From Cabinets to Countertops – Creating a Kitchen on a Budget

Making just a few changes to your kitchen can go a long way in giving it a brand new look and feel.

Courtesty ARAContent

It is the busiest room in the house and often needs the most improvement: the kitchen. A remodeled kitchen increases the value of the home and makes it more enjoyable to cook, live and dine in. However, many homeowners are left wondering how to create the culinary oasis of their dreams on a budget.

“Just about everyone has cost concerns when it comes to remodeling. Very few people have unlimited budgets, so doing research on various options will go a long way to stretching your dollars,” says Connie Edwards, certified kitchen and bathroom designer and director of design for Shenandoah Cabinetry. Edwards offers some valuable tips for controlling costs when remodeling the kitchen.

• Do as much of the work yourself as you can. Wallpaper removal, light demolition, and cleaning up after subcontractors require hard work as opposed to skill; there is no point in paying skilled contractors to clean up.

• Buy stock cabinets. Instead of having cabinets custom-made, find a line of stock cabinets that you like. Shenandoah Cabinetry, sold exclusively at Lowe’s, is a stock cabinet manufacturer that offers a wide range of premium construction features and accessories at a value price.

• Use alternative materials instead of costly marble or stone. Laminate countertops and vinyl flooring create rich-looking surfaces on a modest budget. When choosing faucets, brushed and polished chrome is vastly less expensive than more exotic finishes, and basic white fixtures are budget friendly and won’t look dated in a decade.

• “Wow” the island. The island is the first thing that people notice when they walk into the kitchen, so keep the main cabinets simple and put the emphasis on the island. Make the island pop by increasing the thickness of the countertop, using a premium finish or glaze on just the island cabinetry, or illuminating the island with inexpensive but attractive pendant lights.

• Work within your existing space. Annexing space from an adjacent room or removing a wall can be costly, so add storage and organization features to new cabinets to utilize space you already have. Many of these accessories are now factory installed, such as those offered in Shenandoah’s OrganizationOptions program, making things simpler for the consumer and easier on their wallet.

• Use moderately priced items in an interesting way. Small splurges in small spaces like a glass tile backsplash behind the oven range will spruce up the kitchen and is the best use of your dollars.

• Consult a design professional. A design professional can help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure the job is done efficiently.

Visit your local Lowe’s and talk to a kitchen design specialist about the options that are available to fit your lifestyle and your budget. For more information and to view an assortment of kitchen design ideas, visit Shenandoah Cabinetry.

Save Money on Your Kitchen Countertops
If you like the look of natural stone consider the following lower-cost alternatives.

Use natural stone tiles in place of large slabs. The purchase price of tiles is substantially less than that of a slab. In addition, you can often install tiles yourself (slabs must be professionally installed) saving you even more money.

Laminate countertops have come a long way from their humble beginnings and laminate that mimics the look and texture of nature stone surfaces is now available. Backsplashes can be molded in order to make a seamless product, adding to its appeal. Laminate is virtually maintenance free unlike natural stone and is inexpensive when compared to the cost of natural stone.

Use concrete countertops stained in a natural hue. Concrete will not mimic the appearance of natural stone, but it can create a similar feel when stained the proper color. Concrete does require some maintenance and can be more expensive than other countertop surfaces, but compared with natural stone, concrete is still less expensive in general.

Get the Look of New Cabinets
New cabinets not within the budget? Here are some tips to make them look like new.

The easiest, least expensive way to update your cabinetry is to replace the hardware. Look for hardware that really adds to the overall look and feel of your kitchen. For a retro kitchen, consider glass knobs in a green hue that will add to the charm. If you have a kitchen filled with traditional white cabinetry, wrought iron pulls will add instant drama. For a country kitchen, take a whimsical approach and combine several different knobs and pulls.
Give the cabinetry a completely new look by giving the doors new fronts. Do this by cutting and removing the inner portion of your doors. Then, replace it with plexiglass, frosted glass, or even wire- change all of your doors or just a few. This project will take some knowledge of tools and materials; do some research or take a class to become more familiar with the process.
Painting your cabinetry will give you perhaps the most dramatic change to your kitchen. Do be careful when selecting your paint color- I recommend painting some samples and placing them in the kitchen before paint touches the cabinets. You will need to prepare and paint the surface properly in order to achieve the best results - do your research and do the job right.

TIP: Make a diagram of your kitchen and number the cabinet doors. Then, using painter's tape and a permanent marker, physically number the cabinet doors. This will ensure that when you are ready to re-hang the doors, that you will know where each one goes making reinstallation a cinch.