What hits you in the eyes when you enter a kitchen? Yes, the cabinets. And whether you notice the beauty of the wood grain or that several cabinet doors sag on their hinges, you get an impression of good or bad quality. At some point, whether for a new home or a remodel, new cabinets can become a priority. So what you get with expensive cabinets versus less expensive ones?

Why expensive cabinets shine

Construction quality and customizable options make fine cabinets stand out. Here are some of your choices:

1.  Cabinet construction: The cases of better quality cabinets are made of solid plywood that has no voids rather than medium density fiberboard. This gives fasteners have a more solid and lasting grip and adds strength to the cases. Drawers have interlocking dove-tailed joints rather than butt-joints that pull apart. Suspension systems are heavy duty and drawers pull out to their full depth. Shelves are often 3/4″ plywood for sag-free durability.

2.  Sizes: Want to convert your breakfast bar to media storage, or create an 10″ deep pantry against a wall? The best cabinets can often be custom-sized to fractions of an inch.

3.  Woods: Inexpensive cabinets often offer three or four types of wood in a limited amount of styles, stains and finishes. Top quality cabinets will come in a greater variety of woods and a much greater variety of styles and finishes. Certain looks, like antique glazing, are hand finished. A glossy lacquered finish or Euro-designs with the grain running horizontally are among many options.

4.  Accessories: Here’s where high-end cabinets really shine in both functionality and beauty. Storage ranges from swing-up appliance cupboards, wine rack cupboards, spice rack drawers, slide-out or full size pantries, and much more. And of course, matching cabinet door panels that fit in the front of your major appliances are available. For beauty, choose from columns, corbels, crown moldings, carved accents, lattices, arches–you name it!

5.  Confidence: It’s not easy for local custom cabinet shops to stay in business. With top brand national cabinet makers, experience goes back decades. They can offer 50 year warranties and be fairly confidence that they’ll still be there to help you if you need a replacement or addition.

Cabinets are perhaps the last thing you’ll replace over time. New floors, appliances and even countertops are more likely to get changed now and then. If you have remodeling budget constraints, as most people do, put your money in your cabinets and save towards other upgrades. Your kitchen cabinets make an immediate, visible statement about the quality of your entire home. They’re an investment you’ll love every day of your life.

Looking for 21st century ways to improve your semi-Neanderthal kitchen cabinets? Homeowners can choose to simply replace the doors, or to also reface the cabinet cases with paint, laminate, or a wood veneer. There are good reasons for choosing a less expensive cabinet refacing job. Chief among these is the cost, including doing some or all of the work yourself. And your purpose for the refacing is important, too. There are design possibilities with less expensive refacing choices that can create a very “today” look.

1. Good old (new) paint: If your cabinets are already painted (perhaps a dingy, boring white), sand them down and do a creative color scheme, like butter-colored cabinet cases with royal blue doors, or dark painted brown cases with new wood-grain doors. If your cabinets are wood veneer, clean and strip or very lightly sand the veneer before painting. Do it yourself or have it done by a painting contractor.
2. Thermofoil doors: Thermofoil is vinyl that has been glued to medium density fiberboard with a vacuum press. You can get many styles of Thermofoil doors inexpensively. There are precautions. Heat (such as a self-cleaning oven) can cause the glue bond to separate, so you’ll need to shield cabinets adjacent to the stove. Surface scratches and dings can let water (from washing them down, for example) seep in and separate the bond. And colors may fade over time. But if there are no children in the home or you’re looking for a cost efficient upgrade for selling your home,  Thermofoil doors with veneered or painted cabinet cases are a good alternative.
3. Laminate: If you shudder at the thought of laminate-covered cabinets, it’s only because you haven’t looked at laminates lately. Laminating cabinet cases and even simple slab or Craftsman style doors and drawer fronts is well within the capabilities of home handyfolks. True, it will be easier if you take down the cases to work on them, but the flip side is that the creative possibilities are endless. Solid colors, textures, wood grains, and very hip patterns are possibilities for mixing and matching. Paint the cases and laminate the doors, or vice versa. And if you hire a contractor, it can be a very affordable cabinet refacing alternative.

If your purpose in kitchen cabinet refacing is home resale, it can be best to tone down the personal creativity a bit. Warm ivory painted cases with wood grain Thermofoil or taupe painted doors look current, yet are versatile. Unleash your wilder side for cabinets you plan to live with for a few years.

Creating an in-law apartment kitchen can be quick and relatively low-cost, or it can involve full-scale construction on a small space. Either way, your between-jobs son or your live-in elderly aunt can enjoy the convenience of a little kitchen of their own in your spare bedroom, basement or renovated garage.

