A CATHEDRAL-STYLE KITCHEN CABINET UPDATE

BEFORE & AFTERS: PAINTED WOOD CABINETS WITH A LITTLE EXTRA CHARM

Many kitchens need more than just paint to be brought up to date, especially those with cathedral-style cabinet doors. And although I love to sweep in and save the day with the PERFECT paint color (I’m putting my superhero cape on as I type), sometimes, my best advice is to do NOTHING until a larger-scale project can be tackled.

Why do cathedral-style doors make an update more challenging?

Often, it’s not the cabinets themselves; it’s the combined effort of the cabinets and their surrounding finishes, including…

outdated tile or vinyl flooring
older-style cabinet hardware
outdated laminate or granite countertops
exposed hinges – screws and all
a backsplash that’s often outdated and mismatched to the countertop

Don’t get me wrong; the above finishes aren’t in EVERY kitchen with cathedral-style cabinets. Many of these kitchens have had a ‘few’ updates over the years, giving them flexibility for further improvements, including paint. But even without any updates at all, some kitchens can STILL BE SAVED; they’re just more challenging (insert wine ‘HERE’).

However, when a kitchen like this one hits my to-do list, I get DARN EXCITED and don’t have a glimmer of doubt! Why? Because there are some FANTASTIC bones for me to work with. Add in a little color magic and KLC, and this kitchen will have a whole new lease on life.

Let’s take a closer look at what made this kitchen such a pleasure to work with…

the flooring isn’t a strong stain color
the countertop and backsplash are updated
while the doors are cathedral style, with the flat edge on the top, they have a slightly more modern look (compared to traditional cathedral-style cabinets)
even if the doors WERE a more traditional style, even with a DOUBLE-cathedral (a curve on the top and bottom of the door), this space would have potential
the hinges are exposed but only partially
the paint color on the walls and trim work for the space (but would be a relatively easy fix anyway)

The homeowner was also open to the idea of doing something a little bit different, implementing a two-color palette, with the upper cabinets different from the lowers.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at this beauty…

I’m as proud as a new Momma, and my face LIT UP when these photos showed up in my inbox – I’m always SO grateful when clients send them in. This is even MORE the case when there’s good natural light, and the decor is well-appointed!

By the way, not every kitchen can pull off a two-color palette this well. Luckily, the layout of this space and the style of the cabinets lend themselves very well to this bit of extra personality.

Again, look at the unbridled POTENTIAL…

It’s so much easier to appreciate the beauty of a kitchen when you see where it came from, which is why the BEFORE photos are just as important as the AFTERS!

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There’s also a built-in china cabinet in the dining area that was begging for some color! Sure, we could’ve painted it white to match the upper cabinets, but the lower cabinet color is SO much more interesting!

UPPER CABINET PAINT COLOR (& TRIM)

Because Benjamin Moore White Dove was already on the trims, it made sense to use it on the cabinets. Mixing and matching whites is RARELY a good idea, and most times, it’s best to repeat what already exists (as long as it works).

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