Cabinets were high quality when they were put in, they all function well and overall have no real issues. There are some chips in the paint which is why we were considering having them professionally painted to give it a fresher feel. Unfortunately the floors are not actually hard wood so we cannot refinish, they are some type of older click lock with some water damage. We are considering replacing the floors with LVP. My husband is leaning towards doing nothing and just selling home for less whereas I’m leaning towards doing a few lower cost things to increase the enjoyment while we are here.

We would like to find hidden hinges that would fit our cabinets, I think visually that would make a big difference

Nicole at home, I replaced 1965 Formica, white, with a granite look. I love laminate. There are several different levels of laminate. I went ahead and ordered the curve backsplash like you have because of no seems. However now, I would pick the 4 inch separate backsplash. I would not change the color. I picked Formica 7734-46 "Jamocha Granite Etchings".

I picked out several I liked in the small samples and then ordered the larger from the Formica website. Wilsonart has nice colors also.

Rethink quartz. A lot of people on here have had problems with it.

ETA: We put in a waterproof click lock flooring from Lowes also in 2019. It still looks brand new. It Smart Core. Mine was called Lucca Stone. They discontinued it, but still have several that look similar.

If you're going to replace your floors with LVP, then install laminate on the counter tops, possibly solid surfacing (aka Corian). As someone else said, don't mix expensive items with budget items. I'd paint the cabinets, keep the hinges if they work well, use laminate on the c-tops, and possibly replace the handles/knobs if you want. Paint the walls and you're done. If appliances work well, leave them too, especially if you are going to sell in the future.

If it were my house, I would replace the counters and paint the cabinets. You want it to be pleasant to work in while you are living there. It’s not an all or nothing situation.

Imo, a different wall color and clearing off your fridge could give you a nice, refreshed look that may also appeal to future buyers.

Behr ’Watery’:

Behr ’Garden Vista’:

And honestly, if you are planning on selling in the near future - just painting might be your best bet. Leave the rest. Enjoy what could be a new look with just new paint on the walls, and maybe bring in a couple of new accessories, if you’d like - and save your money. It’s a nice kitchen as it is.

Painting the cabinets seldom gets you to your happy look. Your cabinet hinges date your cabinets. Refacing the cabinets and changing the doors is a reasonably priced compromise. Decide on the kook you like for your kitchen. Right noe your cabinets lean towards a cottage, farmhouse look. Changing your sink and hardware will take y9ur kitchen to a whole new updated look. If however you want modern industrial look no amount of refurbishing will get you there. If you want a transitional look, I'd keep your cabinets as they are, changing out the hardware only. Replacing countertops is always a big decision. Don't go cheap now, you'll always wish you spent a little more to get the counters you love. Go with natural stone to take your kitchen up a notch. As popular as quartz is, it still looks manufactred which it is. Nothing like the beauty of nature. Most importantly, look for pictures of kitchens you love then make your decisions on that. It's always a problem to renovate a room in stages as trends come and go, and decisions will b more difficult if you don't have a direction decision. Here are some options Note the black hardware for a more traditional farmhouse look. The stainell hardware is a bit more modern. Light countertops will visually enlarge your kitchen. Also consider any leftover cuntertop material for a table top on your table. Make the changes that are within your budget with a final goal in mind. You should enjoy your home. Good Luck!

I "refreshed" my kitchen last year and it turned out beautifully. New quartz counters on 35 yo cabinets, a new backsplash, sink.faucet and new hinges and knobs. I also have a new window, ligjting. Dishwasher and counter depth refridgerator. I painted the cabinets myself( pure agony haha). I also refrinishec my solid red oak floors myself. None of this was easy but I found myself very focused with getting exactly what I needed and wanted. Perfecttion can make you crazy. I am a 67 year old widow. I would do it all again in a heart beat.

A proper paint job will cost you $5000. Have you looked at Ikea cabinets?

My "proper paint job", which I did myself, cost 1 can of semi gloss paint, with a few sheets of sandpaper, and 1 qt of deglosser. It did take awhile. but it is beautiful! NEVER HIRE OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO YOURSELF. You will do a better job than any "professional". You will care more.

So a repainting quote is $5000.

A full remodel quote is $65,000, a difference of $60,000.

If a repaint, a new counter and an update in hardware cost $15,000 that is still a difference of $50,000.

