A “Dull” Kitchen Gets the Prettiest Painted Cabinet Makeover

When artist and photographer Cass Danson and her family (including her husband, Matt; two children; and pup, Juno) bought a new-build home in West Melbourne, Australia, Cass wanted to make the space feel more reflective of their personalities — aka infused with vibrant color, similar to her painting style. 

One room in particular that needed a little zhuzhing was the kitchen. Cass appreciated most things in the recently updated kitchen, but wanted the space to feel a little less sterile. Originally, it had laminate wood upper cabinets and white laminate cupboards below. The kitchen faces the living and dining rooms, which are both clad in color, so naturally Cass wanted the space to have a bit of color, too, but still remain sleek and sophisticated. 

“We wanted the kitchen to feel softer,” Cass shares. “We liked the tiles, so we wanted to do something to complement them. The aim was for it to feel more inviting.”

It was also important for Cass to keep the renovation costs low. “When it comes to making changes in my home, my number-one go-to is paint,” she shares. “I don’t have a big budget, as I’m a stay-at-home mom, and the cost of living right now is wild! So anything we do in the house has to be super low-budget.”

But Cass managed to make big changes on a smaller budget — the whole transformation was under $500. Paint was the main tool used to reimagine the room; they started by painting the cabinets in Dulux’s Pancake Mix a light blush color. Next, they swapped out their existing hardware for brushed brass pull handles and replaced the silver faucet with a matching light pink option to complement the cabinets. 

Danson’s kitchen is proof that paint can make a huge difference in refreshing a room — and that you don’t have to spend top dollar to see gorgeous results. 

“The kitchen was functional beforehand, but it was just dull and needed some love,” Cass explains. “I love how warm and inviting the kitchen feels now! It really complements the rest of the dining room and living room in our open floor plan.”

Even though this kitchen is full of chic pastels, it’s surprisingly not the most colorful room in the home. To see more of the color-drenched walls in their space, visit the full home tour on Apartment Therapy. 

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Before & After: Pink Cabinets Add a Pop of Drama to a “Dull, Basic” Kitchen (for Only $500!)