{This post is sponsored by HomeRight, all opinions are my own. Our posts contain affiliate links see our full disclosure here}
I admit that there may have been a time that I never thought this kitchen would be done. Finally, today I am so proud to show-off my newly refreshed kitchen! Cue the bells and fireworks–this has been a long time coming!
{Let me quickly mention that there is a Home Right FinishMax Pro giveaway at the end of this post, so keep reading to enter}
First to recap, let’s flash back to where we started over a year ago. We moved in to this builder-basic kitchen, functional yes, but getting dated and entirely too dark for my taste.
The cabinets were cherry-stained and had a very red tint. The appliances were all functional {except the stove, which we replaced upon moving in} but it felt dark and dreary much of the time. You can see how we fixed up the breakfast room behind the sink area HERE. Below I will get right to the “After” so you can see what a difference the paint and the other updates made.
I started with this kitchen makeover plan last winter, it was a guideline, some things certainly changed over the months that it took me to get to this point.
The cabinet paint color changed from the warmer Benjamin Moore White Dove to a cooler BM Decorator White, I talked about why I did that HERE. The island is BM Revere Pewter, more on that in a minute. I talked about the bar stool dilemma and sourced some inexpensive options here too, I haven’t replaced ours yet but plan to soon.
We started this process by first adding a new marble backsplash which finished off the counter area nicely, you can see more about that here. Then early this summer, I added these DIY bookshelves to the back of the counter behind the sink area.
Then we started painting the cabinets. Painting a kitchen, and ours is fairly substantial in size and quantity of cabinets, is not for the faint of heart. It is a process. I worked in sections and took my time so I didn’t have to live and cook in chaos for very long. The hard part of painting cabinets is actually the sanding/prep work, that seems to take forever. I sprayed the paint and primer on the doors using a HomeRight FinishMax Pro Fine Finish Sprayer so the painting part went very quickly.
How to paint kitchen cabinets using a paint sprayer:
This week I finally finished up the island and installed all the hardware, it is my favorite part. I chose a slightly darker gray color for the island to tie in the marble backsplash, and Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter was the perfect color. I’ve had a few moments when I’ve thought I should have painted all the cabinets in that color, I love it that much! The contrast of the island really sets it apart in the kitchen, though the perimeter white keeps things light and bright, so I think my color selections were correct.
I should note that we do eventually plan to replace our counters. I have to say, the warmth and busy pattern of the granite bothers me but now that everything else is lighter, it doesn’t bother me quite as much. If I had planned to keep these counters forever, I would have selected a simpler backsplash such as white subway tile. In the end, I decided to go with what I truly loved even it it means I’ll have to wait for the perfect counters for awhile.
Now…let me share with you about the hardware selections. Cabinet hardware is truly like jewelry, it really dresses things up. As you saw in my inspiration board, I originally had planned to use a gold bar pull, something with a more modern touch. However, in the end, I decided on more traditional pull. I selected these brass drawer pulls and these knobs and love the vintage patina and warmth it brings to the space. I am sure there are a few people thinking the mix of metals looks terrible and that I broke a decorating rule, but I love the contrast of the cool stainless steel and the warm brass. In our former kitchen I had white cabinets, marble counters and stainless-everything and it always felt like living in an ice box. I love how much warmer this space is now.
Originally I hoped for very traditional latch pulls on the island doors but they are set too far apart to share hardware, so I switched to these simple curved pulls . I wanted the island to have it’s own feel in the space. All the other cabinet doors have these simple brass knobs.
Another of my favorite additions are the gorgeous corbels I attached to the island. This is the easiest way to make a standard builder island look custom and high-end. I had the opportunity to work again with Osborne Wood company and these are fabulous. I will cover more about these and also talk about attaching the cabinet hardware and all other details in another post. Today is just about being done, but I wanted to show them off, they are so pretty 🙂
Among the joy this new space brings to my life, another improvement is that I can finally take a picture of our living room couch without having to crop out the dark red cabinets in the background! I just thought that was worth mentioning, as someone who is constantly taking pictures of their house for obvious reasons, I have been shooting around this dark red kitchen for a year. Now I can show off entire rooms, that is going to make life so much easier 🙂
Everything seems to flow much better in our decor now, the colors between rooms are much more unified and everything feels fresh.
After weeks of painting, I thought I would share my best tips for tackling this type of project:
I have a complete list of what I used to paint and more about how I did it in this post HERE. If you plan to paint your cabinets I would recommend making an investment in some essential tools. Keep in mind, having a professional do this job would cost you thousands, it is worth a small investment to get amazing and long-lasting results.
HomeRight FinishMax Paint Sprayer
Quality angled paint brush
One more quick reminder of where we started and what a difference the new paint made, I set it up so you can Pin it for future reference.
