I think the cabinets are interesting..live with them and work around them.

They aren't that bad - there seems to be a certain vibe going on in that room, and they fit it. I would just go with it instead of trying to cover it up.

are you allowed to remove (and safely store) the cabinet doors while you live there? removing even just the top ones would visually open things up a bit and take away some of that customized-but-not-to-you paint.

on the plus-side, it looks like you've got a lot of great storage and counterspace. enjoy!

i wish you well with your project and new home.

... from someone not yet living in her dream-space either

I'm going through a contact paper phase right now and I think you have the right idea. I've had some on items for over a year and then removed it and there was no paint pealing or anything like that. It's great for staying in place and leaves easily when you're over it.

The best selections I've found were at Target, OSH(Orchard Supply hardware) and Amazon. Good luck and I'd love to see how it comes out.

I'd say removable wallpaper but it's designed to go on dry wall, which is a lot more durable than kitchen cabinets.

Contact paper might be the way to go. Or, you could embrace it and go all rustic cottage. The paint job is really awesome.

If you go the contact paper route, go to Sign Warehouse or US Cutter's websites and buy their Oracal 631 15" wide vinyl. The 10 yard roll should be sufficient. It doesn't come in wood grain but it sticks well and comes off without much incident too. It's matte in color as well. I can see some pill capsule shapes a bit larger than their decorative design in white or grey to make them look a bit more modern. Be sure to use some posterboard as a template too, as it makes the tracing process a whole lot easier.

I have a whole post here on making your own vinyl graphics.

Good luck!`

Those are pretty! But to safely cover them up, you might try using fabric -- cut it larger than the doors and then staple it to the inside part of the doors to avoid damaging the paint in any way.

I like them. They're not necessarily my style, for my kitchen, but considering how appalling rental kitchens can be, they're great. I'd be hesitant to use contact paper. Just b/c it worked on one type of paint doesn't mean it will work on yours. It's not something you can touch up if big sheaths of paint peel off when you're trying to move out. Actually, I'd try to live with then for a while and see if you learn to like/tolerate them. I'd look at them as funky and work with them.

I have to say that I'm not crazy about the paint job on the cabinets. Have you thought about using fabric and fabric starch over the top of them? I had good luck with a wall that I did in a rental years ago. I suppose there's the risk of it loosening, but I didn't have that problem.

I would definitely go the fabric and starch route! The possibilities are endless and you won't risk damaging the cabinets.

Those certainly are hideous. I think the fabric option is a good one - you don't have to worry about adhesive ruining the finish of that charming paint job.

In lieu of that, what about painting the walls? I feel like the blue faux-finished walls PLUS the decorative paint on the cabinets adds up to a whole lot of look. Perhaps if they were all the same crisp off-white as the background of the cabinets things would blend and recede a bit more.

And, as with everything in rentals, you have to ask yourself if you're willing to give up a portion of your security deposit to not look at something heinous for a year or more. If I were in your shoes, I'd just paint the cabinets white.

Contact paper is a good idea although I think it would look awful cut out to fit the handles. I think I would end up just leaving them but they are definitely ugly.

I wrapped mine in butcher paper (like wrapping a present) so I can draw, write and generally play on them. When I'm tired of the design I just throw the paper away. It's more artsy than chic but it's an impermanent way to bring my creativity and artistry to a rented space without loosing my deposit.

I would remove the hardware, wrap them tightly in burlap, staple gun or hot glue on the back side. Reinstall the hardware through the burlap.

If you are concerned abou daaging the paint job, is there a matte, clear varnish that you could seal the paint with prior to applying the cover up?

For the cabinets I would remove the entire door. Then install tension rods, or somehow hang rods so you can make little curtains that cover the space where the doors had been. Maybe a nice grey burlap that is cut almost to the size space as the doors. I would just leave the drawers as they are. I think this would look less messy than trying to cover the doors themselves with fabric or contact paper.

While I agree that they are really awful, I would be quite careful about what you do to them. The landlord obviously takes pride in them if they hired someone to do a custom paint job and I think they would have every right to be quite angry if you damaged them with contact paper or fabric adhesives.

