If you look around your kitchen every day and sigh about how dingy and out of date your kitchen looks with cabinets that saw their best days some decades ago, then you are probably contemplating taking the plunge and purchasing new cabinets. It’s very difficult to spiff up a kitchen with dismal looking cabinets, because the cabinets just take up so much space. They set the tone for your entire kitchen.

The question is whether it’s really necessary to buy new cabinets. The answer to that should begin with your budget. If you have plenty of money, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t chuck the old ones you hate and buy all new ones, designed specifically for your wants. If they’re still serviceable, donate them to Habitat for Humanity or some other charitable organization that can either use or sell them.

If you’d rather not spend more money than you have to, then you definitely have alternatives to total cabinet replacement but only if your existing cabinets are still sturdy and haven’t warped or cracked through the years. Good but ugly cabinets can be refinished or repainted, with new doors and fixtures added. Resurfacing costs about 40% what new cabinets do, and can look every bit as good. New doors in a different style than you had before will change the look of your cabinets so much you won’t recognize them.

There are many options to choose from. Real wood cabinets and surfaces boast unmatched beauty, but if they’re too pricy for you, particle board with laminate exteriors can still be attractive, besides very practical. In between laminate and solid wood are cabinets with wood veneers. Or, if you want to be very modern or just retro, purchase shining metal cabinets. How much you want to change your kitchen depends on you.