Coconut Kitchen { Before and After}

This is what the kitchen looked like when we bought the house, so obviously painting the cabinets was on the top of the To Do list.

If you have never painted cabinets before and would like to, let me teach you how.

Step 1: Recruit all friends and family to help.

(This is my wonderful mother and uncle in-law hard at work).

Step 2: Take off all hardware and doors and lightly sand everything.

Step 3: Prime and paint. I used an oil base paint, I know most people stray away from oil base, but I was told that it will hold up much nicer.  

The one nice thing about oil base is that you can actually store your paint brushes in the freezer without cleaning them. The oil base keeps them from freezing.  Then you only need to clean them once when the job is all done.

My Tips: Paint the inside of your cabinets too. You’ll be glad you did when you open them up. And lastly be prepared to be painting for a good week straight, since you can only paint one side of the doors at a time and then with all of the touch-ups.  It’s a big job!

But the end result is all worth it. A brand new kitchen from a can of paint!!

By removing one of the cupboard doors, I now have a place to display my favorite dishes.

We also added new hardware.

I also painted the counter tops. There is a special counter top paint by rust-oleum. I chose the color, taupe but they have about 20 different colors to choose from. Then you just roll it on and wait a couple days for it to dry. It’s a small can, but I only used half of it. So I have extra for any future touch-up.  It’s held up surprising well.

We have also put in a new stainless steel stove, hood and fridge.

I’d still love new floors, lighting and back splash. So hopefully I’ll be posting more updates of the kitchen in the future.

Update to this Post:

Want to learn more about my painted counter tops?  Gohere.

Want to see how my kitchen looks currently?  Go here.

Linking up here.

Visit thecsiproject.com

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9 Comments

  1. Natée
    April 22, 2010 / 4:07 pm

    Again, I LOVE it! I'm too chicken to paint my cabinets. What kind of back-splash are you thinking about putting in?

    Oh, and I love your fruit bowl. How pretty and unique! Where did you find it (or did you make it)?

  2. Emily@TheWickerHouse
    April 22, 2010 / 5:09 pm

    Thanks natee. I did make my fruit bowl. Its some sort of lid upsidedown glued onto a candle holder.
    So my backsplash will most likely be beadboard, but I'm also thinking about that pressed tin??

  3. Day Dreaming And Decorating
    August 14, 2010 / 2:18 am

    Hi Emily I to have a new blog. I just found yours and I love what you did with your dinning area

  4. Yanet @ 3 Sun Kissed Boys
    February 12, 2011 / 2:43 pm

    Great transformation! I love the breezy look of the kitchen now. How have the painted counter tops held up?

  5. One mom
    February 18, 2011 / 9:15 pm

    Emily, you are a visionary woman! I am so impressed.

  6. Unknown
    February 19, 2011 / 2:00 am

    Great transformation! I'm also wondering about the countertops. I have *lovely* white laminate counters that I have been thinking of painting, too.

  7. Donna
    February 21, 2011 / 4:40 pm

    Looks AMAZING! I have been thinking about doing my kitchen and I loved seeing someone so successful with this project. I too, am very curious how the countertops are holding up… Thanks for sharing!

  8. Unknown
    June 6, 2011 / 6:51 pm

    It doesn't look like the same room! Great job.

  9. Unknown
    May 25, 2013 / 8:08 pm

    Looks so good, I am so discouraged to do this, everyone says painted cabinets are not a good idea for resale value and purposes, but it can look so great! Our house we are about to move in has a very similar set up, and I really don't like that orange-y cabinet look.