Tips for creating a small, inexpensive kitchen

Perhaps your returning soldier daughter is facing a long rehab process. Or you’re going to telecommute from a new home office. There are many reasons for creating a small kitchen as quickly as possible. Here are some ideas.

1. Contractors: You can be your own hands-on contractor and hire a plumber for water and gas lines, and an electrician for safe power.
2. Appliances: Manufacturers like Summit and Acme make steel all-in-one units ranging from 39 to 72 inches wide. Smaller ones have one or two cooking burners, a sink, and an under-counter refrigerator. The current cost is roughly $1,400. Acme has a 69-inch kitchen unit with a 4-burner stove, an under-counter refrigerator and cupboard, a sink, overhead cabinets, a built-in microwave and range hood. The price is about $2,300. Fortunately, many units let you choose between a refrigerator, dishwasher or cupboard if, for example, you prefer a free-standing refrigerator. You could add a 24-inch deep, 72-inch high storage cabinet as wide as space permits. A kitchen cart with butcher-block top expands counter space.
3. Flooring: Use a water-resistant hard-surface flooring such as vinyl or a laminate surface for ease in cleaning the inevitable kitchen spills.

Creating a custom in-law apartment kitchen

Creating a rental apartment or permanent home for a family member is a small-scale home building project. Save money by situating the kitchen, bathroom and laundry facility back-to-back or above or below existing plumbed rooms.

1. Contractors: A kitchen remodeling contractor can help with layout ideas. You’ll need the services of all types of sub-contractors from framing and plumbing to painting and flooring. If possible, build 30 inches of counter space next to the sink and 24 inches on one or both sides of the stove.
2. Appliances: To save space, find a refrigerator that holds about 15 cubic feet — like this example from Summit (roughly $500), a 24-inch wide stove (approx. $450 to over $750), and an 18-inch wide dishwasher (about $300 and up).
3. Cupboards: In-stock cupboards from home improvement stores or un-assembled cabinets can save you money and time.
4. Flooring: Same recommendation as #3 above.

Whether you’re creating a rental unit or a landing place for someone dear, an in-law apartment kitchen adds convenience and value to your home. Enjoy seeing your plans become reality!

Who isn’t annoyed by older kitchen countertops made of small, white, uneven tiles? Perhaps you own the little devils and have had it with the uneven surface and stained grout. No, you don’t want to hold your children’s college fund hostage to granite countertops. Fortunately you can achieve a beautiful, updated look that is both easier to care for and budget-friendly.

What’s up with today’s tile countertops?

You’re not crazy to consider replacing tile counters with tile counters. There’s a world of difference in the look and practicality of today’s tiles. Here are the basics:

1. Porcelain and ceramic tiles: When you stop to think that dental work such as crowns and caps are usually made of kiln-fired porcelain, you’ll understand the durability of decorative porcelain tiles. Even then, porcelain (as opposed to “ceramic” tiles) can be fired at different temperatures, rated one to five by the Porcelain Enamel Institute. Five is hardest. Porcelain is made of very fine, water-resistant clay. Ceramic tile can also be fired with a moisture-spurning liquid glass glaze, but is not as dense and strong as porcelain. Glossy glazes provide less strength protection than low-sheen glazes. Choose an even surface to minimize tipping of tall, narrow objects like bottles.
2. Tile and grout size: Porcelain tiles used in current kitchen countertops are often 12 or 16″ square. This automatically creates fewer grout lines than the old 4- or 6-inch tiles. And if you choose a style that isn’t tapered or rounded at each edge, you can grout up to the tile edges and have an almost flat surface. As for grout, today’s tile  countertops often have a very thin grout line of 1/8 inch or less. Fewer grout lines + thinner grout lines = greatly reduced maintenance.
3. Maintenance: Unglazed tile or fussy stones like granite require constant resealing against food and water stains. Cleaning porcelain tile is a breeze. Use darker grout. Seal grout lines when you install tile, but everyday food debris can be cleaned easily with a soapy sponge. Tile is more heat resistant than many synthetic countertop materials. And should someone drop a bowling ball on it (after a lousy game), a cracked tile can be inexpensively removed and replaced from the extras somewhere out in the garage.

Porcelain tiles are available in many earthy patterns, solid colors, or stone-like and wood grain colors and patterns. Set 16″ tiles on the diagonal for rolling pie dough. Choose a different color, size, or pattern for countertop edges and/or backsplash. Go ahead — give your kitchen countertops a “tylish” renovation!