Easy kitchen updates for under $500

Your kitchen may be looking a little shabby. But Consumer Reports offers five ways to spruce up your kitchen. 1. Give Cabinets a Fresh Face If your cabinets are plumb, square and sturdy, there are two ways to update them for a fraction of what it would cost for replacements: refacing and refinishing. Refacing offers more choices; refinishing requires more work, but costs less.

Refacing involves adding new “skins” to cabinets, and costs $150 to $300 per door opening, including materials and installation. Or refinish your cabinets with a new coat of paint. First, clean them with a degreasing agent, rinse, sand and prime, and then give them a topcoat or two. 2. Add a Bright Spot Use color to energize your kitchen. A few well-placed accessories, such as boldly hued mixing bowls, flowers or even fruit, can instantly create an eye-catching focal point. An island offers another opportunity to introduce color. Just paint this gathering spot in an attention-grabbing shade. Consumer

Reports notes that you’ll want a semigloss or highgloss formula for easier cleanup on this highuse area. And don’t forget that light fixtures can add accents of color. 3. Add an Island A custom-built island adds convenience -- but often at a hefty price. Save by opting for an unfinished or ready-to-assemble prep table and doing part of the work yourself. You’ll find a wide variety of doors, drawers and countertops in different configurations. A 36-by-24-inch unfinished island topped with a wooden counter starts around $300 at unfinishedfurnitureexpo.com. For a high-end look, consider an island topped

with stainless steel. Or choose one with a granite top.

Before you buy, be sure you have enough room to fit the island comfortably. You want a 36- to 48-inch clearance on each side.

4. Add Splash to the Backsplash

A relatively easy and inexpensive update is to install or replace a tile backsplash. According to George W. Edwards, a certified kitchen and bath remodeler with A&C Kitchens and Baths in Chester, Pennsylvania, the average cost is about $3 to $5 per square foot, though decorative inlays and trims can cost more. Whether you do the job yourself or hire an installer depends on the state of your existing backsplash, and how much time you can commit to the job. 5. Mix Up Materials For decades, kitchen

design favored uniformity -- one cabinet type, one countertop material. But Consumer Reports says that nowadays designers are creating excitement by combining a wide range of materials and finishes. That’s good news, because it means you don’t have to worry about everything matching perfectly in your makeover.

Choose pricey glassdoored cabinets above, but bargain wood or laminate-front units below. Stick your expensive slab of granite or marble on an island, where everyone will see it, but go with basic laminate around the perimeter. Instead of a built-in island or builtin storage, use freestanding furniture to add prep space and storage.