Previously on
So far, in the kitchen update, we have created a mood board, and the stone fabricators have installed the new countertops. We’re getting close, but work must still be done before we can paint.
Let’s take a closer look at the existing cabinet doors and drawer fronts. The rails and stiles on the cabinet doors are narrow, and there’s a bit of a rounded profile on the edges. The doors don’t overlap the cabinet frame much, known as a partial overlay. While painting the doors and drawers would definitely update the kitchen’s color palette, we had an opportunity to take things to the next level. This extra step will bring the end result even closer to the modern yet warm design we dreamed of.
Designing custom doors
Our cabinet painters recommended Distinctive Millworks, a skilled carpenter who could create new cabinet doors and drawer fronts for us. After discussing various Shaker door profiles and door materials, we agreed on the following specifications:
- We chose Shaker-style cabinet doors with 2-inch wide rails and stiles, featuring a 90-degree routing. (Shaker profile #1)
- Since the drawers were too narrow to accommodate wide detailing, we chose slab fronts over narrowing the rails and stiles.
- We changed to a full overlay with only a 1/4″ gap between cabinet doors.
- We chose doors and drawer fronts made entirely of MDF to achieve a super-smooth painted finish without filling any wood grain.
The reveal (Cabinet pun intended)
More new appliances were installed between the before and after pictures for this post, but you can still see the significant difference made by the new drawers and drawer fronts. In case you’re wondering, getting all the new doors and drawers made and installed cost us $1950. We felt it was worth the additional investment to ensure the cabinet painting was done on a modernized foundation.
That means the next blog post will be about paint! Do you have any questions about the process so far? What do you think of new cabinet doors and drawers as a way to update a kitchen without removing old cabinets completely?
Leave a Reply