Give Your Kitchen A Facelift

You don't have to dig too deep into your wallet to give your kitchen a refreshing new look, says Danny Lipford.

Whether you are planning to stay in the house or are trying to sell it, he says, a "kitchen facelift" is one of the best investments to make in a home.

Here is a simple three-step plan to do it: revitalize the cabinets, replace countertops and buy new faucets.

Cabinets

Revitalizing Doors - Instead of replacing cabinets you can either replace just the doors or refinish the existing doors. Assuming you are starting with a wood-style door, you have wo options:

1. Touch-up the existing stain and re-varnish. Lightly sand down the surface, match the stain with the right kind of varnish and then cover the cabinet door with several coats of it.
2. Simply paint or repaint if there is paint already. To repaint, use a liquid "deglosser" to prepare the surface, apply two coats of primer (sand in between) and then paint with a good quality top coat

   A new trend in painting is called "glazing," which you can do over a painted door. Take a can of glaze and have tint added. Then use a brush to apply sparingly to achieve a streaked, antique look.

Countertops

There are different styles of countertops and there are many materials to choose from.

To decide which is right for you, consider style, function and cost. Style refers to the look that you want and function refers to durability. The prices range dramatically as do the looks available. Where you live in the country would affect the ultimate cost. Besides varying cost of materials, cost to install would also fluctuate.

Here are the types Lipford will feature on The Early Show:

Laminate - One of the most popular, durable and affordable choices in countertops. There is an enormous variety of colors, patterns and styles to choose from, and laminate countertops are readily available at most home centers. Be sure to choose a quality company like Wilsonart and find a countertop contractor either from the home center, or local Home Builders Association, Lipford says. Countertops are priced per square foot installed. The cost is $15-25 per square foot (psf) installed and includes the cost of the material.

Solid Surface - These countertops are quite a step up in price from laminate. They offer a more high-end, designer look and have a "seamless" factor which many people find very appealing. A wide variety of patterns and colors are available and it is important to choose a good quality product. The price ranges from $40 to $60 psf installed.

Engineered Stone - A fairly new choice in countertops, it offers a blend of simulated natural stone, but a much larger selection of colors and styles. This is not quite as durable as natural stone. However, engineered stone offers a high-end designer look and holds up very well over time. The cost is $60-70 psf installed.

Natural Stone - For most people, there is simply nothing to match the quality of granite. It is just the most durable countertop you can put in your kitchen. The good news is that prices for granite have dropped substantially over the past few years, primarily due to technology and a larger number of manufacturers.

The only drawback of granite is that there are not as many choices in colors and it tends to be fairly dark. It is also very heavy and must be measured carefully before installation. The cost is $40-60 psf installed.

Concrete - Concrete is "all the rage". Besides countertops, homeowners are beginning to use concrete all over the inside of their homes and the sky is the limit in terms of use, style and appearance. It is fairly expensive and one of its drawbacks is also one of its benefits. It does tend to "evolve" over its lifetime and will show varying colors and patterns as it ages. Expect to spend $50-80 psf installed.

Faucets

Changing the faucet in your kitchen sink will absolutely put the finishing touches on your kitchen facelift. Depending on the style you choose, you can have a gleaming sparkling feel to the kitchen, or a classic Victorian feel.

If you are fairly handy, you can follow the manufacturers instructions and install it yourself. If you feel more comfortable using a plumber you can expect to pay around $50 - $100 for installation. Prices range dramatically, based on products.