Erin Napier's Budget-Friendly DIY Trick Makes Any Kitchen Cabinets Look Like Wood

There's a kitchen trend on its way back, according to Erin Napier, the co-star of HGTV's "Home Town," and that's having natural wooden cabinets. Depending on the wood you choose, installing wood cabinets can set you back anywhere from $6,000 to $12,000. If you don't have the budget to replace your existing cabinetry, Napier shares a budget-friendly DIY trick makes any kitchen cabinets look like real wood. Simply paint the existing cabinets in your kitchen in shades of orange or brown to mimic the look of natural wood. 

This upgrade will not set you back thousands of dollars, and the brown or orange shadows will add a pop of color and warmth to your kitchen. After all, cooler colors, like gray, was the kitchen cabinet color trend that made sense in 2015, but now feels totally overdone. 

While painting existing cabinets is a great tip to keep your kitchen renovation affordable, from Napier, note that there is quite a bit of work involved. You don't simply brush paint over the cabinets and must prep them first. 

There are steps you should never skip before painting kitchen cabinets, including removing the hardware, the doors, then cleaning and degreasing the surfaces. You don't want to paint over strands of hair, food particles, or lots of dust. You may also need to sand down the cabinets, wipe away the old paint and dust, then prime, sand down again, and finally paint. 

If this entire process seems like it's too much for you to handle on your own, or you simply don't have the time to commit to the project, you can pay for the service. But note, this might set you back a few thousand dollars, according to quotes we found on Reddit. However, if you're excited to take on this project, it's time to pick up some paints, primer, sanding materials, and perhaps painter's plastic or canvas drop cloth to keep the paint from dripping over your floors and countertops.

A little patience and prep work can transform your outdated cabinets into something fresh, warm, and on-trend as per Napier, without the price tag of a full kitchen renovation. Then, after you've painted your cabinets, check out Erin Napier's tip on choosing a bold kitchen backsplash alternative. Be forewarned though, as her tip has sparked debate amongst her fans.