I would be concerned with peeling up the paint when you remove the contact paper. I guess it depends on how well the current finish is adhered to the doors.

I would change out the hardware, it looks dark and heavy. I like the the door-free option for the upper cabinets an earlier commentor made. It will force you to keep the cabinets neat and organized though.

No matter what you decide, I would suggest living with it for a month or two. See if you could decorate around it before doing anything that could jeopardize your security deposit and relationship with your landlord.

Good Luck.

As others have said, I'd remove the doors if you hate them, hang a fabric cover over the lower cabinets and leave uppers open. I think it would be very irresponsible for you to apply contact paper or any sort of adhesive over the hand painted designs (even if they are extremely ugly in the eyes of most) that could potentionally damage the finish, no matter how minute the possibility is. All adhesives will eventually mess up a surface given enough time. Remember, you were not forced into moving there or tricked/surprised by this situation, therefore you sould respect the owners request that you leave the cabinets as is, any changes you make should be 100% reversible.

I agree with removing the doors and storing safely. You could wrap them in bubble wrap. Love the concept of open on top and fabric on bottom. Also agree with painting walls if possible, but you might not have to with the cab doors removed and a plain fabric treatment to tone done the textural noise.

I love conejitoasesino's idea of the butcher paper!

Decals! Decals! Decals! Check out Etsy. Amazon. Target. Wall decals are meant to do exactly what you need.

I put wrapping paper on my cabinets and love it! http://www.everafterblueprint.com/2011/04/26/kitchen-cabinet-makeover/

Do NOT stick ANYTHING adhesive on those doors! Really! You do not know what paint or prep was used, and if the owners won't let you change them, leave them alone! Or for sure you will cause damage you will have to pay for.

Ask your landlords what they will permit. Covering with something like fabric or paper to the back side WITH THEIR PERMISSION might be safe, but they might be happier remmoving and storing the doors and letting you hang curtains or something.

For all you know, they have plans to use that apartment in the future as an in-law suite and the in-law in question did the painting... not yours to mess with. (I kind of like it, although I probably wouldn't do that to my own house, either...)

I think they are rather unique and goes well with the room. I would try to live with them a while and see if they might grow on you. Who know's you might end up embracing them.

Remove the doors and add plain curtains on the bottom! Very Country Living chic. Just make sure to number the doors and the cabinets so you can put them back right later. Or embrace the cabinets, they could look like something from an Anthropologie spread with the right accessories. Either way the black handles need to go - wrong style, wrong color.

Why not wrap the doors with fabric? Seems like the easiest solution to me...

This too shall pass. There are just doors, and it's a rental. I don't like them either, but maybe, with time, they will grow on you.

I suggest you have a party, and play a game called Describe my Cabinets. That could be a hoot. After all, they aren't yours.

As many have mentioned, I'd also remove all of the doors. I would, though, put some different colors of contact paper on the inner part of the upper cabinets to add a splash of color (baring in mind that most of my stuff is white). In the bottom, as many suggested, I'd go with the curtains.
The drawers might be a challenge. I guess I'd try removing the hardware, wrapping the front panel with non-adhesive contact paper or fabric (fixating it in the inside of the drawer, where I can use hot glue, adhesive or even a staple gun without too many issues) and then putting the hardware back in.

I would do nothing and just live with it. You don't want to mess with landlords or their property. They determine your references for future rentals.

Those are going to be a heck of a lot easier to learn to live with than a significant other's poster of a meaningful objet, like some kind of sportscar.

Sorry but cabinets covered with paper or fabric (yuck, in a kitchen??) are going to look terrible after a little while. Much worse than the original paint job.

I actually did the contact paper thing in my last apartment. It looked fantastic, but when I moved out several months later ALL the paint came off with it. Regular peel-and-stick contact paper. There were, of course, probably 15 layers of paint going on there, but I do not recommend contact paper if you're not supposed to disturb a custom paint job. I was lucky that I was able to take a big chunk of the paint that came off and get it matched at the paint store.

