Before
In 2008, I started my kitchen transformation. This is what the kitchen looked like when we bought the house in May 2007. The cabinets were original to the house and still in good condition, but they made the kitchen feel dark. The cream tile countertop had just been installed by the previous owner. The fridge was on its way out. The peel and stick linoleum floors were in good shape but looked off with the cabinets. And there were these hideous wicker circles screwed into the bulkhead.
Since we had just bought the house, I didn’t have the budget to do a real kitchen makeover, so I decided to paint the cabinets and see what happened.
The facelift
I soaked the original copper pulls and hinges in soapy water to clean away years of kitchen grime. The water turned black. I wasn’t sure if they were solid copper or plated, so instead of using copper polish, I gently scrubbed each one with more soap and water, and let air dry.
I used two coats of primer and two coats of paint on the doors, drawers, and surrounds. To avoid emptying the cabinets, I used a no-sand primer on the cabinet structure, and took the doors and drawers outside to sand and paint them. I used Wallies to create the look of a custom tile backsplash.
We found a new stainless steel refrigerator on clearance at Lowe’s. I’m insanely fortunate to have a licensed electrician in the family, and he put in recessed lighting for the cost of materials. Finally, we picked up a new dining set at a mass furniture store (you know, the kind that is always “going out of business”).
After
Our new, bright kitchen with recessed lighting, a rustic style dining set, stainless-front fridge, and the same linoleum flooring, which with some Mop and Glo looks brand new. (Pardon the clutter.)
