17 Cheap Ways to Cover Ugly Kitchen Cabinets in a Rental
If you just moved into a rental, I bet the kitchen cabinets are your biggest nightmare. Maybe they are a gross yellow color, or just old and greasy. You can’t paint them because the landlord will get mad, but you can’t look at them for another day either!
I’ve been a DIY pro for 20 years, and I’ve fixed more “ugly” kitchens than I can count. You don’t need a lot of money to make your kitchen look like a magazine. You just need some smart tricks that you can take off when you move out. Here are 17 cheap and easy ways to hide those bad cabinets and finally enjoy your kitchen.
1. The “Magic” of Vinyl Wrap
This is the “king” of rental fixes, but it takes patience. You can buy giant rolls of Contact Paper (For me I love the matte white or the light wood grain patterns). It is basically a giant sticker for your doors.
How to do it right: First, your need to clean the doors with soap and water to get the grease off. If the door is greasy, the sticker will fall off in two days! Cut the paper a little bit bigger than the door. Use a credit card to smooth it out as you go.
My Secret: Use a hair dryer on the corners! The heat makes the plastic soft so it hugs the edges perfectly without wrinkles. It took me a whole Saturday to do my first kitchen, but the change was so huge that my landlord didn’t even recognize the room!
2. Swap the Old Handles (Quick Fix)
Most rental cabinets have those cheap, tiny plastic handles. Buy a bag of Matte Black or Brushed Gold knobs from Amazon or IKEA.
It’s the fastest way to make a $10 cabinet look like it belongs in a $500 showroom.
Here’s my advice: Put the old handles in a Ziploc bag and hide them in the back of a drawer so you can put them back on before you move out.
3. Take the Doors Off for “Open Shelving”
If the doors are truly “scary” or broken, just take them off! Now you have Open Shelving. It makes a small kitchen feel much bigger and brighter. To make it look good, you have to keep your plates organized.
If your plates are all different colors, it might look messy, so only do this if you have a set you like. Note: Store the doors under your bed or in a closet so they stay safe.
4. Washi Tape Accents
If your cabinets are white but boring, use Washi Tape. It’s a thin paper tape that comes in many colors.
You can put a black line around the edge of each door to give it a “modern” look. It’s very cheap and comes off in one second.
5. The “Cottagecore” Fabric Curtain
This is perfect for the cabinets under the sink where the wood often gets water damage. Take those doors off and hang a simple Fabric Curtain using a small Tension Rod. You don’t even need to sew! You can use “hem tape” and an iron to make the edges neat.
This gives your kitchen a cozy, “Country” vibe. It’s also great for hiding big, ugly trash cans or cleaning supplies that don’t fit well on a shelf. Pick a fabric with a small “gingham” (checkered) pattern to hide any kitchen splatters.
6. Peel-and-Stick “Side” Panels
Don’t forget the sides! Even if the fronts are fixed, the sides of the cabinets are often still ugly.
Buy some Peel-and-Stick tiles that look like grey stone and put them just on the side panels. It adds a “pro” look to the whole room.
7. Bright Wallpaper inside the Back
If you took the doors off (Tip #3), put some Removable Wallpaper on the back wall of the cabinet. A bright floral or a cool geometric pattern works best. It’s like a “pop” of happy color every time you look for a glass.
8. The “Shaker” Look with Command Strips
If your cabinets are flat and look “cheap,” you can give them some style. Buy some thin, flat wood molding from the hardware store. Cut them to fit the edges of your door to make a frame. Paint the strips the same color as your cabinets.
The Renter Hack: Do not use nails! Use Command Strips (Picture Hanging Strips) to stick the wood to the door. It makes your flat doors look like “Shaker” style cabinets. When you move out, the strips pull off without leaving a single hole. I did this in my first apartment and got my full deposit back.
9. Chalkboard Vinyl for Lists
Stick a piece of Chalkboard Sticker on one lower cabinet. It’s perfect for writing your grocery list or letting kids draw while you cook. It hides scratches on the wood perfectly.
10. The Side-Panel Gallery Wall
If you have a big, ugly cabinet side facing the living room, treat it like a wall. Use Command Hooks to hang a few lightweight picture frames or a small mirror. It “hides” the big block of wood and makes it look like part of your home decor.
11. Battery-Powered “Under-Cabinet” Lighting
As we all know that light can hide a lot of “sins.” If your kitchen feels dark and dirty, buy a pack of LED Light Strips. Stick them under the upper cabinets.
The “warm” light shining down on the counter makes the whole room feel clean and expensive. Most of these have a remote control and run on batteries, so you don’t need an electrician. It changes the “vibe” of the kitchen instantly at night—perfect for when you have friends over for drinks.
12. Frosted Glass Film
If you have glass cabinets but don’t want people to see your messy snacks, buy Frosted Window Film. You just spray a little water and stick it on. It looks like “high-end” frosted glass and hides the clutter.
13. Baskets for the “Dust Gap”
Most rental cabinets don’t go all the way to the ceiling. That gap is a dust magnet! Buy a few Matching Baskets and line them up on top. It fills the space and gives you extra storage for things you only use once a year.
14. Magnetic Spice Station
If the side of your cabinet is metal (or if you add a small metal sheet), use Magnetic Spice Jars. It covers the ugly side of the cabinet and keeps your spices right where you can see them. It looks like a “Chef’s kitchen.”
15. The Over-the-Door Towel Trick
This is the “no-work” fix. Buy a Stainless Steel hook that hangs over the door.
Hang a very pretty, large kitchen towel. The towel will hide almost 50% of the ugly wood! It’s the easiest way to add color.
16. Mirrors to Add Light
If your kitchen is tiny, stick a few small mirror tiles to the center of the cabinet panels. It reflects the light and makes the room feel twice as big. Use “Poster Putty” so they are easy to remove later.
17. The “Paper Insert” Trick
If you have glass doors and want a quick change, buy some thick cardstock paper in a color like Sage Green or Navy Blue. Cut it to fit the glass and tape it to the inside of the glass.
From the outside, it looks like you have custom-painted cabinet inserts! It costs $5 and takes 10 minutes. It’s a great way to try a “bold” color without any risk of losing your deposit. This is my favorite idea.