People are saying okay, how about if you look at new cabinets but don't change anything. Say the new cabinet cost $15,000 and the countertops and so forth cost $10,000, now we are at a cost of $25,000.

This is still a savings of $40,000 over the complete remodel.

BUT

If the OP had come in saying.

"We want to do a refresh but we don't want to do a full remodel because that costs $65, 000.

"We can do new cabinets and countertops and hardware for $25,000"

The same people would say

"Oh no, don't waste $25,000 if you are not going to improve that layout. Is your hood vented to the outside? You have barely any prep space between the sink and fridge and you have no real prep space adjacent to the stove, because your sink is across from your range. Do Not waste money on a cosmetic remodel if you can't improve this layout. Wait until you have the money for a full kitchen remodel.

In other words there is no real correct answer in this forum except a full kitchen remodel, unless the kitchen is almost new, the layout is perfect and the things the original poster does not like are the backsplash, countertop or flooring.

The “layout” obsession that goes on here is imo utterly ridiculous. And especially so when you take into consideration that ultimately there is no perfect layout... because different layouts work for different people. Plus, some people do not need everything to be ”perfect” in order to live. And it’s true... so often that is what people are told when they come here - that their layout is all messed up. Oftentimes, the OP doesn’t have a clue that they have so many ”problems,” until they show up here.

I am not saying that I would put $10,000 countertops on these cabinets either, especially if I were moving in five years.

But essentially saying that the cabinets aren't worth doing anything at all because they have "dated hinges" on them is . . . I dunno.

This is a choice between what you spend on this house vs what you get to spend on the next home. Roughly you can figure on a 50% ROI.

For every $5000 you invest into your current home the price should increase by $2,500.

The other $2,500 you don't get back.

If you are staying in the home for 2 years, you are paying $100.00 per month for the joy the improvements bring to you. If you are staying 20 year it is $10.00 a month - much easier to justify.

There are improvements that do pay off and a few things you said would make me want to do a couple of updates. You need to fix anything that will be a red flag to owners that the home may have issues or you didn't maintain it well. The water damaged floor has got to be repaired/replaced. Cabinets may be able to be touched up so that the dings are less noticeable.

I can't tell how old your laminate is, but if it has the squared corners you can simply add a new layer of laminate over the existing. Did this with my niece's house where she had old, scratched, gold countertops. Bought a white sheet laminate with just a bit of gray patterning.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/FORMICA-4-ft-x-8-ft-Laminate-Sheet-in-180fx-Calacatta-Marble-with-SatinTouch-Finish-034601211408000/308728064?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&srsltid=Ad5pg_GGqKkHcJqn5MSNcE7JZTvlIGcQRMxE6ZOzgojJ4Yl_xAyVgJqLGe0#overlay

Runs about $100 per 4'x8' sheet.

When I sold my home I had a hired a home inspector to do an inspection about a year before I sold. Fixed a dozen little things that he found. When the new buyers had an inspection the only thing they found were some leaves in the patio roof gutter.

By the time you fix any little things noticed by the inspector and detail your house like someone would detail a car - touch up every nick, clean every corner, trim and freshen the landscape two years will have flown by and you will have all that money you didn't spend to spend on your new home.

https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2023/

Nicole, we recently did what Rebecca did above and it’s gorgeous. We hired a team to paint the cabinets while-get at least 4 quotes! And make sure they use quality cabinet paint. Dunn Edwards has some very good cabinet paint -I would think Sherwin does too but Dunn Edwards is holding up great…I chose a beautiful black granite that has some nice movement in it with other neutral colors. I went with Samsung SS Black appliances. All hinges were replaced and no longer are visible which is huge (and of course soft close!) And last but not least, invested money on the cabinet hardware-pulls, knobs etc. I chose black textured hardware with chrome ends. Beautiful cabinet/drawer hardware is “eye candy”…it makes all the difference and gives it a more upscale look. Ours is made by Amerock. But….your cabinets are fine, really.

Seems to me like this is not your forever home and husband want to "sell for less" without making any changes. So, why not consider a laminate instead of quartz countertop and use your savings to replace the flooring? There are very nice laminates out there, one of many being Basalt Slate which is very nice with white cabinets. I'd do them with a nice square edge.

Basalt Slate Honed Finish:

Seems to me like this is not your forever more and husband want to "sell for less" without making any changes. So, why not consider a laminate instead of quartz countertop and use your savings to replace the flooring? There are very nice laminates out there, one of many being Basalt Slate which is very nice with white cabinets. I'd do them with a nice square edge.

