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(For those that have been to my house in the last couple of years, you will wonder why I am just now writing about our kitchen makeover. Well, if I had been writing a blog 2 years ago, I'm sure I would have chatted all about it. I have wanted to document this project on my blog, and just now found some old pictures that will reveal the dramatic change. They're not the best-quality pictures, but they will give you a glimpse of why I love the change so much!)
NOTE: Please hang with me until the end--I have 3 important questions I'd LOVE your advice about our kitchen design!!!
When I was giving a title to this post about our kitchen makeover, at first I was going to call it, "Easy Kitchen Makeover." But, easy couldn't be farther from the truth! Let me warn you as you gaze at the drastically improved pictures--do not be drawn in by the pretty white paint unless you are READY for some good old-fashioned HARD WORK. In my opinion, painting cabinets (or wood furniture, for that matter) is much more difficult than just painting walls. Walls are much more forgiving than wood--especially wood that is at eye-level, and that you will see every single day. (Do you hear my OCD issues creeping in?)
But, let me start back at the beginning. WHY would I want to makeover our kitchen? That's simple! When we first moved into our house, here is what the kitchen looked like: (Brace yourself) I took this picture as we were painting just before moving in.
Lovely oak cabinets, brass knobs, black appliances...mostly. When we moved in, we purchased a white refrigerator--because we knew we'd be changing out the black appliances soon. Let me just state here, that "soon" is a relative term in our house. Oh, I also see a new white microwave peeking at the far left of the picture.
As the dishwasher and stove wore out, we replaced them with sparkly new white ones.
Oh, how I wish I had snapped a picture of our kitchen before we painstakingly removed the wallpaper. Painstakingly may not be a descriptive enough word for the pain and misery involved in that project. Because the walls behind the wallpaper had not been primed or prepared in any way for wallpaper, when we removed the paper, we also removed much of the wallboard beneath it. The above picture is after we have re-mudded much of it, and sanded it. Oh yes, and cried from the pure exhaustion. There was white chalky dust everywhere!
The event that finally made me hike up my pants and decide to do the thing that I had been avoiding all those years--paint the kitchen cabinets--was when we installed laminate wood floors throughout the living room, kitchen, and hallways. Suddenly, our kitchen was screaming out: WOOD, WOOD, EVERYWHERE. Our floors were wood, our cabinets were wood, wood table and chairs, our countertop was a butcher block laminate--you know--WOOD!!
Okay, are you ready for the moment of truth, which will reveal hours and hours of painting (and a few tears) and sanding and painting some more? Here 'tis!
I'm sorry--but I don't have a current picture of our kitchen. So, I have inserted little notes on the picture, and crossed out items that I have gotten rid of in order to simplify. Since we've been out at our camp cabin all summer, and have just moved back--there is stuff everywhere. I just didn't have it in me today to put everything away to take a pretty picture. Especially since our AC is being repaired, and it is about 1,000 degrees in there! (You think I exaggerate!)
Our color scheme is white, blue, and buttery yellow (walls) with accents of dark red. Note that we painted the cabinets white, and changed out the hardware to brushed nickel knobs. The curtains and cornice above are actually pre-makeover. I am looking to change the curtains--possibly simple white panels?
Ah, even looking at the pictures makes me happy. I have not regretted painting our cabinets for one second! I LOVE how the white lightened the whole kitchen! The white just gives our kitchen a happier feeling. I'm not exactly sure how...but it does.
Here's one of the questions I am going to ask you at the end...and I would LOVE your opinion!! I stalled out during the makeover over the countertop decision. I never found anything I really loved, or could afford at the time. I won't even tell you what I was leaning towards, because I'd love to hear what you think!
Painting kitchen cabinet details:
I have a brilliant uncle (okay, I have more than one!)...but my Uncle George is brilliant in carpentry and kitchen makeovers. Of course, when we decided to tackle this project, we called Uncle George to ask about paint. If you read about my bedroom nightstand makeover, you already know that Uncle George says the best paint on the market for this kind of project is Benjamin Moore Satin Impervo paint. He said to follow these steps:
1. Remove hardware, and doors from cabinets.
2. Use a liquid sanding product on all surfaces you intend to paint.
3. Use a high-quality Benjamin Moore primer. Brush paint the cabinets--but spray the doors, if at all possible. (Spray, as in use a professional-grade paint sprayer) The doors are the most visible, so you will want someone experienced to do the spraying.
4. After the primer is completely dry, use the Satin Impervo as your top coat. If you've done a good job covering the wood with the high-quality primer, you should only need 1 coat of the Satin Impervo. And, I have to say--the Satin Impervo goes on as smooth as pearls! It's a brilliant product!
5. Read the directions on the paint can as to how long to let the cabinets dry before re-attaching doors and hardware. We waited the full amount of time, and a little extra. After all the meticulous painting, sore muscles, and tears, you certainly do not want to mess anything up by rushing the process! I believe that is also called: Dinner out for at least a week!! Bye-bye monthly budget...
Here are my 3 questions that I would love your input about:
1. Curtains? Any suggestions?
2. Countertop? Suggestions? Donations? (Kidding, kidding!!!! Sort-of)
3. I would love to hear if you have any other design suggestions!
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