Tired of your old kitchen cupboards?

Give them an easy facelift

Ever since she bought her house 10 years ago, Meegan Lovett has wanted to redo her kitchen.

This summer, the Coldbrook, N.S. woman finally fully transformed her space.

Lovett removed the bulky cabinets on either side of the kitchen window to open up the area, allowing in more natural light. These cabinets were replaced by floating, or open, shelves. She painted the other cupboards white.

Lovett did most of the work painting the cabinets herself, making the project more cost-effective, she says.

Whether you are doing a new build or a complete renovation, sometimes people just want to give their kitchens a new updated look, and cabinets are an easy way to do so. But how do you know where to begin? Is it best to put in new cabinets, or can you save some cash and redo your old ones? Is it something the average homeowner can do, or are you better off bringing in a professional?

NEW OR UPDATED?

Kitchen design is something that Krista Pippy knows all about. Not only is she the director of sales and marketing and design specialist with Dream Kitchens in Portugal Cove-st. Philips, she’s also the author of Beyond Design: Complete Kitchens, an easy how-to guide to renovating an existing kitchen or designing a kitchen for your new home.

Pippy says the first question to answer is why you’re doing the work. Is it because you just want a little facelift to do you a few years and then sell your home or rent it out? Or are you in for the long haul and adding solid surface countertops, new hardware and appliances?

For a little facelift, Pippy says it is probably better to refinish your existing cabinets to freshen up the space and give your kitchen an updated look. If you are planning on staying in the home for many years, a new kitchen is likely your best option, she says.

The biggest expense in a kitchen is doors, countertop, and hardware so it would be a good idea to get quotes for both refinishing and new to compare the two, suggests Pippy.

“In my experience, the cost difference ends up being very minimal and the customer opts to go new almost every time,” says Pippy.

Dated and worn finishes are one of the main reasons for painting cupboards, particularly in a hard-working kitchen, says Cathy Reid. “It’s a relatively inexpensive way to update any kitchen or utility room,” she says.

Reid became an expert refinisher when her store, Absolutely Fabulous at Home in New Minas, N.S., started selling Annie Sloan chalk paint several years ago. Needing to market the versatility of the paint, Reid began a series of videos working on paint projects in her own home, including one of her kitchen cupboards.

CURRENT TRENDS

Right now, the trend for kitchen cupboards is a white shaker door with cabinets to the ceiling, light countertops, gold or black hardware with a sleek design, open shelving, open concept with a large island and very few bells and whistles, explains Pippy.

Wood, however, is starting to make a comeback.

“Natural blonde wood on an island or some floating shelves mixed with the white is a lot of what I am seeing now, really warming up the space and giving the welcoming feel,” she says.

Rebecca Blackwood, office manager for Spaces, a home renovating business in St. John’s, says their clients are also looking for painted cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling, and if they don’t, most opt to use crown moulding to fill the gap.

Another option, says Reid, is to mix and match, especially if you are hesitant about painting the whole kitchen.

“Do the top cabinets first,” she suggests. “Two colour kitchens are becoming very popular as the top cupboards can be painted ‘out’ to disappear into the walls, making a kitchen feel larger.”

Open shelving is also a lovely look, says Reid. But it might not be the best choice for everyone, especially pet owners — these shelves can easily become a dust collector.

Glass doors on some cupboards is another option, she says, as you can show off a collection or add some colour to your room while keeping it clean and pet hair-free.

“Plank shelves are a great look and are very trendy,” says Reid, like the ones Lovett used in her renovations.

“Just be sure to sand them smooth and apply a good finish so you can wipe them clean without snagging your cloth. I use a floor varnish on shelves for plants as it is super tough.”

Another option is to paint the doors and leave the frames and sides in the original wood. This is also trending in kitchen make-overs, says Reid.

“Spend some time researching painted kitchens for ideas on what will look good in your home,” she says.

Ultimately, there are no right answers.

“I believe that ‘trend is out. You are in.’ Personal style should be your main focus when designing your kitchen,

not just in the way it looks but in the way it feels when you use it,” says Pippy.

Whatever inspires you, bring those elements into your kitchen design. Make the style your own by thinking a little bit of what does and does not express your taste, she says.

DIY MAKEOVER

It’s possible to repaint cupboards that have been painted in the past, says Reid, but she does not recommend doing painting touch-ups.

“Paint fades or changes over time so your touch-ups may show up as new paint patches. Usually, it’s a complete repainting project,” she says.

Start by removing all the doors and drawers, tagging each one, and making a diagram of what goes back where, as they will all look the same when you are done, advises Reid.

Then, slide the drawers out of the cupboard and stack them on a table without emptying them. As you’re only painting the fronts, sides, and top, this makes it much faster to finish the job, she says.

If you are painting old cupboards, it’s best to peel away the old melamine to expose the raw MDF underneath, although Reid says the chalk paint will go over that, too.

If you are staining, it’s important to sand down to the raw wood so your new stain will not react to anything that was applied to the wood previously, says Pippy. If using paint, only light sanding before painting is needed.

Cleaning is an especially important step due to residual grease and film that doesn’t allow the paint to adhere properly. Wash your cabinets with warm water and a good grease-lifting dish detergent, rinse, and let dry, adds Reid.

Sanding between coats is a must, says Blackwood.

Reid prefers a brush for most paint jobs — either a flat one for smooth finishes or a round one for textured looks, depending on your personal preference and the condition of the project you are painting. If there are lots of scratches or dents, a textured finish will help disguise them. She has also used a sponge roller on larger, smooth projects but finds it takes more coats, so it doesn’t save any time.

When finished, Reid puts two coats of wax over all the doors and drawers, and one on the sides and frames of the cupboards, bringing a luster to the finished product.

“You can wax, varnish, or use lacquer to protect the paint,” she says.

Before putting it all back together, Reid suggests changing up the hardware by either repainting it or buying new ones that will go with the new look.

“Sometimes, you have to wait until the paint is done to make the new or not hardware call,” she says.

CALLING IN THE PROFESSIONALS

If you’re worried about doing it yourself, Pippy suggests calling in the professionals to refinish kitchen cupboards for you, as they know what they are doing.

“Typically, professionals will remove the doors from your home and refinish them in a workshop using high-end sanders and a spray booth, giving you that quality finish,” says Pippy.

“They tape up your kitchen essentially creating a spray booth in your home to give the remainder of your kitchen the same quality finish as the doors.”

The products professionals use are faster drying, and by using the spray, it ensures an even finish without any brush strokes, adds Blackwell.