Before and After: This Kitchen Has a Budget Solution For Dated Cabinet Doors
This kitchen had tons of storage space, a generously proportioned island with a breakfast bar, plenty of lighting, and a nice-sized window. But as its owner explained, “It’s actually a great space and it could be way worse but it’s definitely not my style.” Time for a budget-friendly upgrade!
Bre Bertolini—@brepurposed on Instagram—transformed this kitchen, mostly thanks to paint. The walls, cabinets, island, and even backsplash have been painted to create a bright, fresh look; no more burgundy border. Painting was a smart, budget-friendly way to get a totally new look without gutting the whole room or spending a ton of cash. The new white-and-gray palette is clean and sophisticated, and given a bit of glitz thanks to the gold faucet, ceiling light, handles, and knobs. And while Bre is waiting on a custom butcher-block countertop for the island, for now the original white countertops fit in perfectly with the new look.
The cabinetry deserves more discussion, as these are indeed the same old cabinets with a coat of paint—and new trim. It’s fascinating to see someone add trim to cabinetry, as so many home makeovers involve replacing paneled cabinet doors with completely flat ones. The key that makes these work so beautifully, unlike so many of the ones that are ripped out, is that they are perfectly simple. They have a raised, linear border, but they don’t have six other facets, routed detailing, some rounded additions, and a few scrolls for good measure. And so the finished look is a balanced blend of old-fashioned and modern, the best of both worlds.
The white paint—including backsplash—is Valspar’s Du Jour and the island is Benjamin Moore’s Lead Gray. The pulls and knobs are from D. Lawless Hardware, and the pendant is by Bazz from Home Depot. And if there’s anyone whose backsplash needs a makeover, Bre has a tutorial for painting tile.
Thank you, Bre Bertolini of @brepurposed!