Our 10 Favorite Painted Cabinet Before and Afters of 2019
Kitchen and bathroom remodels are pricey. But if your cabinets or built-ins are structurally sound (if aesthetically lacking), there’s one major way to save some cash: by giving them a fresh new paint job. This can be DIY or hired out, but either way, the project will give your space a totally new look. Need inspiration? Take a look at our 10 favorite painted cabinet and vanity redos of the year—just swipe left to see the afters.
1. A $1,000 Rental Kitchen With One Luxe-Looking IKEA Hack
You won’t believe that these two photos are of the same kitchen—especially considering it’s a rental kitchen. Autumn Hachey, the owner of a vintage store in Canada, painted the kitchen’s plain IKEA cabinets a pretty peach color and added gold bar pulls and knobs for a custom feel.
2. This Bathroom Refresh Shows What $100 Can Really Do
Dark gray paint (Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal) is the game-changer in this bathroom refresh when paired with a bold, graphic wallpaper. This powder room went from plain to super impactful with just $100.
3. This Builder-Grade Bathroom’s Chic Transformation Cost Under $500
Blogger April Waltrip spent less than $500 on this bathroom remodel. She came up with her own color mix for the vanity—General Finishes’ Klein Blue (25%) and Lamp Black (75%). The shade pops perfectly when paired with a brass mirror.
4. A Black and White Color Scheme Revved up This Blah Brown Kitchen
If the look of your cabinets just can’t be salvaged, why not switch out the upper cabinets with a more affordable alternative—open shelving? And a fresh coat of paint and new hardware, as seen in this cozy black-and-white kitchen, can spruce up the lower cabinets to give your kitchen a much-needed modern feel.
5. A Plain Bathroom Gets a Splashy Redo that Makes Clawfoot Tubs Even More Appealing
This bathroom got a new look by giving the cabinets a new paint color and extending that color onto the newly paneled walls, making it feel extra cozying and inviting. The classic dark blue (Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue) looks fresh and fun when paired with zesty orange accents.
6. Budget Upgrades Totally Transformed This Kitchen and Its Dark Wood Cabinets
You might not believe it, but these really are the same cabinets as in the before photo. Courtney Hierath, the homeowner, gave them new pine trim for a modern spin on Shaker style, plus a grassy green paint job (Behr’s Eastern Bamboo) and blingy gold hardware. Three steps later, these cabinets are nearly unrecognizable.
7. A Bright Budget Redo for this Lime Green Kitchen
We love green for kitchens (see above), but this one was a little too much for homeowner Hannah Otto. There’s not much some fresh white paint can’t fix. Bright blue brings some zing without going overboard.
8. You Won’t Recognize This Kitchen After Its Completely DIY Upgrade
Two-toned cabinets paired with open shelving make this kitchen look way more modern. Using a dark color on the base cabinets and white on the uppers gives the illusion that it’s way bigger, too. Now it’s a space you would actually want to spend time in.
9. We Did Not See This Kitchen Paint Job Coming
These uninspired brown cabinets may look hopeless, but check out what happens when you add in, say, 20 shades of Farrow & Ball paint. A white island and white pulls keep the look on the sophisticated side of whimsical. This may be too intense for most, but take it as permission to use unexpected colors and color combos in your own space.
10. Paint Takes This Wood Paneling Nightmare to a DIY Dream
Knotty brown paneling? Tired. But paint it white, and it looks totally 2019—especially paired with jet black cabinets and a white subway tile backsplash.