This $27 Kitchen Cabinet Upgrade Is So Easy and Totally Adorable

Megan Baker DetloffDirector of Home Projects
Megan Baker DetloffDirector of Home Projects
I cover home upgrades, DIY projects, hacks, how-tos, and plants. I’ve written about home decor and renovations for more than a decade since earning my degree in Magazine Journalism from Northwestern University. Before AT, I was an editor at HGTV Magazine and This Old House Magazine.
published Jun 7, 2025
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A stain glass window above white counter tops.
Credit: Leela Cyd

Often, it’s tiny details that make a kitchen memorable — whether that’s cabinet hardware, switch plates, or mullions on glass doors. And even better? Those tiny details can often be added quite inexpensively, which means you can transform the look of your kitchen without doing a whole lot of work or spending a whole lot of money.

Recently I stumbled on an Instagram Reel that features a fresh idea for yet another detail you can add to your kitchen to seriously up the charm — and if your style leans maximalist, cottagecore, vintage, or traditional, you’ll totally love it. In the Reel, DIYer Autumn McCoy uses trendy scalloped wood trim to decorate the underside of her plain white cabinets.

How to Use Scalloped Trim to Customize Your Cabinets

Scallops are everywhere right now, and this simple, affordable project is a charming way to incorporate them into your decor. McCoy’s project starts with thin wood scalloped trim, which she painted white to match her cabinets. The trim comes in lengths of about 16 inches, but a craft knife or utility knife can help you trim the pieces down where needed.

Because the trim is so lightweight, you don’t need any tools to install it to the underside of your cabinets; McCoy used permanent adhesive mounting squares for her project. But if you’re a renter, you could also use removable adhesive squares. All you’ll need to do is attach the adhesive to the front of the trim, then press to the back of your cabinet’s bottom edge. Total cost for this project? About $27, including paint.

Ideas for Using Scalloped Trim on Your Cabinets

You could definitely take a page from McCoy’s book and paint the scalloped trim to match your cabinets, but this is also a great opportunity for color-lovers to go bold with a high-contrast color. Spray-paint is an ideal option for this project so you can avoid leaving any brush strokes.

The end result looks so adorable that you might be tempted to repeat the project elsewhere in your home, like on the bottom edges of your bathroom vanity or around a mirror. When it comes to DIY scallops, the world is your, um … oyster.

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