February 21, 2024
6 Tips for Updating Cherry Cabinets (Without Replacement)
The 90’s brought us the popular home feature of Cherry Wood-stained Cabinets, and many of us still have them in our homes today. Replacing cabinets can be daunting and expensive, so here are 6 tips to updating these cabinets to better fit your style today and make them feel brand new.
1. Painting
The obvious and most people’s go to strategy, right? Painting cherry cabinets is a great way to give an updated look, however, the paint color isn’t the only thing you should be looking for. You should rather look for a cabinet enamel, which drys slower and creates a harder finish. Enamel typically lasts longer than normal paint, but still will likely need touch ups down the road.
If you’re going to paint, remember the 5 P’s: Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. Things like a thorough cleaning, applying a deglosser, sanding the cabinets down, and using a primer can allow for best results. Double check that all materials used are compatible with one another as well.
2. Add Open Shelving
Easy steps. Take the doors off the cabinets to create some open shelves. Mixing open shelving with enclosed cabinets can create a sophisticated look and allow for more decor to make a room more exciting.
3. Replace the Doors
Replacing the doors of the cabinets is a little more budget friendly than replacing completely. The doors are typically the most aged part of the cabinet as sunlight speeds up the aging process of cherry wood cabinets, causing them to darket. There are many different types of cabinet doors, it’s suggested to pair with a company or designer to help decide what will uplift your home the most. High-end and small details can really enhance the look of your home.
4. New Countertops
If your countertops are also from the 90’s, they likely need a replacement as well. You may love your cherry-wood cabinets and the warmth it adds to your home, and in that case, add light countertops, like white quartz, to balance the undertone of the aged cherry-wood.
5. Choose Underlighting
Installing under lighting beneath the cabinets, or having multiple lights shining down on the cabinets, can highlight the countertops and draw attention away from the cabinets. An easy installment, you just want to make sure your countertops are worth highlighting.
6. Final Touches
Keep them polished. Simple as that. Keep up with dusting and polish them with a suitable wood cleaner, avoiding any harsh chemicals. This will add a gentle sheen to your cabinets. And of course, choose the hardware for your cabinets wisely. Using stunning hardware can really make your cabinets pop.
