A Quick Fix Brightens a Kitchen

Refacing kitchen cabinets goes a long way

Project: Reface kitchen cabinets from dark to light in Manhattan

Before: When the homeowner bought her one-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side four years ago, a lot of good work was already done. The kitchen in the 1970s co-op had recently been remodeled; however, the darker features of the small kitchen made it seem tiny. The dark cabinets contrasted against the bright and airy feel of the rest of the apartment, plus the style needed an update. “They were more traditional and I wanted something more modern,” she explained. Switching out the cabinet doors and a new color seemed to be the easiest solution.

After: Of the contractor choices offered by Sweeten, a free service that connects renovators with general contractors, she chose one who “didn’t overcomplicate the job” and had worked on similar projects. “He was always reachable,” she said. “I would text him and he would text right back.” As the project moved along, they both agreed the inside of the cabinets were too dark, a mismatch to their new outside look. So a lick of white paint was added to compensate.

Bonus: The homeowner was meant to be out of the kitchen for about two weeks. Instead, a few days into the project, her Sweeten contractor did a thorough clean-up, giving her access to the sink and fridge.

Style finds: Satin White Cabinet Enamel, CC4510099-04: Insl-x. Gray wall paint: Benjamin Moore. Cabinet hardware: Build.com.

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Refacing your cabinets is a great way to give your kitchen a new look. Check out our guide on kitchen renovation costs to get started.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.