Remodeling the kitchen will certainly add to the value of a home, however, it can be very expensive. Any of the following projects will give your kitchen a pick-me-up without breaking the bank!

1. Refinish your cabinets.
In many cases, the finish on your cabinets will soften around the handles -- this is the result of body oil breaking down the finish. Most finish can be stripped off fairly easily, and on one of our recent shows on our PBS series HandyMa'am, we showed how to do this. We used one of the newer citrus-based strippers and layered it on. After the finish was removed, we applied a poly and stain combination that gave a totally new, fresh look.

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2. Freshen up your walls.
A fresh coat of paint does wonders. Try your hand at one of the faux techniques that are so popular, including sponge painting, the ragged effect or the fresco effect. There are roller covers now available that will help make the task go faster and even striping rollers, which give the illusion of striped wallpaper at a fraction of the cost. You might also consider a new wall covering or even a simple border.