How to Update Kitchen Cabinets: 8 Designer-Approved Ideas
The kitchen is the heart of your home. I genuinely believe that. But a full renovation? That’s a huge commitment — and an even bigger budget. The good news is you don’t need either. Nine times out of ten, the cabinets are what date a kitchen. Update those, and the whole room transforms.
Here are eight ways to update your kitchen cabinets, ranging from a one-hour DIY to a slightly bigger weekend project.
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Photo: Marisa Vitale
how to update kitchen cabinets
Paint ‘Em!
This is my number one recommendation every single time someone asks me how to refresh a kitchen on a budget. Paint is transformative. I’ve seen it take cabinets from builder-grade blah to something you’d find in a design magazine – for a few hundred dollars. The key is prep. Don’t skip the primer, especially on older cabinets. And when it comes to finish, go semi-gloss or gloss. It holds up to daily kitchen life and wipes clean easily. Whether you go classic white or commit to a color (and I really encourage you to commit to a color), paint will make your kitchen feel like a whole new space.
See my guide for How to Choose a Paint Color
Photo: Sara Ligorria Tramp
How to update kitchen cabinets
Replace The Hardware
This is the easiest win in the entire post, and I mean that. New hardware takes under an hour, costs almost nothing, and the difference is genuinely shocking. All you need is a screwdriver. Most cabinet hardware is standard sizing, so just measure what you have and match the specs when you shop for replacements. My favorite trick? Mix it up. Put pulls on the drawers and knobs on the doors. It sounds simple, but it gives the whole kitchen a custom, intentional look that people will absolutely notice.
How to update kitchen cabinets
Try Two-Tone Cabinets
If you’re already planning to paint, take it one step further and do two tones. This is one of my all-time favorite kitchen moves. Paint your uppers one color and your lowers another. I almost always recommend keeping the uppers lighter – white or a soft neutral – and then going bolder on the lowers with a deep green, navy, charcoal, or even a warm terracotta. The lighter uppers do something really clever, too: they visually push the ceiling up and make the whole room feel bigger. It’s a designer trick that works in any kitchen, any size.
Photo: Sara Ligorria Tramp
How to update kitchen cabinets
Rip Out Your Uppers
Okay, this one is a bigger commitment, I’ll be honest about that. But if you have the storage elsewhere and you’ve always wanted your kitchen to feel more open and airy, removing the upper cabinets is one of the most dramatic things you can do to a space. I’ve done it on projects, and the transformation is always jaw-dropping. Once they’re out, you have options. Leave the walls bare for a really clean, modern look, or add floating shelves for some personality and practical storage. Either way, the kitchen instantly breathes.
See how open shelving transformed the Bobby Berk Headquarters Kitchen
Photo: Sara Ligorria Tramp
How to update kitchen cabinets
Refinish Your Cabinets
If you have solid wood cabinet doors (real wood, not laminate) and you love the style but hate the color, refinishing is worth serious consideration. I know it sounds like a big project, and it is a little more labor-intensive than just painting. But if you want to keep that wood look and just update the tone, staining them a new color will make them look completely brand new. It’s the move for people who have quality bones in their kitchen and just want to modernize the finish without replacing what’s already good.
How to update kitchen cabinets
Remove Cabinet Doors
Not ready to fully rip out your uppers, but love the open shelving look? Just take the doors off. Seriously, it’s that easy. Remove the doors, patch the hardware holes, give everything a fresh coat of paint, and you’ve got open shelving without any major construction. I love adding an extra design moment here, too: paint the inside of the cabinet a contrasting color, or line the back with wallpaper or a simple tile. It turns something functional into something that actually looks intentional and beautiful.
How to update kitchen cabinets
Add Trim to the Doors
This one is for anyone with flat-front cabinets who has always wanted that shaker-style look. You don’t have to replace your doors to get there. A woodworker, or honestly, you if you’re handy, can add a thin strip of trim around the edge of each door. We’re talking about 1/4 inch thick, 1 to 2 inches wide. It’s a subtle detail that completely changes the character of the cabinet. Once the trim is on, paint everything, and you’d never know those weren’t shaker doors from the start. It’s one of my favorite budget-friendly fakes.
How to update kitchen cabinets
Add Under-Cabinet Lighting
I’ll be real. This one won’t change the look of your kitchen the way paint or hardware will. But it will change how your kitchen feels to actually use, and that matters just as much to me. Undercabinet lighting is one of those things that people don’t know they need until they have it. It makes the space feel warmer, more intentional, and genuinely more functional — especially when you’re prepping food. There are great battery-powered options now that require zero wiring, so you can do it yourself in an afternoon. Or have an electrician come in and do it properly with hardwired lights and outlets. Either way, your kitchen will thank you.
How to update kitchen cabinets
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to update kitchen cabinets without replacing them?
Painting is hands-down the most budget-friendly option. A good primer, a semi-gloss or gloss paint, and a weekend are genuinely all it takes to make dated cabinets look brand new. If you want to go even simpler, swapping out hardware -handles and pulls – costs as little as $20–$50 total and can be done with just a screwdriver in under an hour.
What paint finish is best for kitchen cabinets?
Always go semi-gloss or gloss. These sheens hold up to the moisture, grease, and daily wear that kitchens dish out, and they’re easy to wipe clean. Matte and eggshell finishes may look beautiful initially but will absorb stains and show wear much faster — not ideal in a high-traffic space.
Do two-tone kitchen cabinets still look good, or are they dated?
