Update your kitchen without doing a major renovation!

If your kitchen is looking tired, but you don't want to go all out and renovate the whole space, here's what you can do:

It isn't possible to do a partial reno as kitchen cabinets aren't constructed as individual units, but as long sectionals. A countertop is also cut as a continuous slab to make the surface waterproof. But what you can do to pare down reno expenses is to refresh your kitchen.

Go for a cosmetic redo rather than a total overhaul. As long as the appliances and cabinets are sound, you can get away with a surface redo. For instance, countertops see the most wear and tear, so a brand new one in a different colour or finish will transform your kitchen immediately. 

If the cabinets are still sturdy, settle for updating the hardware — the drawer pulls and knobs — to more modern versions.

Want a more drastic facelift? Change some of the top-hung cabinet doors to wire-glass frosted ones. Or, go for very different materials — in an all-white kitchen, you could play with an ash wood finish on some doors for contrast. 

Best of all, a cosmetic overhaul will let you escape the dreadful mess of hacking and demolition, plus the inconvenience of not having a kitchen for at least two weeks.