible; ugly with bad fans.
The higher grades have lovely lights for cooking, effective fans vented to the exterior, and they are pretty. They function as a second oven as well as a microwave. I favor Sherry removing the valance and taking the cabinets up with the technique you suggested. It might also look great to take tile from the back splash up to the ceiling behind the sink.
Just a thought…:. I think maybe a lot of us think if we just paint our kitchen white it will look wonderful. But we forget about things like soffits and molding, balance and going all the way to the ceiling.
The valance is there because her window is apparently higher than the top part of the cabinets therefore, it would look awkward without one. But, I think the real problem is that the actual cabinet doors look dated even if painted white because of their skirtings. Therefore, I would rather go for a more minimal approach and replace the cabinet doors with some plain ones. I would also remove the cabinet doors over the fridge altogether to create some open shelving like the shelving over the microwaves.
Basically, I would opt for a more European styled kitchen with no skirtings that make it look overly styled. It is ridiculous and a total dust and grease catcher!
People all but gasp when they see it! I would love some advice if you have it! I just purchased my first home that im going to flip and live in for a few years. The kitchen cabinets are set low, builder grade style.. I dont know what its called, but it looks exactly like a finished version of the stage when you just box it in. I love how it looks and flows in the after pics with the trim, but im not sure that style of trim is an option for the more modern direction were going.
Im so curious if you might have any trim style suggestions, or even know what the name of that box thing above the cabinets is called!
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Hit enter to search or ESC to close. Close Search. First of all, technically, yes, wood valances over kitchen windows are dated. Source Close the gap above the kitchen cabinetry. Kitchen Before from Remodelacasa And the gorgeous after photo below. Stunning transformation by closing the gap above the cabinets from Remodelacasa In the process of closing the gap above the cabinets, they also designed a lovely custom hood fan which I highly recommend. Use the right crown molding to update your kitchen cabinets.
Here is a breakdown of the different moldings used in the above kitchen below. Recently, I saw this dramatic cabinet makeover that I posted on my Instagram: Before Given the cabinets in this kitchen were so low, adding the shelving made it look so much less like the space was being covered! Let me know what you think! Pin To help ensure the longevity of glazed cabinets, many homeowners decide to use a gloss varnish.
Aside from the appearance of the cabinet doors and frames themselves, you can change the hardware on your cabinets to update their appearance. This includes touches such as the kitchen knobs and pulls and hinges. While you might not immediately think of these pieces of hardware as highly consequential to the overall aesthetic of your cabinets, they can actually change things up quite a bit.
Hardware on cabinets not only serve a functional purpose but they also add a decorative one. Just like the accents that you might put in your living room or bedroom, these details can refresh the look of your cabinets. In addition, there are plenty of different types of cabinet hinges and handles that you can use to customize not only the appearance of your cabinets but how they function. For instance, certain hinges can change the way your cabinets open and how they look in function as well.
Adding trim and molding to your cabinets can add a little flair and tap into traditional design concepts. This not only removes open space above the cabinets, but can also be used in conjunction with under or over cabinet lighting to give a dramatic effect.
Beadboard is a great way to add some texture to cabinets that may have previously been smooth and lifeless. Even if you keep your beadboard cabinets the same color, this texture can help transform the aesthetic impact of a decor piece. Beadboard can be added to cabinet doors or even as a kitchen island facade to achieve a farmhouse or cottage style look.
Changing the general shape of your cabinets is one of the best ways to ensure that you get a new look for your kitchen.
In addition, giving yourself taller cabinets also means offering yourself more storage space. Especially if you cook a lot, adding lighting under your cabinets is an easy and inexpensive way to add extra functionality of your kitchen. Many lower kitchen cabinets sit flush to the ground. You can play around with the specific design to, so that you have something that fits your tastes. Corbels are embellished architectural tools that are made to bear weight.
Because of their unique designs, these kitchen corbels can not only help to hold your cabinets in place but to add visual appeal to them as well.
Growing tired of your dated kitchen cabinets? Do you want to give those old kitchen cabinets a quick facelift that would better suit your style?
Whether your kitchen cabinets are made of oak, cherry or even laminate — you can update them without spending too much on your budget. Updating your kitchen cabinets without painting is an easy process.
You can use many of the design changes discussed above such as corbels and beadboard without necessarily having to paint your cabinets.
If you want to go a step further, you can opt for a total replacement as a change of pace. Installing new kitchen cabinets can deplete your planned disbursement for restoring your kitchen.
Oak is a very strong and durable type of wood. Its coarse and distinct grain pattern makes it a popular choice in traditional kitchen designs. The most popular choice when it comes to updating oak cabinets is to refinish and stain them. This renews the appearance of even dated cabinets and gives you a chance to play with color. The grain pattern of natural oak wood is often highlighted by applying a good quality wood stain.
Since oak is considered a hard wood, it tends to absorb stains better and more evenly. Thus, it a great technique to use in refinishing oak kitchen cabinets and making your old kitchen cabinets more attractive. It is important to consider the type of your cabinet door profiles when updating your oak kitchen cabinets.
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