If your kitchen needs a new look, consider painting the cabinets to freshen up the room. Between dirty hands and spilled food, cabinets can easily wear down and painting is a cheaper alternative to buying replacements. New cabinets typically cost at least $5,000 while painting the cabinets is usually less than $200.
Chalkboard Paint
Painting a kitchen cabinet with chalkboard paint serves two purposes: It can provide a place to make grocery lists and it also offers a creative outlet to draw and decorate. This is useful for a parent cooking in the kitchen and trying to entertain a child at the same time--just hand over a piece of chalk and let the child draw on the cabinets.
Distressed Finish
For a rustic kitchen look, distress your cabinets. This technique requires selecting two contrasting colors of paint. Paint the bottom layer and let it dry, then paint the second color. After the top layer has dried, distress the finish with a piece of sandpaper. Rub the sandpaper where the cabinets would naturally wear down, such as on the corners and around the handles.
Antique Look
If the look of distressed cabinets is too shabby for you, antiqued cabinets might be a better option. This technique "evokes a slowly aged look," according to an article in This Old House magazine.
To antique your cabinets, select a solid base color such as off-white. Dip a brush in a natural hue like brown and brush off the excess paint onto a paper towel or cloth until the brush is nearly dry. Lightly skim the edges and corners of the cabinet.
Staining Techniques
If you don't want to do anything drastic to the kitchen but just need a fresh look, stain the cabinets. Take the cabinet doors off the hinges, sand the cabinets twice and then apply a wood conditioner. Select a color of stain, then use a rag to work the stain into the grain of the wood. Do the same to the side of the cabinets still on the wall.
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