Good lacquer at year ten is typically 90% intact and 100% underappreciated. The renewal ladder restores it in ascending order of effort.
Rung one: service day
Deep clean to bare finish, hinge realignment, new bumpers, damper checks. Half the aging of any kitchen is grime and drift; a day resets it.
Rung two: touch and swap
Batch-colour touch-ups across accumulated chips, plus new handles — hardware fashion dates faster than finishes. This rung photographs as a new kitchen at one-fiftieth the price.
Rung three: targeted respray or refront
The three worst doors respray locally; or keep the boxes and order fresh fronts in a new colour — the classic refacing move. Full replacement only earns its cost when layout itself must change.
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