When I went to sell my house back in 2010 during the recession, I replaced the laminate counters with the same basalt laminate shown above. Replaced our floors with LVT. Replaced the old knobs. Then decluttered the house like Jennifer said. Made sure there was no dirt anywhere; doorknobs, light switches, sinks, etc. Cleaned like a maniac so everything shone.

We wound up being the only ones who were able to sell our house in our town that whole year. And the house was over 100 years old. Our kitchen was from 40 years earlier. Meaning the cabinets didn't even have backs to them. Just the walls.

As Jennifer shows, life is not like HGTV. You won't really recoup your money if you do major things like put in quartz counters.

IMO the biggest problem in your kitchen is that behemoth refrigerator. I don't know your situation but I would recommend purchasing a shallow fridge and relocating this current fridge to the garage.

I would also recommend considering the WilsonArt Thinscape countertops

https://www.wilsonart.com/taj-mahal-ts311

I'd also check into this product for painting cabinets.

https://www.allinonepaint.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwn9CgBhDjARIsAD15h0C0BSQqnHO7OKkFKf0c9MTClAE4H0o1UxbWYrTPWk8uzwTLoV3hyoUaAmAHEALw_wcB

https://www.allinonepaint.com/post-8-2022_06_22-17_10_54.html

I completely agree I greatly dislike the fridge! That’s an easy fix and we will most likely be doing that.

About a year before I was planning on moving my washing machine died (20 years old). The dryer still worked. If I planned on using the next set for 20 years I would have replaced with a new set (washer and dryer) and would have bought a nice, high quality set of speed queens.

I knew I was moving, the washer and dryer would be staying. I found a basic Whirlpool washer on sale for $250 that I figured would work for at least a year. It worked well enough to get me through a year and was gifted to the new owners when they bought my home.

I wouldn't replace the fridge unless I was planning on taking it along with me to my next home.

If leaving behind I would only replace if it died.

Nicole, you have not stated your timeline for moving. This is very important. Moving in 3 years or less? I would do nothing except maybe fresh wall paint and deep cleaning. Staying for 5 years? A chipped countertop and poor floor would drive me nuts and I would change those items, but just enough to make myself happy. As suggested laminate or Corian, and LVP. Although does your floor run throughout the main floor area? If yes, then that’s a rather large and expensive change. Staying longer than 5 years, it’s more worthwhile to do more expensive changes that you will love. I give you my situation. 9 years ago we had our cabinets professionally repainted. They have stood up very well. We changed our chipped laminate countertop to quartz and love it. New sink, backsplash, appliances and window treatments and wall/ceiling paint. But we knew we were staying for min of ten years and even now we will be here at least another 3-5, so it was worth it. Good luck with your decision.

I also think the expected timeline is important. And of course the years of use vs $$ conundrum is different for everyone. But I don’t think i would think only in terms of a “ forever house”, since that’s so unpredictable.
I would be more frugal if I’m fact I was HOPING to find more of a dream home/ forever home but needed more savings or better sellers market/ interest rates to get it. And of course, you don’t have what you don’t have.
But certainly there are all kinds of home improvement expenditures that one could become paralyzed on if had to know for sure you’d be there day 20 years— landscaping, driveways, patios, kitchens.

I don’t do my own painting, so for me, “ paint is cheap “ is a relative thing if a change required re- painting a number of rooms to blend or match; could be as expensive as some quartz.

having lived in older houses those caninets look pretty new & good. have you tried simply washing them? gentle cleaning agents + elbow grease to detail them. Have fun w new pulls, leave hinges as is. and yep ”they” def want to sell product. you can put new countertops on them - have fun w the choice. we put beautiful nero marinace (river rock granite) onto older cabinets and have never grown tired of what some would worry on as a ”busy” stone look. def fridge update - newest ones have no handles at all, look sleek lovely. i’d suggest under counter illumination + declutter there. and even here it can be as simple as a mini lamp or two

verona range a fun pop of color, 70s age appropriate nod via mosaic tile backsplash. Vintage lamp here, newer one there are warm and super affordable touches

these cabinets were possibly 80s redo too nice to gut (at least to us) we’re just not into full on era erasure which still prevails in US decor where gut n new both serve as status markers and aesthetic mandates to keep industries in the $$$

Degustibus non est disputandum, but I would choose laminate over a busy stone any day.

