We have a new home, with dark cupboards, what can we do?
by
Katty
+8
We are blessed to have a nice home, However I like bright kitchens and my kitchen is basically dark because it’s in the middle of the house , not a lot of windows, and my cupboards are dark dark. I would love to have a way to lighten up my cupboards without spending a huge amount of money. Also we did think about putting a sky tube to make it brighter in the room. However when I priced all this it was more than we could afford. I was just wondering if there were something I could do to change this until we can afford to do it in a big way???
Just some suggestions to give you ideas. The cupboard doors, or just the upper ones, or the backsplash and/or the counters could be painted a lighter color. Use lighter colored accessories and a lighter colored kitchen style rug that can be washed easily. Or the last thought use string lights below the upper and/or lower cupboards. Have fun coming up with and utilizing some unique ideas.
Paint the interior of all your cupboards a bright arctic white so you can see things. Install the best lighting you can afford and have as many lighting options as you can. Paint the kitchen a bright light color.
The most quick & inexpensive change could be lighting. Try out some of the new LED bulbs anywhere you already have lights and perhaps install them on the bottom of your upper cabinets to provide good lighting to the counters. Even installing them above your cabinets to reflect light off the ceiling would be a big change. This type of lighting is available at any of the home improvement store..some are strung together, some not. Hope you get it changed, as I can relate....I need my light and airy spaces!
Can you replace any cabinets door fronts with glass inserts?
Replacing some of the solid dark doors with ones that have glass inserts would not be less expensive than purchasing new light coloured solid doors. Each one would be classified as a special order.
Would like to see a photo of your kitchen with all the lights turned on. It looks like you have plently of light sources. Painting the ceiling a MUCH lighter color could make a huge difference and is probably the easiest and most economical thing you can do.
Paint the cabinets.
Make sure they are clean and dry. Remove the doors and hardware. Mark the doors and cabinets with tape where they go. Lightly sand the doors and cabinets to remove any gloss and roughen the surface for paint with 120- to 220-grit sandpaper. Use a tack cloth or damp rag to remove dust after sanding. Prime with a stain blocking primer like Zinsser 123, KILZ,or BIN and have it tinted to the color of the top coat. This will prevent dark or stained surfaces from showing through the top coat. Acrylic, or water-base, paints are low-fume and clean up easily with water. Alkyd, or oil-base, paints require good ventilation because the paint contains solvents that can irritate your lungs and make you feel sick. Alkyd options require mineral spirits for cleanup, but they provide a hard, durable paint finish. Whichever you use, buy the best-quality paint you can afford for a lasting kitchen cabinet finish. Seal with at least three coats with a water based polyurethane. Use a small foam roller and foam brush for a smooth finish.
Looks like you have enough lighting for nighttime. A solar tube light would be great for daylight. They are reasonable and easy to install.
Paint then white or cream, follow the instructions above.
I recommend tape LED under the lip of all the upper cabinets. It is very inexpensive, but changes the whole look of a kitchen
Try
self-adhesive vinyl rolls for kitchen cupboards