Inexpensivly update 2002 cabinets?

you could chalk paint them or distress them - we have natural oak cabinets and we stained them but there is a lot of prep work involved with that. Here are some ideas for you

https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/5-ideas-update-oak-cabinets-without-a-drop-of-paint/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvM6162FR60

By painting a giving the old cabinets a new coat of paint they will look new. But don't forget the hardware. If you don't have any remember that hardware is like jewelry for them. If you already have hardware clean it up and for a new look paint it.

Ellie: maybe this will help

https://www.hgtv.com/design/rooms/kitchens/12-easy-ways-to-upgrade-basic-kitchen-cabinets-pictures

You could paint but if you don't do a wonderful job it could actually hurt your resale value.. I'd just update the hardware and maybe a fresh countertop if old one looks bad. Best advice from me would be to just consider the kitchen as a remodel need in the asking price. Let the new owners make it their own.

This paint kit is easy to apply and makes cabinets look like new. https://amzn.to/356koGT

Hope this Helps! Jeremy - https://pahjodesigns.com

Try to balance the cost and time of upgrades against the potential loss in sales price. Many buyer may like you old style or they may want to remodel the kitchen anyway. My rule of thumb: Do it so you can enjoy it before a sale. If it's not a structural problem, don't worry about it.

The only cosmetic thing I did in my last house was to finish removing popcorn ceilings.

You could stain a dark color like java gel stain.

I would not do anything. People have their own taste and what you like the buyer may hate. Wash them well of all residue from fingerprints etc and leave as is. Not worth your time to guess what a buyer MAY like.

Check out how I painted my cabinets - not as much of a pain as I thought it would be and they turned out great! https://happydealhappyday.com/how-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets-without-sanding/

Painting them white will make the kitchen look bigger and brighter: https://thehoneycombhome.com/painting-kitchen-cabinets/

Paint them a bright white :)

Unless your painting skills are exemplary, I'd skip the painting. It's very time consuming and may be disliked by potential buyers spotting brush marks, uneven paint application, etc.

I used milk paint to paint my oak cabinets. It doesn’t require a lot of prep work. You can see my tutorial here: https://momhomeguide.com/best-way-paint-kitchen-cabinets/

I would paint them white

Ive used this kit in the past and it works well: https://amzn.to/2WapwWo