I agree with the idea of removing the upper doors and covering the lower ones with a curtain. When you remove the uppers, you can always do something decorative at the back of the shelves by covering foam board with contact paper or fabric (or stencil), cut to size of each space at the back, and stick it up with mounting tape - hopefully your landlord won't be as upset about a little stick-um on the inside of the cabinets.

I've definitely had contact paper and even wall decals remove paint when coming off.

I wonder - could you use a staple gun along the top and bottom edges to add something? Vinyl maybe, or tin? Perhaps leave the frame showing but add a decorative strip down the centre to cover the centres?

Can you paint the walls? I think the cabinets could be do-able, but I would want to paint the walls white- and work some bright green and dark brown objects in... Another way to brighten up the space would require some basic carpentry skills- you could build a counter with a lip out of well sanded and white painted plywood, that would fit over that dark brown counter. I agree that carefully removing and storing the upper doors could be an option too. I would warn against contact paper or fabric.

I would stick with just removing the top doors. I actually like these cabs, though. Do you totally hate them, or just think they are too much? If you totally hate them, I would still say remove the top doors, and then fabric, contact paper or whatever the bottoms.

they make me scream to look at them..not in a good way. If you remove only the top doors, the bottom section looks kinda' funky/euro..with the just the right use of accessories on the counter..earthy bowls/baskets along with your kitchen appliances...it can work..think Tuscany..or Greece..

Yeah, those cabinets are heinous. But since you've been given express directions to not futz with them, I would either a) learn to love them (the humanity!) or b) take them down, store them in a closet and enjoy open shelving during your tenancy.

Covering them with contact paper sounds like a huge pain and then what do you do when you go to take it off and you've screwed up the cabinets you were directly told not to screw with?

Another example of a rental i would completely pass up because of a hideous kitchen.

Message to landlords: white is inoffensive. Custom 80s painted curlicue cabinets, green carpeting, and yellow bath tiles are NOT.

Dear renters,
If you don't like something in a place. Don't rent it.

If you want it changed, ask the landlord first. You have asked. They said no. Don't change them. That includes, sticking, stapling, removing, gluing, starching or papering.

Leave the cabinets alone. If you can't walk away from them - walk away from the rental.

I think someone already mentioned this, but I have had a ton of luck with fabric and liquid starch. The fabric will peel off when it's time to move, and you just need to clean up the starch residue. I would also recommend washing the fabric beforehand just to ensure that none of the dye from the fabric bleeds. Good luck!

Hmmmm.... Fabric & starch. I hadn't thought of that! I was thinking about covering mine too (also a rental) and was looking at Blik wallpapers (decals, whatever they call them). Now I may go the fabric route though! It's probably cheaper.

Those cabinets are so cool! Leave them!

I think the cabinets are kinda cool too- but I really don't like the hardware at all.

Try switching out the hardware and see if that makes a difference so you could live with it.

I put white contact paper on a painted counter in my pantry as a temporary measure until I could and and paint it and when I took it off- all the old paint came off with it.

Too risky for your situation.

The doors are nice and flat though with no raised woodwork, so I like the idea of tightly wrapped burlap or butcher/kraft paper.

Probably the easiest fix is to just remove them like has been suggested and hang a curtain on the bottom with open shelving on the top.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

I wouldn't use contact paper - the longer it stays on the more likely it will remove the paint below when you take it off. The details are actually kind of interesting. Maybe just taking the top cabinet doors off for open shelving will help?

I like the cabinets. I would just paint the walls a different color - most landlords are usually OK with a renter painting the walls.

I don't like your cabinets but I think there's a way to make them look very Scandinavian.

Also, my husband's friend is in the vinyl biz, and they're vinyl wrapping everything these days. Even cars, in order to get a temporary custom "paint" color. And also advertising. But maybe vinyl would work.

Cover just a strip down the center of the cabinets by making a strip of fabric long enough to cover the front and back and a little extra for the width of the cabinet, then sew the ends together forming a sort of 'tube'. Then you can just slide it over the cabinet with the sewn seam at the back. (You will have to take off the hardware to put these on if they are made tight which would look best) Depending on the fabric you might have to sew what would be the 'sides' of the fabric panel together to make a nice edge. You could probably do this with contact paper too. Just leave the backing on and glue the ends instead of sewing.