See the whole background on this kitchen makeover in the posts below:
Kitchen/Breakfast Room Paint Color {my favorite color ever!}
The DIY Under Counter Shelves {IKEA hack}
How to get a factory finish when you paint cabinets
UPDATE: How these painted cabinets are holding up TWO YEARS later
Thanks so much everyone, for following along with me on this project! I appreciate your support 🙂
XO,
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I’d love a sprayer to complete painting the builder’s grade vanities, doors and all of the orange peel walls in our home. We moved here 2 years ago, and I’ve still got the basement living room, all 4 bathrooms, my daughter’s room, laundry room and 12 more doors to paint in the house!
Great job on the kitchen Amy! It looks fabulous!
Ilove your kitchen, the white is stunning and I adore the gold pulls – perfect
Would love to use this sprayer to refinish two challenging chairs, four bar stools and utility room cabinets! Thanks for the opportunity! BTW, your kitchen is so fresh looking! Great job!
CONGRATS on finishing your kitchen project…AND on the amazing transformation you accomplished!! Thanks for the link to the spray shelter, I’ve needed one of those for YEARS!! I would LOVE to win the sprayer…I’ve got my fingers crossed…thanks for the chance!!
Would love to have this sprayer to paint my wicker porch furniture.
Would love this sprayer to paint some bookshelves and dressers. Then maybe I’d get brave and do my kitchen cabinets!
I would paint my kitchen cabinets. Love yours!! Thanks for the chance to win!,
Your kitchen is absolutely fabulous! What a difference paint and LOTS of elbow grease can make. I’ve never used a paint sprayer. Several doors in our home need to be painted, and people “in the know” tell me a sprayer would work the best. Thanks for featuring the giveaway!!
I would love to win the sprayer. I plan on painting our kitchen cabinets in the near future. The color scheme is very similar to your before kitchen.
It looks amazing Amy! Love the brass hardware you chose. And, spraying the cabinets would be sooo much easier…I have hand painted ours twice in the past 23 years we have iived in our home. I told hubby, next time the painters get the honors!!
I just bought a house and have all the rooms to paint! I don’t have the money to pay a painter so I’m doing them myself! A sprayer would make it go much faster and look more professional!
I have several pieces of furniture in desperate need of paint.
Your kitchen came out so beautiful! You are very brave for painting the cabinets yourself!
Our house is 15 years old, so our kitchen cabinets need re-painting. Your pictures and descriptions gave me plenty of ideas and inspiration. I don’t think I can talk myself into hand painting them, but maybe with the spraying I can! Thank you for sharing your kitchen with us!
Your kitchen looks great. Love Revere Pewter.
It looks fantastic and I adore the hardware, it makes the whole kitchen.
Really finishing everything off beautifully!!
Plus you know… MARBLE 🙂
It looks amazing!
Looks great, wish I had nerve to tackle such a huge project!
Great job on the kitchen !!! This paint sprayer would help a whole lot to paint some end tables & kitchen table & bunches of on going projects .. Thanks
I would use this fabulous sprayer to transform my dinosaur of a kitchen, taking it from the eighties all the way to present-day gorgeous!!
Holy, MAKEOVER!!! I’m also not a fan of cherry cabinets! I dislike when people say, but they’re new, you can’t paint them..pshhh out with that & in with fresh white!! I just love the hardware you chose too..SO stylish, glam & gorgeous! Great job , Amy..I know how tiring painting cabinets can be..haha! Happy week!
Paige.Rose
from
http://www.TheQuaintSanctuary.blogspot.com
I dream of painting my kitchen cabinets white too, so that’s one thing I’d use it for. Your kitchen looks beautiful!
Thanks for the chance to win the sprayer. I’ve been wanting to get this!!
I’d paint my bathroom cabinets.
If I’m being honest, I’d truly like to point this thing at everything in my path! Our house, our brick side porch/mudroom, porch lattice, and I’d like to reinvent a few closets with some pops of color!
It looks great!! I painted my cabinets by hand and still have my bathrooms to do – love the chance to win a sprayer for that job!
I would use the sprayer first on my hallway doors and then I would tackle my kitchen! I’ve lived here 9 years and have always wanted to paint the cabinets and doors. Just haven’t been brave enough!
Living in a 90 year old home, I have many projects that could use that sprayer! Gorgeous kitchen makeover!
I would love to use the sprayer for all the cabinets in my kitchen and baths.
Thank you so much for the advice on cabinets! I am actually preparring myself to tackle the same thing in my own kitchen over the winter. Now I can’t wait to get started!
I’ve thought of painting my kitchen cabinets and the HomeRight Finish Max Sprayer just might convince me that I can do this job!
