Can’t we just paint some cabinets already? Our patience is wearing thin — and if you’re eager for painted cabinets, imagine how we feel. When we planned this kitchen update we assumed we’d retro-fit a few doors, slap on some paint, and call it done. Turns out there’s a lot of work between “retrofit” and “paint.” Gaps need filling, rough spots must be sanded, trim and toe-kick installed, hinges sorted, hardware chosen, primer selected, and the final paint color decided.
First up: trim. I rebuilt the window sill and molding so we could caulk, prime, and paint while the cabinets were out. Our previous sill was a slab of granite that matched the old counters, but we preferred a wood sill. I picked up a piece of pine at Home Depot, cut a couple of notches to fit, slid it into place, and nailed it down.
From there I cut and nailed the trim casings around the edges. I added a small piece underneath the sill to mimic the detail we used on the half wall ledge.
Once the window’s ready for caulk (to seal corner gaps), primer (on raw wood), and a durable white semi-gloss paint, I moved on to other trim — specifically the toe-kick along the bottom of the base cabinets. Much of it was removed when we rearranged cabinets. In some spots I could reuse leftover pieces by cutting them down and reinstalling.
Around the peninsula we needed new pieces. I couldn’t find off-the-shelf toe-kick trim, and I didn’t want to special order, so I bought pre-primed baseboard instead. It fits under the peninsula and, since everything will be painted the same cabinet color, it will blend right in.
We’re still undecided on what to do with the back of the peninsula — worn wood, raised panels, or something else — so the toe-kick stops suddenly at the unfinished edge. That raw end will get covered when we choose the peninsula finish. I bought shoe molding but will wait to install it until after the new cork floors are in; we’ll prime and paint the molding beforehand to avoid splattering the new floors.
An important little fix: one corner cabinet frame sat about 1/2″ higher than the neighboring cabinets. To level it, I glued 1/2″ pine strips under the frame and clamped them in place. Once we putty, sand, prime, and paint, the adjustment should be invisible.
We considered adding crown molding to the upper cabinets, but after holding up samples we decided we prefer the clean, modern look of squared-off cabinet edges. It feels sleeker without crown right now, and if we change our minds later we can always add pre-primed and painted crown without risking the cabinet finish.
Hinges presented another decision. Hidden hinges would require routing the door edges, but our doors are half-sunk with a thin stepped edge, so routing would compromise the door thickness. Exposed hinges are common and look great, so we were fine with them. We tried spray-priming and painting the original hinges to match our chosen satin-nickel hardware, but the finish looked stippled and wore off quickly when moved. In the end, buying new hinges that match the hardware proved to be the better option — worth the expense for a clean, durable result.
We’ve also finalized the cabinet color. We debated between a pure white and a warm gray/greige. With gray on nearby walls and a soft-gray penny-tile backsplash, full gray cabinets felt too heavy. White feels classic and timeless, but we avoided a stark bright white. Our pick is a soft, warm-light-gray called Cloud Cover. From afar it reads like a soft white, but up close it has a subtle warm greige tone that will complement the dark cork floors and make the penny-tile backsplash pop.
Here’s our step-by-step plan to get the cabinets painted and finished:
- Remove doors, drawer fronts, and hardware
- Empty cabinets
- Use wood putty to fill gaps, seams, and old knob holes
- Sand dried putty and smooth any dings or chips
- Sand all cabinet doors (front and back) and frames to scuff the surfaces before priming
- Clean all sanding dust thoroughly
- Use a liquid deglosser on doors and frames for extra adhesion
- Finalize hardware and hinge plan
- Prime (one coat if possible, depending on the primer)
- Paint (aiming for two coats on each side of doors and frames)
- Allow paint to dry and cure for 3–5 full days
- Drill for and install new hinges and hardware
- Reinstall doors and drawers
- Restock the cabinets
- Take a well-deserved nap
- Photograph the afters from every angle
Typing that list makes me tired, but we’re taking our time to get a long-lasting finish. We expect to prime and paint between Christmas and New Year’s and hope to share lots of after photos in early January.
If you’re curious about the current chaos, our sunroom has been serving as a makeshift workshop and storage for cabinet scraps. After sorting what we needed and what could be donated, we cleared the space and set up a painting/sanding area on the daybed and couch (with drop cloths to protect the upholstery). Usable cabinet pieces were donated locally and smaller scrap went into my basement pile.
With doors, drawer fronts, and hardware removed and the sunroom prepped, several items are crossed off our list. Only about fifteen steps remain. My parents are kindly hosting Christmas dinner, which helps — though we still have relatives staying with us who expect a bit of chaos when they visit. They seem to enjoy seeing what project we’re tackling next.
What are your plans for the next couple of weeks? Any big projects or holiday tasks on your list?