Ever since we moved in a little over a year ago, I wanted to change the cabinets. They were in good conidition and honestly not that bad, but I really didn't like how the oak cabinets blended right in with the lighter wood floors. It bothered me so bad! I tried to be content and live with it though. Of course in a dream world with infinite funds, I would love to get new countertops, back splash and appliances...but again that's a dream world for us right now. So, I did some research (hello Pinterest for days), gathered my motivation, and decided I would paint the cabinets myself and live with the other stuff for awhile longer!
I knew it would be a lot of work...and I was right. It was a LOT of work. It took over my life really and took much longer than I though it would. I still had to live my life and do our normal activities, plus throw in a long weekend trip to Dallas and it was just over 3 weeks for me to do this project from start to finish. I worked on it in chunks. So I would take off a few doors and do the frame and those doors. Then I would move on to the next section. Maybe not the smartest way to do it, but it's what worked for me doing this all by myself.
So, like I said, I did read a lot of posts on Pinterest and decided to go with General Finishes milk paint with their satin top coat. Originally, I was going to do the seagull gray color, but when I tested it out on a piece of wood, it really blended too much with our corian countertops and wall color (Comfort Gray by Benjamin Moore). So, I decided to go with a bright white since our trim and pantry door are a bright white. I was so nervous about this, but I do LOVE the way it turned out!
Here is the before pic of our kitchen just a few days after we moved in taken on my iphone. Before we moved in, we (well a painter we paid) painted the walls from a dark green to the Comfort Gray and then we (well an electrician we paid) changed out the builder grade silver light fixture to this fun one from Pottery Barn! We also changed out the cheap sink faucet to a much nicer prettier one:). This definitely helped bring the kitchen a bit out of the early 2000's (when it was built). But still I knew it was definitely not really my style.
And here it is now...after I painted everything and added a few more little things to fit with my style! My son asks why I paint everything white, and I am guilty of that for sure. I just love how white brightens things up and makes everything look fresh.
I'm so in LOVE!
And I feel so MUCH satisfaction that I did this...pretty much all by myself.
It took over my life and my sweet husband and kids got neglected for awhile.
But they all love it and are all so proud.
Makes me feel so satisfied.
Now, hopefully it will last. I'm most nervous about it chipping and not lasting with 4 crazy kids.
This kitchen is very LIVED in. I will definitely be anxious to see how the 3 tops coats I did hold up.
After doing a few sections and it taking 5-6 coats of white, I realized I needed to prime.
You aren't supposed to have to prime with the genral finishes paint, but I read some more and realized that with the snow white color going over a darker wood, I did need to prime.
Once I primed, things did go a bit faster with the white coats.
I sanded between coats as needed (if it got too rough or little dust particles got in).
OH, and I definitely spent a LOT of time degreasing and cleaning the cabinets before priming or painting.
Jeff helped me change out the knobs on the drawers to pulls. I'm glad he did that part becuase it made me nervous to drill new holes. We got a little cabinet pull guide from Home Depot to help with that. I would definitely recommend getting one of those if you are changing from knobs to pulls.
I kept these shelves open just for fun. Love getting to display some of my fun dishes, and old things:).
I was worried that my black appliances would really stick out and I honestly don't mind them at all!
I am just embracing them and going for a lot of black and white farmhouse type accents.
This is the side of the kitchen we really live in.
A real life kitchen:).
I will never have a show kitchen.
It is used and loved and we have to have a little command center for the 8 billion school papers and bills that come everday!
The cake stand is some leftover birthday goodies for Jeff!
Two of my favorite accents in the kitchen that we have had for awhile...
I love farmhouse tables so much, that I actually have one in my kitchen AND
one in the dining room. Haha.
This sugar mold is another favorite accent of mine that I got on a FB yard sale site years ago.
The little ceramic things inside were from goodwill. Isn't that awesome!?
One more look at my updated kitchen.
LOVE it so much !
So here is what I used:
General Finishes Milk Paint in Snow White
General Finishes Satin Top Coat
Primer
Foam brushes for the top coat
A good more expensive small and medium size paint brush
small paint rollers
silver pulls for the drawers from Home Depot