You did a wonderful job on the kitchen. I can’t imagine painting all those cabinets by hand – that paint sprayer sounds like a life-saver. Give yourself a big pat on the back!
I would love to change out all of the oak cabinets in the kitchen.
I would paint all of the pieces of furniture I have been hoarding in my garage with the HomeRight finish max sprayer!
I would love to have the HomeRight sprayer. I not only need to paint kitchen cabinets, but I need to repaint baby furniture for my granddaughter that will be here in March.
I would paint my kitchen cabinets first.
Wow! Beautiful! I am waiting to start my kitchen until I get a home right sprayer. I’ve refinished my kitchen in 2 homes and swore I would get a sprayer next time! Love it! Good job!
I have been following this makeover because I want to do this to my kitchen too. It’s not nearly as large as yours (thank goodness!) but style-wise almost identical. I’ve painted cabinets before — and stripped and stained them too!!! And now another house. . .another kitchen. . .
Thank you, thank you for sharing all of the details, tips, and links. I’m trying to convince my husband we need a sprayer 🙂
We are currently looking at some homes built in the 80s that need the help of a paint sprayer! This giveaway and post has me all kinds of inspired! I’m pinning it!
Oh pretty pretty please let me win the paint sprayer!! Painting our kitchen cabinets is high up on our to do list and this would be a huge help!! I saw your post of your kitchen last night on Instagram and told my husband “this is exactly what I want”. We have a backplash that I plan to keep that has creams, browns and tans that I think that the color granite you have would look awesome with! I know you don’t love the granite, but I do!!!
This sprayer would be such a benefit to redoing our kitchen!
I have so much stuff to paint. I would start with the ceilings though.
Great job on painting your cabinets! I would paint all the doors in my home. We have lived her 18 years and it’s time for a fresh coat on the doors.
Gorgeous! I love how you balanced the bright & airy with the warm & homey. We need to paint our cabinets. They are peeling and looking worn.
I’m looking to paint some dark rough paneling a lighter color, and it seems like spreading it would be the best way to cover it!
Wish I’d had a sprayer when I painted my cabinets white a few years ago! Still love them so much!
The perfect kitchen! I love everything about it!
Your kitchen is so pretty!! I would love the sprayer for our patio furniture and an old dresser!
Wow!…what a magnificent makeover. Love the bright and crisp look of the kitchen….you did such a remarkable job!…
Great makeover, great giveaway!
I would love to redo my outdated kitchen also. Just painted my bathroom cabinets by hand and a sprayer would’ve definitely made it easier.
You did a fantastic job on those cabinets! The kitchen is WOW! I have a shelving unit I need to tackle and you’ve given me some ideas!
Your kitchen turned out gorgeous! I would have never thought to use gold for the hardware but now I want to change out mine! And, winning a sprayer would be fabulous, because I would start with the first step, painting my kitchen cupboards! Thank you for such an awesome give away!
i would love to paint y outdoor furniture
Love the final result. I especially love the backsplash.
Nice job on the cabinets, I really like how bright and cheerful it looks.
I’d use the sprayer to paint the loft bed I’m building for my son.
Absolutely stunning! I love both colors of paint that you selected. The Dove White has too much yellow for my taste. The hardware couldn’t be any more perfect and I love the change in the island! It’s amazing to see the difference in the before and after ~ you should congratulate yourself on a job well done!
If I had the sprayer, I’d paint about 5 pieces of furniture. 🙂
xo
Pat
I would love to paint my bathroom cabinets and swap out the hardware.
Your kitchen looks awesome! So light and bright!
Oops. Forgot to tell you that I would be painting furniture if I won the sprayer.
Your kitchen came out fabulous!! I would love to use the sprayer to paint my bedroom, my son’s and my kitchen!!
I would use it to paint a dresser.
We are approaching the task of a DIY kitchen remodel. This sprayer would be such a useful component in this journey! Your kitchen looks amazing! I love how the lighter color made the kitchen seem brighter. I was undecided about cabinet color, but after seeing your choice, I will go light as well.
I would absolutely LOVE to own this sprayer! So many times I have wished that I had one. I have started the monumental task of replacing all of the trim in our house, and spraying it would save tons of time! I love DiY!
I am wanting to paint my kitchen oak cabinets before my MIL comes to visit next month!!! This would make it less stressful for sure!!
i would love to paint my builders grade oak kitchen cabinets. The sprayer would be so handy!
Beautiful kitchen! I love the hardwood floors. Would you mind telling me the color and type?
Your kitchen looks great! very clean and inspiring.
Fabulous makeover!!!Your kitchen looks awesome! Love it all! thanks for sharing with us.
Your kitchen looks wonderful! I know you are so proud of it! 🙂