Changing Kitchen Cabinets From Brown to White

(Meredith painted her bathroom black, then back to white again; her tips apply to the kitchen as well. Read on in Back from Black: Repainting the Bath from Dark to Light.)

5. Use the hard stuff.

For cabinets, forget matte and eggshell finishes, and opt for semigloss, gloss, or satin instead—hardy finishes that are easy to clean. "You want a surface that's durable and wipeable, so you won't be painting again for at least a few years," says Ridge.

6. The magic number? 2 to 2.5.

Above: An arsenal of tools and brushes in DIY Paint: Designer Michaela Scherrer Mixes Her Own Shades of White. Photograph by Matthew Williams.

Drop the roller: to get the best finish on painted cabinets, use a two- to two-and-a-half-inch fine bristle brush instead, which can get in the small corners and details. Or, if you must use a roller, find a mini one that will fit handily on smaller surfaces, then go over with a brush to eliminate roller marks and get into any tiny spaces.

For more foolproof painting tips, see Remodeling 101: 12 Essential Tips for the Perfect Paint Job.

7. For a clean, bright look, you can't go wrong with white.

Above: White cabinets meet white walls and a white backsplash in Reader Rehab: A Boston Kitchen Embraces the Light.

Advises Berkeley, California-based interior designer Gustave Carlson (a member of our Remodelista Architect and Designer Directory): "I like my cabinets to blend with the room color." White (his preference is Benjamin Moore's Linen White) "creates a quiet backdrop for the room's activities" (and brings light in as well). Opting for a fresh coat of white paint? See more architects' picks in 10 Easy Pieces: Architects' White Paint Picks for Kitchen Cabinets.

8. Have glass-fronted or open cabinets? Be sure to paint the interiors, too.

Above: A glass cabinet in Rehab Diary: A Hardworking Brooklyn Kitchen by Architect Annabelle Selldorf.

The beauty of glass-fronted cabinets and open shelving is that it allows you to display what's inside. But don't forget that this puts the interiors of your cabinet boxes on display, too. These will need a careful coat of paint—or, opt for a different shade on the interiors, for intrigue. (For more on the pros and cons of glass, and other types of cabinets, see Remodeling 101: A Guide to the Only 6 Kitchen Cabinet Styles You Need to Know.)

9. Tired of blue? Try yellow.

Above: Photograph courtesy of British Standard, from Kitchen of the Week: Stardust in Northwest London.

Blue cabinets and green cabinets have had their moments (see Architects' 12 Favorite Blue Paints for Kitchen Cabinets). What's set to take off in 2019, according to the Pinterest 100: Top Trends for 2019? Yellow. Give it a try if you're feeling bold.

10. Feeling impatient? There's spray paint for that.

If painting by hand sounds tiresome, it is possible to spray-paint your cabinets. Follow all of the same prep steps with care, then take your cabinet fronts and drawers outside (or meticulously cover everything else in the room) before spraying. Source a professional-quality sprayer and remember this mantra: multiple thin coats, not one thick one.

More tips and tricks to know before you remodel:

• 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Marble Countertops
• 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Painting a Room White
• 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Shiplap

Changing Kitchen Cabinets From Brown to White

Source: https://www.remodelista.com/posts/how-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets-tips/