When we say painted cabinets, your mind might travel to that nightmare project your neighbor attempted last summer, but painted cabinets can be much more than a DIY adventure. Standard cabinet finishes just aren’t enough to cut it for everyone – but that’s all many kitchen and bath dealers offer to their clients.

If you had a choice between buying a product to help your local community, or buying one that would send money overseas, which would you choose? If prices were comparable, we venture to guess many people would choose the local option.

Typical complaints designers hear when someone starts their remodeling project is that the cabinets are dated, countertop space is limited, and even appliances needing an update.   All of those being great reason for a remodel, it’s also important to think about your hardware options. Very seldom do we hear, “the hardware has got to go.” The truth is, if you’re looking for an updated appearance at a fraction of the cost, new hardware is worth looking into.

It’s not always the perfect time to take on a huge renovation that drains cash stores and wares on your nerves. Sometimes it’s just better to make small updates in your kitchen that will allow you to feel like you have a new space, without the task of actually managing a huge remodel. When it comes down to it, smaller updates can truly save you money and still give you a return on the investment you do make.

Kitchen remodels are big projects that have many moving parts (literally) and you’ll hear a lot of different opinions on where you should start with your remodel. Should you begin with colors and hardware? Should you begin with your cabinets? When should you start picking your countertops? It can all get a little crazy if you don’t sit down and think it through before you begin the demo process.

Just last night, we did a quick informal survey and asked 5 people on the street this question – “If you could have custom or stock cabinetry at the same price, which would you choose?” All five of them came back with the answer “custom,” and many of them gave a puzzled look as if to say, “Duh…why would you even ask that?” When we asked them why they’d prefer custom cabinetry, the general response was that custom is better quality and you have more options available. This was the response we had expected.