Customize Kitchen Cabinets: Country Finishes

Tiny townhouse kitchen gets an English country makeover - affordably!

By simply removing a couple of cabinet doors, applying a decorative paint finish, and adding inexpensive knobs, you can revamp your kitchen cabinets with welcoming English country style - easily and affordable!


Because our window-deprived galley kitchen was dark and uninspiring, we wanted to inject the room with light. To illuminate the cramped quarters, we repainted the standard veneer cabinets with the two light colors found in the room's beige and white gingham wallpaper. We also highlighted the raised frames around the cabinet doors with a slightly different color of paint. To add a lived-in, cozy atmosphere, we finished the cabinets with a distressed paint technique commonly found in English country kitchens. To do this, we simply sanded the painted cabinets down to the bare wood in random areas, giving them a charming, timeworn appearance.

Finally, for a pricey "customized" touch, we removed two doors from the wall cabinet above the sink to create a display nook and give dimension to the long line of cabinetry. We removed the center bar and lined the interior with beadboard. A small piece of custom-cut wood becomes a decorative topper. The newly painted kitchen is now an inviting resting spot, ideal for afternoon tea and scones.



Priming eliminates the need for stripping the previous finish before painting the cabinets.


Sanding the finish in select spots creates the illusion of age and infuses the room with timeworn charm


A subtle, slightly aged paint finish brightens the dark cabinets in this tiny galley kitchen.

Decorative Paint Tip

To give your latex or acrylic a transparent feel (or to extend its drying time), simply add a clear glaze, found in a paint supply or craft store. For most faux or decorative finishes (like burling or marbling), mix one part glaze to two parts paint. But don't be afraid to experiment with other ratios.

Adding Custom Touches

A custom look doesn't have to be expensive. We removed two cabinet doors to fashion a display cubby above the sink, adding a shot of interest to our standard cabinets. You can easily add custom touches to your cabinetry with a few minor adjustments. For a cottage feel, remove some of the cabinet doors, leaving open shelving, and line the interiors with beadboards, as we did. For a more upscale look, replace the wood panels on your cabinet doors with glass; choose solid glass for a contemporary style or mullioned glass for a European appearance. For a whimsical touch, stencil colorful designs on your cabinet doors.

To bring traditional style to run-of-the-mill cabinetry, nail mitered molding to plain cabinet doors or run a piece of decorative trim across the tops of the cabinets. For more custom appeal, add rows of pre-made molding to the underside of a cabinet to hang wineglasses, or attach blocks of wood, spaced 3/8-in. apart, to a plywood base and fit inside a drawer for knife holder. Finally, for the simplest way to add custom charm to any cabinet replace your existing knobs or pulls with new hardware. The variety is endless and your new cabinets will have instant appeal.

Shopping List:

• Mineral spirits
  
• Ammonia
  
• Zinsser's B-I-N Primer Sealer
  
• Wood door knobs
  
• Martin-Senour eggshell alkyd paint in Chamois Cloth and Sand Dollar
  
• AquaGard Dull sealer from Aqua Finishing Solutions
  
• Foam paintbrushes
  
• 100-grit sandpaper
  

Instructions:

1. Remove cabinet doors; then, wipe all surfaces to be painted with a clean rag slightly dampened with mineral spirits (paint thinner) to remove any surface contamination. Next, wash the surfaces with a 50/50 solution of household ammonia and water. Allow the clean surface to dry for approximately 30 minutes.
   
   
2. Lightly sand the cabinets to give the paint a grooved surface; then, apply one coat of B-I-N Primer Sealer, following manufacturer's instructions. Let dry. Note: Do not skip this step. The primer will ensure smooth and durable paint coverage.
   
   
3. Paint the wall-mounted frames with two coats of Chamois Cloth eggshell-finish paint. Note: You can choose latex (water-based) or alkyd (oil-based) paint; alkyd is more durable but requires mineral spirits for brush clean-up.
   
   
4. To give the cabinet doors a two-tone effect, paint the insets with two coats of Sand Dollar and the outer frames with Chamois Cloth.
   
   
5. Paint drawers with two coats of Sand Dollar.
   
   
6. Once all the painted areas are dry, give them an aged and weathered look by sanding the edges and corners of all the cabinets, drawers, and doors in a random pattern to simulate natural wear.
   
   
7. For a rural touch, paint 1 � in.-standard wood knobs with Chamois Cloth. Let dry. Lightly sand around the knobs' edges; then, attach to cabinets.
   
   
8. Seal painted surfaces with AquaGuard Dull from Aqua Finishing Solutions to protect the finish and make it more durable.