How To Update Laminate Kitchen Cabinets – I am very excited because this week we completely renovated our work kitchen. I share how to paint laminate/MDF kitchen cabinets. This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions on my blog. “How to paint kitchen cabinets?”, Well, I will share some tips with you that may help.
I painted my own kitchen picture about three years ago and it’s still going strong without a chip. As usual, I made a fun video on Youtube because I think it’s fun to see in a video how I got the end result. I’ll also share links and details for the items I used below.
How To Update Laminate Kitchen Cabinets
If you are a regular reader of my blog then you will know my three golden Ps for painting projects. Prep, Prime and then Paint.
How To Paint Laminate Kitchen Cabinets
I highly recommend using eggshell or satin wood paint in high traffic areas. We have a big team at work and our kitchen gets a lot of use, so I really wanted to use a paint that was durable and would stand the test of time.
If you want to try Autentico eggshell dye, use my affiliate discount code on their website. Use code DAINTY10 for 10% off your order. I used the color Gris for this project and in my own kitchen, I used the color “Frozen Fountain”.
I knew that when the cabinets were painted, the countertop would not match, so I decided to use contact paper on the countertop to change it up. It is very easy to apply but I recommend using a helper if you are working on a larger surface.
I ordered some peel and stick tiles for the kitchen, however, I didn’t order enough at first and when I ordered the second batch it was the wrong color. The peel and stick tiles I ordered were actually good quality, but I found them difficult to apply.
Painting Gloss Kitchen Cabinets: How To Transform Unit Doors
It’s a great idea for a small space but I’d actually rather learn to install and re-arrange an area than use it. I link it below because I think it’s a good idea, but keep in mind that I only use this for a small room as I think it would be better to link a large area again.
I hope you benefit from this week’s post. Tackling your kitchen cabinets can be intimidating, but it can make a huge difference to your kitchen. Doing it yourself is also much cheaper than buying a new kitchen. Leave any questions in the comments below and I can get back to you.
Let me know when you have chosen your kitchen! If you want more painting tips, check out this post here for more details. Don’t forget to check out my Youtube video below and subscribe to my channel if you found it useful. Thanks so much for reading, Chat soon, Catherine. Want to give your worn or factory-grade cabinets a designer look without the expensive price tag? Before you spend a fortune tearing it out and replacing it, try some of these tricks to get a custom, high-quality look on a DIYers budget. Most of these problems you can solve on your own in a long weekend!
We are currently building our Hacienda Hideaway kitchen, and have spent the last year gathering all the beautiful inspiration to take my design to the next level. I thought it would be fun to share with you the best ideas I found—almost all of which I incorporated into my next plans.
How To Paint Laminate Kitchen Cabinets!
No revelations here—a fresh coat of paint always provides the best results. Most cabinet surfaces can be repainted with high quality primers and special paints. I have had great results with Benjamin Moore Advance and Sherwin Williams Urethane Enamel, both designed for cabinets and highly recommended by professionals/DIYers.
If you don’t want to do a full color remodel, try painting just the upper, lower or island cabinets. Introducing a second color will add visual interest, and help keep the room from feeling too one-dimensional. Even going a few shades lighter or darker than the existing cabinets will give your kitchen a more personalized feel.
Check out my detailed guide to Paint Cabinets like a Pro, and my Paint Roller Test results. The power of paint cannot be emphasized enough!
A quick solution that can update the look of your cabinets. Hardware is the ‘jewelry’ of your kitchen, so you can add some personality here!
Re Laminate Over Existing Laminate Cabinet
Today, there are many options at every price point, suitable for any design style. This is one area where you don’t have to splurge to find something that looks and feels luxurious. Sites like Amazon, Lowe’s and Home Depot and even Etsy have a great selection of affordable cabinet hardware (that’s my top pick on a budget).
Options 1 and 3 are the easiest, but limit your replacement options. Option 2 requires extra work. You can also choose a solid rod grip style like this one that covers the old hole.
Pro tip: use a cabinet hardware jig to drill the perfect holes and save time! We are using this for our next hardware installation:
This is the biggest investment (both in time and $) on this list, but you may feel the need to make the biggest impact. If you are satisfied with the overall layout of your kitchen but have outdated or damaged doors, it is a good idea to consider refinishing your cabinets.
Wood Cabinets Vs. Laminate: Which Is Better For Your Kitchen?
There are several companies (both local and online) that can make custom doors and drawer fronts to match your existing cabinets. With a little extra modification, you can even upgrade the doors to the drawers, which is often a more efficient use of space.
We worked with Nieu Cabinet Doors to remodel our Hacienda kitchen, and so far the process has been very easy. Door installation starts this week—you can follow along on my Instagram Stories!
If completely replacing the doors/drawer fronts is not an option, consider upgrading them with moldings. This is one of my favorite simple DIY tricks for doors of all sizes (check out my easy DIY door update tutorial).
This process is ideal for plain plate or shaker style doors, when you want to take it to the next level. We update our shaker cabinet doors with subtle moldings to give them a taller, more personalized look. The magic is in the details!
Easy Steps For Painting Laminate Cabinets For Your Kitchen
You can also experiment with other types of molding such as fluting, like we did below with these DIY fluted Ikea wardrobe doors:
Another idea to consider: add molding along the bottom edge of your cabinet boxes for a more subtle look.
Cabinet finishes are another (often overlooked) opportunity to personalize your kitchen. This can be a simple DIY using forms, or thin covering panels like beadboard.
An island is the perfect place to add more detail and help define the style of the room. In our Hacienda kitchen, we chose to cover both sides of the cabinets and the island with vertical shiplap:
Evicting Laminate Kitchen Cabinets From Your Home
You can also make a statement with a pattern on the back of the island using wallpaper or tiles:
This particular detail was at the top of my wish list for our Hacienda Hideaway kitchen. After gathering inspiration on Pinterest, we created a curved valance leg design and made it for our closet (full tutorial coming soon!)
Most people don’t even realize that there are more options than standard rest stops, and that’s one of the reasons they make statements like this—it’s so rare! You will find it if you study the projects of the best interior designers. This kitchen from Warmington & North was a great inspiration for our toe-top design:
In our own kitchen, we added the legs one by one to the bottom of the cabinets, which was the easiest way to dress them.
Diy Laminate Cabinet Makeover
In our Riverside Retreat kitchen, we installed a flat toe kick, which only required adding 2×4” blocking to extend the front of the toe kick, and ended up with a quarter turn.
Any of these non-standard options will make your cabinets look more like built-in furniture and create the impression of thoughtful and intentional design.
If you have enough closed storage space and like the idea of displaying your favorite dishes or drinkware, consider replacing one or more of your upper cabinets with open shelves.
We chose an entire wall of open shelving in our own kitchen, and we love how easy it is to access everyday dishes. Although our kitchen is not large and we could use extra hidden storage, open shelving makes the room feel bigger, and provides more character than a wall of cupboards.
Laminate Vs. Wood Kitchen Cabinets
I also went this route for the Riverside Retreat kitchen, replacing the old upper cabinets with two sets of shelves.
A simpler (and less permanent) alternative to open shelving is to remove the doors from the upper cupboards to give them an ‘open’ feel. I like the idea of painting the box the same color as the walls, so it blends in