The easiest and most cost effective option is paint. This is an excellent way to change the look of your kitchen quickly and for less money. Bright and complementary colors are a fun way to accent your cabinets, just make sure they blend with the rest of your kitchen! Plain white looks elegant, and even black is an option if you can balance it with light walls and floor. There are literally thousands of options in paint!

If, however, you want a more natural look to your cabinets, wood or stone, or if you just want a completely different shape to your kitchen, you could simply replace them. If you are doing your own building, you want to be very careful, and experience is a plus! If you are hiring workers to do it, make sure you are working with a trustworthy crew who know what they're doing.

It's a good idea to know exactly what it is you want before you start. Many people choose to put in what's called a `soffit' or partial wall that extends from the ceiling to the top of the cabinets. It makes the room look more shapely. However building soffits can be a lot of work (and expensive too!), so be sure that they are what you really want. A good alternative option is crown molding, which is much easier to install. It creates a different look, but still offers sophistication.

Obviously you want to match your upper cabinets with your lower ones. They should be the same color and material, but it's not important that they be the same width (unless it's important to you!).

It's important to ask yourself questions about your cabinets' practicality as well as appearance. Are they at a convenient level? Do they have enough storage space to hold all your kitchen paraphernalia? Are there enough drawers in the design to accommodate your silverware, towels, and other things? It's most important that a kitchen be functional first. Another thing to remember is that wooden cabinets stain easily! They should be well varnished, but watch for water damage anyway. Be sure to keep them clean, because organic materials have been known to rot!

The cabinets are the main `furniture' of a kitchen. They should complement the countertops. Stone countertops are very trendy right now, and go well with plain painted cupboards. A good rule to remember is that if one is patterned, the other should be plain. This isn't always the case, but it is the general rule. Wooden-look cabinets go very well with plain colored countertops, but not with stone.

Cabinets can be plainly carved or intricately designed, it all depends on the look you're seeking. You can usually find a huge variety of pre-made cabinets at your local home improvement store. It is a good idea to shop around, however, and the internet also offers many different options. If you are handy enough, you may even want to try building them yourself!

Whatever you choose, make sure they fit into your vision of what your kitchen should be. Plain cabinets, carved cabinets, light wood, dark wood, painted, they should all complement the rest of your kitchen. Make sure they help create a place where you will be comfortable cooking, working, and socializing. Good luck!