If you love to watch remodeling shows on TV, you’ve probably noticed that real estate experts rate some kitchen remodeling jobs as better than others. Some updates offer a lot of bang for the buck, so that the owners can plan on recouping most of their costs. And then there are the designs that experts don’t approve of, because the kitchen cabinet doors and hardware are too personal. If you plan to stay in your house for many years, you don’t have to care much about what others think. You can go as crazy as you like – but don’t expect a full return on your investment. Right now, home designers recommend medium-tone kitchen cabinet doors; they are expected to be in style for years to come. But if light cabinetry is the only thing that will make your heart sing, then you may just want to go with your gut. Light wood may come back in style by the time you’re ready to sell. Some home owners don’t think they’ll recoup their costs anytime soon, considering the real estate market, so they opt to go with the shade they really prefer. Perhaps going with your own aesthetic is reward enough for you. No matter which shade and style you select, any cabinet doors will look better than ones that have been painted too many times. And some styles are simply so far out of style that they will never come back in. That Western-look went out in the 1970s, and there’s not much you can do to fix them up. You’ll never get top dollar for your house if it looks sad, neglected, and abused. Most people do not have much of an imagination, or they worry that a kitchen remodeling job will cost too much. Whether you replace your old cupboards with custom cabinet doors or just discount kitchen cabinets, your home will leave a tasteful impression with prospective buyers. Right now, designers are gushing not only about medium-tone doors, but also the mixing and matching of different shades. For example, you may wish to have one color on the cabinet doors around the perimeter of your kitchen, and a different shade on the island. Generally, you want the style to remain consistent. It can really make your kitchen look less monotone if you have, say, dark wood cabinet doors on the island and pecan cabinet doors for the rest of the kitchen. No matter which style you ultimately select, a kitchen update is still one of the best remodeling investments that you can make, whether it’s just for you or for future buyers.