Painting your kitchen cabinets

If your kitchen wood cabinets are in good condition but simply need a makeover, painting  them is an inexpensive and effective option. You can hand paint them, spray paint them yourself or have it professionally done. Having them professionally spray painted is still a much cheaper option than replacing them with low end cabinets. Semi-gloss paint is recommended as it is durable and easy to clean. For a stylish and updated look, you might want  to consider replacing any cabinet hinges that show as well as the hardware.

Once you have decided to go ahead with this project, you may want to take the opportunity to reorganize your kitchen cupboards.

Here are some ideas of painted cabinets:

In this country kitchen, a beautiful turquoise color was added to the original kitchen cabinets.

turquoise painted cabinets traditional kitchen

Source: Tobi Fairley Interior Design

In this traditional kitchen, a soft white (White Dove, Benjamin Moore) contrasts nicely with the existing dark flooring.

painted cabinets traditional kitchen

Source: Stonewood, LLC

In this bright and sunny kitchen, a buttery yellow enamel paint was used to bring life to plain white builder’s cabinets.

painted kitchen cabinets yellow

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

An inexpensive makeover, the cabinets were freshened up with a crisp white color and the existing hardware was simply polished.

painted kitchen cabinets white 3

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Original oak cabinets were simply painted with Sherwin Williams paint, color Snowbound.

repainted cabinets traditional kitchen

Source: Jennifer Latimer & Gilded Mint

The existing cabinets were simply spray painted in a light warm grey tone, which contrasts nicely with the dark kitchen furniture and counters.

painted kitchen grey

Source: realestateyak.com

For a different approach , you might want to go with a two tone look  using a lighter color on the upper cabinets and darker color on the lower cabinets.

In this kitchen, a cool color palette was used  for a fresh and airy contemporary look.

gray painted cabinets traditional kitchen

Source: Carla Aston

This is a great way to add a  pop of color to your kitchen. In this beautiful country kitchen, the upper cabinets were painted in a cream color and the lower cabinets were painted in a cranberry finish for contrast.

painted kitchen cabinet two tone

Source: bobvila.com

Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions. If you have recently finished any projects and would like to share your experience, please send us your pictures and we will share them with our readers.

Choosing the right color can affect your mood

Its important to consider the mood you want to create within a room. These are few examples of wall colors and their effects:

Vibrant colors such as yellows, oranges and golds will bring excitement into a room.

yellow walls traditional living room
Source: Houzz.com
yellow walls kitchen
Source: Lauren Ostrow
orange bedroom
Source: McCroskey Interiors

Red is a bold color known to be great in dining rooms, living rooms and bedrooms. Red is associated with passion, intimacy and encourages appetite in dining rooms.

red dining room
Source: Houzz.com
red eclectic living room
Source: B. Fein Interior Design
red contemporary bedroom
Source: Terrat Elms Interior Design

Blue walls are calm and relaxing. Great color for bedrooms and living rooms. Blue will also make your room appear larger.

blue baby room
Source: McCroskey Interiors
Blue walls fireplace
Source: apdarchitects.com

Green walls are great for any room. Green walls are inviting, relaxing and will also make your room look larger.

green traditional family room
Source: Diane Burgoyne Interiors
green traditional kitchen
Source: Diane Burgoyne Interiors

White is bright and clean looking, works well in kitchens and bathrooms. However, in areas with high traffic such as hallways and play rooms, white may not be suitable as dirt will show more and require more maintenance.

white walls kitchen
Source: Houzz.com
white walls traditional bathroom
Source: Houzz.com

With the large variety of colors, choosing the right ones, can sometimes be overwhelming. An interior decorator can help you choose the right colors to create the room or rooms that suits your taste.

A little splash of color to your front door

Changing the color of your front door is an easy and inexpensive DIY project, which will transform the exterior of your home.

The right door color will add curb appeal, welcome visitors and potential home buyers.

Before choosing your paint color you might want to drive around your area for inspiration. An other way to get inspiration is to browse the internet for homes that have similar style, color brick, exterior siding, wood or shutters.

green traditional exterior
Source: Katie Rosenfeld Interiors

Most hardware or paint stores provide free color advise. Take a picture of your home on a sunny day, print it and take it with you. Also take any exterior material left over you might have such as siding, stone or brick. Make sure to ask for color chips (samples) to take back home.

Once you are back home, take the photo of your house and cut out the doorway. Simply use the different color chips behind it to see the effect.

Front door color selection tip1

Take pictures of each sample and compare them side by side on your computer. This will make it easier to select your favorite colors.

Front door color selection tip2
Front door color selection tip8

Choose the color that best suits your style and personality. Since your front door should be the focal point of your home, choose a color that will contrast with the rest of the house.

red traditional exterior door
Source: Houzz.com

Exterior paint colors should be chosen with exterior lighting, a bright yellow indoors might not look so bright outdoors. Therefore, a paint sample should be tested outdoors as the color effect might change through the various strength of lighting throughout the day.

yellow exterior door
Source: Sandi’s Real Estate

The paint color sheen, which is the level of gloss in your paint color, also plays a big role in your color effect. High gloss paint will enhance the color of your door and will be easier to clean. However, if your door has visible imperfections, high gloss paint will make them more visible. For an old wood door you might want to consider using a satin finish. Semi gloss paint is always a good option.

aubergine traditional entrance door
Source: Sandi’s Real Estate
eclectic exterior red door
Source: Houzz
traditional exterior red door
Source: Houzz

If you are still not sure, then you may want to consider advise from a professional interior decorator who will show you different color options that work with the style of your home, color of brick, exterior siding, wood and shutters.