Painted Kitchen Cabinets and Backsplash

I’ve been wanting to update my kitchen for the past 6 months, but felt tied into my granite and backsplash. I thought about refacing the cabinets ($4-$5,000) and when I looked into it I really liked the grey cabinets–then I thought if I want grey, why don’t I just paint them again? Then my Better Homes and Gardens Magazine came last Saturday…found my INSPIRATION PIC!!!

INSPIRATION PIC

Originally  I thought would love to do white cabinets–but realistically with my 3 boys and all the neighbor boys–they would be gross in 1 day! I loved the idea of doing grey lower cabinets and I could get away with doing white uppers (my top cabinets don’t get as gross as the lower ones)–you know with my boys making cookies and brownies all the time. So I was sold on the cabinet colors, but the backsplash was killing the whole vision! Then I thought–just paint the travertine tile! It’s porous enough and will take the paint–what have I got to lose? If I hate it–maybe I can sand it off???

My BEFORE!! Cream antiqued cabinets that I painted this way 9 years ago. Oil rubbed bronze hardware and travertine backsplash.

 

Keeping it real…BEFORE
AFTER!!! I chose a brownish grey that would tie in the granite, and a regular can of white latex paint that you buy off the shelf–I didn’t have it tinted. I also switched out the hardware. I had some bronze pulls on  hand and used those on the drawers and got white ceramic with aged brass for the knobs from Hobby Lobby for $2 each on sale.

 

I’m still waiting for Hobby Lobby to get 7 more knobs in–so I put some spares on for now.

 

I had the rattan shade that I bought 3 years ago on clearance and had never installed. It went perfectly and tied in the granite and gave the kitchen some texture. My 14 yr old son helped me hang it in 30 seconds–why did I wait 3 years???
I LOVE the knobs!! They pull the white uppers together with the grey lower cabinets…

 

Used a mini foam roller and did 2 coats of semigloss paint on all the cabinets and then followed up with 2 coats of clear satin Minwax poly.

 

At first I felt like this makeover was going to be a compromise–trying to make it work with the granite and backsplash. I didn’t think it would be 100% what I wanted, but it would be better than what it was. Now that it’s done, I couldn’t be happier–I don’t feel like it’s a compromise at all. I LOVE IT!!!

 

Painting the backsplash worked out great! I just used the same white semigloss cabinet paint. Did 2 coats and then did 2 coats of clear satin Minwax brand polyurethane.
Now I feel like the kitchen goes with the rest of my house!

 

Total makeover cost

$44–2 gallons of paint (grey was Valspar “Catch of the Day”)
$52- 1 gallon Minwax clear satin Polyeurethene
$35 misc. painting supplies and clear caulking for backsplash
$42- new knobs
$173 total for Painted kitchen cabinets and backsplash makeover plus 25 hours of my time–TOTALLY worth it!