Are they a Linoleum Eyesore?

What a day. Twelve straight hours at your desk staring at a computer screen leaves you resembling the undead. You’re tired, hungry and the thought of going into your stale old kitchen to fix dinner irritates you. The pea-green oven, linoleum floor, puce walls and grease-worn cabinets dare you to face them, but you can’t. Sounds like Thai takeout again — one larb gai and a spring roll, please. If you’re short on funds and think a redo isn’t possible, think again. If this scenario is familiar, it sounds like you’re in need of a kitchen makeover. The subway is unkind in its delays, and you lurch forward toward your apartment.

You can do this yourself if you have a miter saw. Paint the molding before you install it to save time and mess. If you don’t have a miter saw and you’re scared off by the $100-$500 price tag, kick it old school and buy a miter box and hand saw for less than $20 or see if you can rent tools from your local home improvement store. Miter cuts are diagonal and allow the molding to meet flush at an angle in the corners.

To bring your redo in at less than $1,000, think about these tips and decide which parts of your kitchen would benefit most from a facelift. For more information about home renovation and DIY projects, please put the hammer down and follow the links on the next page. What’s the one thing you can do to increase the value of your home the most? Then budget out your ideas on paper, mix and match until you have a plan that works for you, and get to work.

You can find some exceptional deals if you’re willing to be flexible with your color palette. If you really want to go cheap and use your money elsewhere, try removing the old cabinet doors altogether and go with an open shelf look. Replacing the hardware on the cabinet doors and drawers is another great way to spruce them up, with or without resurfacing. For more detail on exactly how to reface or paint your existing cabinets, please read our DIY article How to Resurface Your Cabinets. Take one of the pulls or knobs off and take it with you to your local hardware store to ensure that you get the right size.