Kitchen update on a small budget

We moved into our first home 13 years ago.  Since the day I moved in, I have hated the kitchen cabinets but our budget will never allow for a kitchen renovation and my husband loved the dark, old stained cabinets.  So for 13 years we have gone back and forth about painting them.   I have researched and read countless articles, book and blogs for tips and tricks for painting kitchen cabinets.  I was so ready to get started!

THEN, He and the children took a trip to visit family and I stayed home.  Here was my chance, even if he hated them there would be no turning back, so the day they left I said a small prayer for guidance and started taking hinges off the doors and scrubbing all the surfaces.  I had four days to get the job finished, big undertaking, HUGE!!!!!!!

Before pictures:

The ugly hinges and handles had to go!

Seriously, what did these people do to these cabinets before we moved in.  Yes, I had contact paper down and YES it was a chore to remove all the sticky mess.....

Lets start painting:

First coat of Zinsser primer, that stain is going to be a bear to hide.

Stain still there..... coat 4

 

 8 coats of Zinsser and the stain is finally gone and I am loving the cabinets already.  So much brighter and clean looking!  And those cabinet doors on the right, yep not going back up, I love open cabinets.

 

Loveliness at it pure form,

 I can't tell you how long I just stood and stared at this cabinet.......at 3 am on day two. :-)

Side two and this is about the time I realize even with a small kitchen it was a huge job and I am having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.   Husband and kids due home in two days.....

Clearly the inside of the rest of the cabinets will not get done, focus on the outside, FOCUS!!

New hardware!!

I LOVE the new satin finish cup pulls,  Lowe's Hardware

See the lovely lady laying on my dirty floor!  She saved the day, I realized in the middle of night 3 that my husband had taken all of his tools with him to his parents, including his drill and I needed a drill.  She showed up with a drill and stayed a long time helping me with almost every drawer in the kitchen. 

And then it happened...............

They-came-home-early to surprise me...........Oh my.  Ummm no please stay two more days PLEASE for the love of God!!  They got the bigger surprise, cabinet doors everywhere and a half finished kitchen.  I was a little scared and not sure I needed to come home from work that day, but they loved it even in its half finished state.  So to calm my nerves my daughter picked up a screw driver and started helping.  Love that girl!

 

 

How to paint cabinet without leaving streaks:  

The best advice I can give you is how to paint your kitchen cabinets.  there is so much advice out there.  Most say just bite the bullet and rent a paint sprayer and haul all the cabinets fronts outside.  I had no extra budget to rent one or the knowledge to know how to properly use a sprayer.  Besides, you do not need a use a sprayer you can paint them with a brush and roller and get a beautiful finish with no streaks.  Trust me! 

Step 1: Scrub every inch of them to remove all dirt and grease.  We don't fry anything but trust me there is food residue and grease on your cabinets.

 Step 2: Get one of those reusable block sanders that are made out of thick foam and has a thin layer of sandpaper grit on the surface, you can wash and reuse.   Go over the all the cabinets and doors until they feel like glass and smooth.  I know this is a tedious step but prepping your cabinets is key to how they will turn out and last.

 Step 3: Grab your favorite paint brush (Mine is a 3 inch brush from Lowe's)  Paint your first primer coat on, back & forth in straight lines ( not thick), let it dry completely.  Don't forget the edges.

Step 4:  Get your paint color and use the same brush, working in straight lines across the cabinets and doors, while the paint is still wet get a small roller and roll over it in the same directing, don't over roll.  Move onto your next door front.  I worked on 2-3 cabinets doors at a time to make sure I didn't mix any doors up as I went. Working in small section is key to a smooth even surface.

Step 5: Repeat Step 4 (this is your second coat of paint)  Total coats will be 3 counting primer coat.

Step 6: (Optional) you can add a clear coat to your cabinets to prevent chipping on the paint BUT I choose not to and just see how my paint holds up.  I was afraid the poly might yellow my pretty white paint.

See no streaks!

After pictures:

 This is my favorite cabinet, it looks custom build in the after picture.

 

 The window is an amazing transformation, it looks so much bigger.

(Before and after)

 (Before and after)

 (Before and after)

 (Before and After)

 

 (Before and After)  What a huge difference!!

A few pretty details:

I bought these vintage looking canisters from Target about 8 years ago and finally ordered custom labels for them from a lady off Etsy.  

 

My dishes are a mix of new and antique:

The white bowls are Fire King, the large Green bowl is from Target (about 12 years ago) it is a set of three nesting bowls.  The orange plates & ramekins are from Pier One Imports (clearance)  They match my husband's grandmother's antique dishes we use every day.  The soup cups are antique Corelle dishware in the Gold Butterfly pattern.  You can easily find antique Corelle dishes almost anywhere and they are inexpensive.  I love them because they are not only beautiful but very, very durable.  I think you could drive a truck over them!  Plus they are very thin and take up less space in your kitchen.

Old Avon Ruby Red Glassware & and little cup and saucer from a home decor store.

Yes, we have a fish living in our kitchen.  He is very friendly and loves to play chase around his bowl with your finger.

 Don't be afraid to take on a home diy project, you will get more joy out of something you accomplished for yourself than anything someone else could do.

Total cost of this small kitchen update was around $180.  

That included paint a, new hardware and a new rug.  The primer, wood putty, painters tape, and brushes I already had on hand.

I still want to replace the old pink linoleum floor with 12 inch tile, tile the backsplash, replace the countertops and replace the stove with a stainless steel gas one.  That is another blog post and another BIGGER budget.  Time to start saving those pennies again. 

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