If you're feeling the itch to fix up your home, you're not alone. About 5 percent of adults 18 and older planned to spend their tax rebate checks on home improvement projects and repairs, according to the findings of a National Retail Federation survey, conducted by BIGresearch. In fact, more people said they intended to spend on home improvements than those who intended to pay medical bills (4.6 percent), vacation and travel (4.3 percent), clothing (3.2 percent) or electronics (3.1 percent).

 Many consumers can and will afford to maintain the value of their homes. Whether it means replacing a 20-year-old sink faucet or gutting the kitchen, owners will strive to upkeep their homes for financial and personal reasons, according to consumer research firm Iconoculture.

"One of the easiest and most affordable ways to revitalize the kitchen and bath is to install stock cabinetry," says Andy Wells, vice president of product design and merchandising for Aristokraft Cabinetry. "Many of today's products are available in high-end colors and finishes you'd expect to find only in custom cabinetry." 

According to Wells, consumers are moving away from uniform cabinets and gravitating toward adding individual pieces to the mix. "When it comes to cabinet color, the biggest trend is mixing. People are moving away from one palette and have discovered that they can create personality in the kitchen and bath by mixing colors and finishes. Another way to create an up-to-date look is to upgrade some of the cabinets with trim and embellishments to personalize the space." 

Fashionable kitchen and bath multi-taskers 

When choosing cabinets, it's also important to look behind the doors, since many have built-in organizational features. For example, a cabinet with a multi-functional interior can cover a lot of bases in your kitchen. After all, there's only so much space to work with, and so many groceries, pots and pans, small appliances and storage containers that need to be stashed somewhere. One ingenious organization solution is the SuperCabinet from Aristokraft, a mini pantry with three large-extension roll trays, generous dual-door storage and two wire pullout baskets. An under-sink version also is available to corral dishwashing and cleaning supplies. 

If your bath is bursting with towels, or if your home doesn't have a linen closet, another hard-working multi-tasker is a linen closet cabinet. At 18-inches wide, it fits in many bathrooms. In addition to providing storage for towels, it keeps laundry out of sight with a glide-out wire basket covered with a stylish canvas liner. Another space saver is a vanity pullout to organize smaller bathroom items. Both are available in a variety of attractive door styles to give your bath a fashionable face-lift. For example, bring updated charm to the bath using crisp white Ellsworth Laminate doors with vintage vertical lines and beadboard shaker panels.