David Lupberger: Hi! I am David Lupberger, Home Improvement Expert for ServiceMagic. I am talking about the cabinet upgrade options available for under $1,500 when renovating your kitchen. Now you can't replace the cabinetry in a kitchen for under $1,500, unless it's a very small kitchen. So you need to get creative and think about some alternatives. Let's review three possible options. If your existing cabinets are in good condition, you can clean, re-oil and polish them. This will bring depth back to dried-out wood surfaces. In addition to this, plan to replace all the drawer and door pull hardware.

Stylish door and drawer pull hardware can be a simple and cost effective way to upgrade your cabinet appearance. If your existing cabinets are not in good shape, you can re-paint them. Be sure to first clean and prep them for proper paint adherence. Check with your painter for the best way to do this, he or she will have good recommendations. The service must be clean and prepped to re-paint cabinet services. Here are two examples of a painted cabinet door, one is painted and the other has an antique finish. The strip in the middle shows the original cabinet color. To finish the job once again, upgrade all drawer and door pull hardware. You can also clean and stain your cabinets to maintain the wood looking integrity. Here are several examples, once again; the strip in the middle shows the original cabinet color. It's staining look to darken the existing stain, start by lightly sanding the cabinet and clean all the oil and dirt.

Test the new stain on a corner or back of the cabinet door, be aware of stain splotching. A professional painter can assist you with testing this option. Another cabinet upgrade is to accent upper cabinets with Crown Moldings.

Sizes will vary according to how much run above the cabinet door to the ceiling you have. If the cabinets are right against the ceiling, this may not be possible. You can highlight refinished cabinets with crown trim or with additional wood dental trim. Any good millwork shop in your area will provide you with a large range of trim choices. To save money, purchase the materials and hire a painter or finish carpenter to complete this custom upgrade for you. So those are some of the cabinet options you have available when renovating your kitchen.