To me, it all depends on how long you are going to be living there. If it is only 2-3 yrs I would just declutter fridge and kitchen, deep clean and touch up cabinets and make whatever small repairs are needed. If the floor has severe damage, I would probably replace with a vinyl plank floor. But just as others have said, if you do major work, you will never recoup your money that you would probably want to use making improvements on a new home. And it is upsetting to think that after your hard work and money spent, a new owner would come in and tear everything you did out and "make it their own". In 2014, we were selling my mother's 1955 home. It was kept in pristine condition. I decluttered everything in the kitchen, deep cleaned original flat front cupboards put in update knobs and pulls, installed a marble tile backsplash I got on sale at HD, and put a peel and stick type wood look floor over the existing one. I also considered a new countertop because the old was a 50's style white, grey and melon "boomerang" style. :-) but doing that I was afraid they would ruin the perfectly pristine cabinets when they tried to pull it off. Found a company that makes install-over composite countertops at 1/4 the price of granite or quartz but looks, feels and wears like it. The new homeowners have 2 young boys and in the last 9 yrs it is still holding up great! I didnt want to spend a lot fixing and painting the whole inside, but I also didnt want to sell "as is" and bail on it. I spent about $12,000 in total and it made a $50,000 increase in the selling price.

I'd get rid of the humongous refrigerator in favor of a smaller one. Yours is a monster. A counter-depth frig would vastly improve the overall look of the kitchen. Even if this change required a taller frig and changing the wall cabs over it, this would give you excuse to put a neat glass door focal cabinet over the [new] frig for a unique display.

I would definitely choose laminate over quartz if you are not planning on staying. I just did a full kitchen remodel, and my quartz countertop was scratched and chipped barely one year after having it put in. and you ca’t repair the scratches. Leave it to the next owners to put in what is their tastes.

If your existing cabinets work well (hinges, knobs, drawer glides), you don’t HAVE to change them. Does the layout of your cabinetry work well and does it give you several areas to do prep work? You may want to get a really good painter to strip, sand…whatever they need if you decide to keep them. I don’t know if quartz serves well in a busy kitchen. I have had no issues at all with my granite counters. Is your house in a neighborhood where potential buyers expect high-end finishes?

The thing that makes your cabinets look old are the visible hinges. See if it is possible to put hidden hinges on them. If not, I would look into refacing them (putting on new door & drawer fronts). Also, get all of that junk off of the refrigerator.

I appreciate the comments folks are making on this post about how we don't have to be so obsessed with having everything perfect and new. Of course if things are worn out or broken the need to be replaced, and sometimes we just want to replace things (me included). But I see so many people gutting perfectly good kitchens/ baths for just no reason that makes any sense to me.

I would find it very useful if Houzz had more stories about how someone made smaller, thoughtful changes to get the result they want. Now that I think about it, this is why I've mostly been reading the Houzz Community section lately - I find this discussion really interesting. You (all of you) are tactical and thoughtful re-designers and often keep budget and re-use in mind.

Cheers!

I don't understand the problem with visible hinges. If they're rusted or don't work properly, then by all means change them. But that is not a 1-2-3 job. If they work, then replacing them with hidden hinges isn't going to make your kitchen all of a sudden "modern," "updated," or "on trend."

Pfft, they want you to buy new cabinets. Unless your old cabinets do not have the structural strength to hold up a new countertop, but even then, support can be added. Once you paint old cabinets, they will look new. If you want Euro style hinges instead of the visible ones, you may have to consider if the cabinets have a face frame or not. Either way, if the old visible hinges are yucky, they can always be cleaned or spray painted or even replaced. Visible hinges aren't the devil many designers want you to think they are.

I think those old cabinets are beautiful, and adding a crown molding would make them even moreso. You might just have enough room for a quarter-round, and even that would make the room look more finished.

Have you considered repainting upper cabinets white, and repainting lower cabinets a different color? That could add some desired pizzaz.

What color do you plan to repaint the walls?

For your upper cabinets, it's fairly easy to add a trim piece at the bottom which adds a lot of custom *punch".

And as Gina said above, Crown or Quarter-round at the top of cabinets will help.

I, too, have a thing about visible hinges, but the solution is easy: when you paint your cabinets white, have the pro painter also paint the hinges the same color and they will disappear. A friend recently put in higher-end laminate countertops in a marble look and they are very nice! Black handles would finish off your update nicely! Your floor looks nice in the photo, so not sure why you would change it. Same with your appliances, unless they don’t work!

