Sunday, August 31, 2008

Making Bathroom Cabinets Look Completely Different

I Just Couldn't Stand the White Bathroom Cabinets any More!

All my cabinets are white......all of them. That includes the kitchen and all the bathrooms. I've done over the kitchen and now it was time to do the bathrooms. I started with the master bathroom.

There are so many techniques these days for faux finishing furniture and walls. I've tried many of them with much success. For these cabinets I decided to use sponging, except I never really use a sponge. A lambswool pad works much better for me. I purchased a few of them at Home Depot. Blending the colors is much smoother using the lambswool.

I always sand lightly first. This makes the wood grab the paint much better. These cabinets were high gloss anyway, so they definitely needed a sanding. I painted the base coat a rusty orange-a scary color if you ask me. While the cabinet is still somewhat wet, I come along and blend a dark brown color over the orange, always moving my wrists and blending, blending, blending.


Above you can see more clearly the blended colors. Just for some additional detail to these cabinets, I ran some gold Rub & Buff on the edges of the panels. I always have this stuff on hand for adding decorative touches. I purchased mine at Michael's Craft store. It also comes in many different colors.
Above is a photograph of the entire vanity after completion. I re-used the original cabinet hardware, spraying it over with Rustoleum Hand Hammered paint. I love how this spray paint looks on metal. It makes your hardware look brand new, stops rust, hides flaws, is easy to use and saves you money (you don't have to buy new stuff). I used the antique brass color but it now comes in 11 great shades. I taped off the white part of the handle and just sprayed them all together outside. After they dried they get two coats of clear to protect them.

Above are the rest of the cabinets under the garden tub. Actually you don't see the rest of the bathroom here because currently I am still working on it. The walls are painted a beautiful beige color with accents of red and green.

You can actually change the look and feel of those stark white cabinets for the price of a can of paint and some time.

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7 comments:

  1. That looks very nice, Christy. I've done some faux wood finishes too using a flogging technique that was very fun. Your cabinets look great!

    Rhoda

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  2. I LOVE this! I have to try it! Did you cover the cabinets with a clear coat? How long did this process take you? I'm just curious. Thanks again for a wonderful idea!!!

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  3. That looks great!

    I love sponging! We did one of our bathrooms, then ended up doing the whole house in the same colors. We just love it and it gives a natural flow to the house. We have slightly different decorating in each room but the base is the same. :)

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  4. Thanks everyone. Doing these cabinets didn't really take that long. I did 6 cabinets all together. Sanded, sponged and yes, I applied a clear coat. I apply a clear coat to just about everything I do just to protect it. I sanded them in one day. Painted and sponged second coat in one day-clear coated the next. So I believe it took about three days, a few hours per day.

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  5. I love what you did. It looks awesome. I want to change my all white kitchen cabinets. what are the exact colors that you used? I would have a hard time choosing a rusty orange color. would you mind emailing me step by step instructions with the details on paint to kelli.jenkins@allstate.com. Thanks so much!

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  6. Can you list the colors you used? I have tried several combinations and cannot come close to duplicating what you have. I have a few 'sample' boards to work on and getting frustrated and desperately need guidance.

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  7. I don't have the paint from this project , unfortunately. I do know that I used a rusty brown as the base coat and then applied a cocoa color on top. The rusty brown was just that, rusty looking. The brown applied to the top was a dark brown. The colors blended well. I am certain I used Rustoleum in a can.
    Try this combo on a large, scrap piece of wood. I hope this helps.

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