kitchen cabinet redo

Almost a year and half ago I took the plunge and painted my cheap-o kitchen cabinets. I have the kind of cabinets that feel a little bit like cardboard in the center... yuck.


I wanted to do something that looked more expensive, custom & light.


Before I painted my cabinets, I compared my kitchen to a granola bar with red berries...
I don't like granola.

Mister Hubbs and I painted the kitchen crosby by Ralph Lauren. I wanted something that was dramatic, that would be a great contrast to the light cabinets that I had in mind.

I went to Home Depot and had a long talk with the paint guys about a way to avoid sanding... I found out the hard way that you cannot avoid that dusty step! I had primed all 35 cabinets when the first 2 coats of primer started to peel off.

After many tears of frustration, another trip to Home Depot, and some furious sanding... I was ready to prime, again.

When I finally got ready to put the actual COLOR on the cabinets, you would have thought it was Christmas, I was so excited! I used a small, sponge roller for the inset portion of the cabinet door to avoid visible brush strokes, but I did use a brush for the hard to reach grooves.

 

I wanted to use a creamy-ivory Ralph Lauren Architectural Cream for the outer cabinets with a grey glaze to soften the edges and create depth within the cabinet face. I used the glaze sparingly, I didn't want the cabinets to look dirty, or too stylized. 

I used Ralph Lauren Boulder Grey on the island to mix it up, and to add a little more interest to the kitchen. The grey island also creates a custom look in the kitchen. 

Months later I painted the ceiling of the kitchen to warm up the space- I chose a color from the Ralph Lauren Regent Metallics collection called champagne toast. 

The metallics are beautiful and add so much interest and glamour to a space, but let me warn you... the consistency of the paint is like water! And the roller you use to create the correct texture looks like a shag rug... so, what I am saying is that it's a terrible idea for a ceiling! I really love that it's a one-step process- and once you get used to handling it, it's not that bad- but it takes MANY coats- and LOTS of patience.

I also replaced the modern & casual light fixture from the previous owners with this beauty from Pottery Barn. I added even more crystals to the chandelier for a little more "ooh-la-la!"

I really love the progress my kitchen has made with a few gallons of paint! I feel like my cabinets look brand new, super fancy & custom. After all that work, I have to give myself a little pat on the back!