Two-tone cabinets are very much still a designer move when done right. The key is contrast with intention – pair a crisp white upper with a deep, saturated lower (navy, forest green, charcoal, or a warm terracotta all work beautifully). It’s a way to bring personality into the kitchen without overwhelming the space. Keeping the uppers lighter also visually raises the ceiling, which is a bonus in smaller kitchens.
Is it worth removing upper kitchen cabinets?
It depends entirely on your storage situation. If your kitchen has enough pantry or lower cabinet space, removing the uppers can dramatically open up the room and make it feel larger and more modern. Replace them with floating shelves for decorative storage, or leave the wall bare for a clean, airy look. If you rely on those uppers for everyday storage, removing the doors to create an open-shelf effect gives you the visual benefit without sacrificing the space.
I am in love with this article! Gonna try it son!
Oh Bobby this is timely! Can’t afford to update entire kitchen. I too thought of painting upper cabinets in simply white and lowers in a green. I have terra-cotta floor tiles that we cannot remove. What to do? I made a window treatment from a Michel design table runner that I love and am trying to tie it together.???
I love the idea of uppers in white and lower cabinets in green. (This is my current favorite shade of green.) It sounds like those colors will complement the terra cotta tile perfectly! You can also easily (and cheaply) change out the cabinet hardware too. Best of luck! xx -B
Love your designs!!! Would you PLEEEAASE advise on how to update kitchens with terracotta tiles. We can’t replace them, so how can you update that look,while painting the cabinets as well?
Thank you in advance!
Okay!!… I’m going to do it! Upper cabinets will be white and lowers will be matte black. My daughter and I watch Queer Eye all the time and probably have seen each episode at least 10X and other favourites even more. Your designs are impeccable, versatile and so refreshing. You have such a gift. Thanks Bobby.
I love how you can completely transform an entire space with just using paint. Thanks for your kind words and good luck with your cabinets! xx -B
I love the ideas. I can’t wait to try some. Do you have any ideas for a long narrow galley kitchen?
Thanks.
What kind of prep work do you suggest for painting old honey oak kitchen cabinets (dated 90’s)? The fronts are real wood, but the rest is fake…so, is there a special kind of primer paint I should use on the inside and the out after sanding & scrubbing (I am assuming that is necessary)?
Love ❤️ your article! It inspires me to want to update the design of an old space. I’m redoing antique furniture with this black gold combo and it’s so exciting to see the beauty of the kitchen cabinets done this way. Can’t wait!!!!! ? Wish Bobby could design my loft facing the mountains.
Thanks so much!
My fiance and I are thinking about remodeling a home that we bought together so we can start our family in a nice community, and I really would like to change up the entire kitchen. I appreciated that you said that if you choose a semi-gloss paint for cabinets, they can look like new. I have been considering getting new ones custom made so I can fit them exactly where I want in the oddly-shaped kitchen.
Glad we could help. Good luck with the remodel!
I’m glad you talked about how you can refinish your cabinets or you can change them out completely to change the shape. My wife wants to update our kitchen for the summer and she wants finer looking wood cabinets. I’ll have to pass this along to her so she can order some custom cabinets.
Hey Bobby. I painted my laminate kitchen cabinets with chalk paint last year but they are stained already with fats, etc. Can you recommend a paint that will adhere and last better? I’m in the UK so not sure what paint types differ from here to across the pond?! Thanks so much I’m advance, Colin x
Since chalk paint is matte, it will show stains and imperfections. I recommend a semi-gloss or enamel finish from Dulux, which is more durable. xx -B
I love the two-tone cabinetry! Quick question, if you have a floor to ceiling cabinet, should it be painted to match the uppers, or the lowers? I have a full size cabinet to the right of my fridge, and I want to make sure it’s still cohesive with the rest of the kitchen. Thank you!
That depends on the colors you are using. I would paint the cabinet the lighter of the two colors. Thanks for reading!
My daughter and I are just in love with your style we are binge watching you guys currently. Your kitchen designs are very inspiring!
Thank you so much! xx -B
Love your ideas, thank you. All my walls are painted Simply White and will be re-facing the oak kitchen cabinets. Would Simply White on cabinets and Grey Owl on island work? Thanks!
Yes, I love doing an island in a different color than the cabinets. Grey Owl is a beautiful choice. -B
What primer would you recommend? We have laminate cabinets and want to update them!
Definitely do your research but find a primer that works specifically for laminating cabinets like this one: https://amzn.to/2ztsb60 Good luck with the project! xx -B
I love these suggestions!! I especially love the look of two different colors of cabinets and mixing different styles of hardware ??
Thanks love! xx -B
Just wanted to say thank you for all the tips, we’re going to tackle painting the old boring cabinets a dark green/blue (plus brassy hardware) and I feel like your ideas have given me permission to go bold!
Thanks so much for reading and good luck with your cabinet makeover! xx -B
Hello! Your designs are lovely. Do you have any ideas for what to do with the space above kitchen cabinets that don’t go to the ceiling? We have about 14 inches above ours and can’t afford to replace them. I was thinking maybe track lighting and some leafy plants? Any ideas would be appreciated!
I think plants are the best option. They can fill that space nicely and add in some texture and interest. Check out this post for even more ideas. Thanks so much for reading. xx -B
Your advice is always so budget friendly, which is a big concern for most of us everyday folks out here. On my way to the hardware store to find some new handles and draw pulls for a nice refresh. Thanks again 🤗💖