Home remodeling is at an all time high. In fact, remodeling bathrooms and kitchens has become almost a national obsession. A significant cost factor in remodeling or adding to a home can be the cost of cabinetry. Whether you’re remodeling or adding a kitchen, home office, family room, hobby room, playroom, kid’s bedroom or bathroom, your design can include new cabinets. In a kitchen remodel, cabinets can account for up to half of the total cost. So it seems important to think carefully about new cabinets and remodeling.

If you have the luxury of planning a remodel without budget constraints and want new cabinets, you have two options: standard cabinets or custom cabinets. Custom cabinets are built to your specifications for your room. These can be built on site, or they can be built off site and installed when complete. This option certainly gives you the most flexibility with your kitchen layout and getting the cabinets you want. However, if you want to complete your remodel faster or want to save a bit of money, standard cabinets are a great option. Standard cabinets are available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, made from almost any type of wood you could want, with various types of door trim and glass panels. You can buy them fully built or in pre-cut, pre-finished pieces that you assemble.

If your existing cabinets aren’t up to your needs or expectations, you may need to purchase new cabinets. If your cabinets show significant signs of wear and use, are made of composition board, or just make things inaccessible, new cabinets are probably a good idea. Choosing the common cabinets that fit your remodel design should be reasonably easy. If you need new cabinets and your budget is limited, you may want to look into recently discontinued cabinets or buy very plain cabinets that you can add accent molding to. This could save a lot of money.

If your cabinets are functional, in good condition, and of good quality, there are many other things you can do to revitalize old cabinets with a style that will accentuate the design of your new room while saving money. Particularly in older homes, you may have solid wood cabinets that are much better than many inexpensive cabinets available today.

One option would be to “refinish” your cabinets. Refacing cabinets is a matter of putting a new exterior “face” on existing cabinets while keeping existing cabinet frames and boxes intact. Cabinets can be faced with high quality laminate, veneer or wood to give the appearance of new cabinets at a fraction of the cost. Cost savings come from lower cost of materials and labor.

Painting existing cabinets is another option, particularly if the cabinets are functional but need to be lighter and brighter. White cabinets are very popular. Yet another option is to remove the cabinet doors, sand or remove all surfaces, and restore or stain them. This gives you a chance to repair the damage and put a new face on what you already have. Yet another option is to restore the flat cabinet doors and add matching trim to create the look of finely crafted millwork.

If you want to work with existing cabinets and revamp them, you may also want to consider adding painted accent molding. For example, you can add a pattern to your cabinets white for pizzazz, or you can paint the trim on your cabinet doors stained.

If you’re working with existing cabinets, remember that they can also be resized as needed to accommodate new appliances. This can take a bit of work, but it can certainly be done if you like the cabinets you have.

Finally, consider the difference that new hardware can make. Replacing hinges and door/drawer handles can give older cabinets a brand new look. If, for example, you have pine cabinets with black hinges and door handles, you can create a whole new look by painting the cabinets white and swapping out the hinges and door handles for bronze or brushed nickel.

As you renovate, you may also want to consider adding features that make the items in your cabinets more accessible. There are many items available that can be attached to existing cabinets or integrated into new cabinets that will make them more accessible, such as lazy Susans, drawers, pull-out shelves, and the like.

The possibilities for new cabinets and remodeling are limitless. Just use your imagination to find ways to achieve the highest quality for the budget available. The rest is a matter of creative thinking and some effort.

Copyright 2007 by ABCD Publishing