I DO NOT like painted hinges. Exposed, REAL hinges are fine, painted is crap.

This is what I would do..replace fridge…be sure to measure..not all counter depth fridges measure the same. Some are only a couple of inches shallower than non counter depth. Replace the spot light over the sink with a real light. Remove the screw eyes too. Replace the light in the middle of the room. It is reading yellow and casting a yellow hue. Get someone to reconstruct the cabinet over the peninsula and then put the same doors back on. The leftmost cabinet is a corner cabinet that should not be there. I think if you do those things you will be much happier.

Love all the feed back , I ended up with Quartz , not planning on selling which helped make my decision.

Use a good Wilsonart stone look laminate if you ae not staying maybe change style of cupboard door handles. Paint the hinges to hide them. I think fridge is fine minus all the stuff but IMO all those hanging lights add to visual clutter in addition to shiny garbage can, counter stools and busy dining chairs. Less is more in a tiny space. Putting in some undercounter lights will help brighten space.

I used a matte black granite on top of the 1950s ribbon mahogany cabinets in my kitchen... how many people have "ribbon mahogany"?

This is why you do not put expensive counters on old blah cabinets. Ribbon mahogany is the exception that proves the rule. Those are anything but blah and ordinary.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6358029/update-this-kitchen#n=9

Remove the popcorn ceiling (easy to spray with water and scrape). Remove the cheap looking plastic fake-wood floor and go with Armstrong VCT tile or real wood. And stainless appliances are cold looking - white is better. Hard to say what to do with the kitchen cabinets - personally I have removed particle board cabinets and bought antique solid wood cabinets for each house I have owned as particle board off-gasses for many years and is so cheapo. All white is good. Keep in mind that stone counter tops are hard and dishes break when the hit them. Sinks w/o drainboards make a kitchen difficult to use - try to find a old sink with drainboards.

I think solid surface countertops get short shrift. There's no maintenance, other than making sure you don't burn it. It comes in patterns - I have Corian sea scroll, & I love it. It's superior to laminate, & it's less expensive than granite - to tell the truth, I'm not a fan of granite. Refinishing your cabinets seems like another money-saving idea.

Hello, I'm not sure where you are located, but we can provide you a quote to paint your kitchen cabinets. You can call, text or email for a free estimate. 

Thanks

Oscar.

@Christine Botti Please help us help you. earlier you said something that made several of us think you were fixing this up to sell. You said the quotes you got for fixing were so high and the contractor suggested just moving on. Now you say you are not selling and have decided on quartz. Does that mean you are finished with this post? Or would you like others to help you choose a quartz? Is there anything else you need help with? A backsplash? Several ideas have been mentioned. Are any of them ideas you would like to pursue?

I think people are confusing me the original poster with other peoples post. Our original plan was to just update the kitchen by painting cabinets, putting in new counter tops, appliances and new flooring. Our designer came out and told us don’t do new countertops on old cabinets so then we got a quote for new cabinets and not only new cabinets, a whole new kitchen layout. Needless to say we really liked the look of the design, however, this went way over what we were originally planning on spending. We could spend the money but we are not sure this is our forever home, it will be our home until our oldest goes to college (in 4 years) then we may look for a single story but not sure yet. We really want the home to look clean and newer but not sure we want to put so much money into it that we will likely not get back.

We have already removed the popcorn ceiling shown in the picture.

I needed a new countertop. went with quartz. did not want to invest in a new kitchen as you, because we did not plan on staying and it would be very expensive. I hired a painter to paint our golden oak cupboards which were 30 years old Then needed new backsplash and updated handles I love the quartz and glad I did it I know whoever purchases our house next year (we are constructing our retirement home) will probably gut it but for now it works

Sorry. That's what I get for doing this at 3am. I'll be more careful.

Nicole at home, check out quartz remnants. We fixed up a kitchen for a friend, had intended to replace the damaged laminate counter with more laminate, but in searching found a yard that has several buildings full of quartz remnants, so for $100 more than installed laminate, got silestone lusso. It’s beautiful. We did a drop in sink instead of undermount, that saved $300 off finishing on the quartz, and the sink is great, I like it better than my apron front sink at home. I painted the cabinets myself, removed wallpaper, installed backsplash and new handles. So for $2050 (and my labor of course) here is ”after & before”: