Fewer people seem to be replacing their kitchen cabinets these days. More homeowners are opting to paint their old ones instead. I’ve been seeing some creative examples all over the Internet, like these yellow cabinets in a 1920s kitchen with pictures of plates painted on them.
Remember the 1990s when we were stenciling everything that didn’t move? Apparently it’s time to get out those little pots of paint again. I keep running across photos of kitchen cabinets that have not only been painted but have designs stenciled on them, as well. (Photos via BHG.)
This look is just a little too much for me, though. Just not my style, I guess, so I don’t think I’d ever stencil any of my own cabinets. Would you?
Calling all digital photographers! Have you been ColorInc’s website? You can order everything from custom-created greeting cards to gallery-wrapped canvas. Check out their blog to see their gorgeous photo picks of the day. It’s a great resource to have!
{ 1 trackback }
{ 32 comments }
I’d paint my cabinets, but I don’t think I’d stencil them — not my style either. But that first kitchen is amazing. Brought back great memories — my grandparents’ kitchen was exactly like that – even the arch over the window. It’s like someone just updated their old place.
Too much for me, but I love the painted cabinets! Maybe a tiny bit of stenciling would be cool. Thanks for the neat post
Some kitchen cabinets can be upgraded by painting! But I do not love the stenciled cabinets!
Greet
.-= Greet´s last blog ..All about Belgian Kitchen Design =-.
Well, to each his own, I suppose, but I do not think saving money on kitchen remodeling in this manner really saves as much as it seems to at first blush. Nor does it actually do the job. You can re-paint kitchen cabinets, and someone like myself (I’m a cabinetmaker) can surely do a good job at it. But, in the end, all you’ll have is old cabinets with a fresh coat of paint. And adding a stencil that will surely grow tiresome after a few years really just makes it worse, in my opinion.
Re-facing cabinets is another option, but a person I know who has done this from time to time for clients describes it as “putting new crap on the old crap.”
A woman I know first went out and got new countertops for her kitchen. Cheap stone of some sort. Cost her four thousand. Then she had her cabinets re-faced and spent another nine thousand. She now has a “re-modeled” kitchen that is not re-modeled at all, for which she has spent thirteen thousand dollars. For just a little more she could have gutted the kitchen and done the job right—up to, and including, new appliances. Instead she has spent quite a bit of money to end up with a kitchen not much better than the one she started with.
You get what you pay for. Always. I understand budgets. I have one myself. But if the tool I should have costs a thousand, and all I have is five hundred, I would rather just hang on to my five hundred until I have another five hundred, so I can get a good tool. That junk comes back to haunt you, in tool purchases and home remodelings.
You are in kitchens and bathrooms every day of your life. If you are going to go to the mess and expense of a remodeling, why not get the very best you can?
We painted our cabinets in previous house. They were the 80′s white washed wood, with white walls, white counter top and white tile back splash. Way to much white for us! It was easy and affordable to paint the cabinets a chocolate brown. It really helped us to resell the house two years later super fast in a bad market.
I would recommend it to anyone who has dated cabinets that are still functionable.
.-= Mrs. Not the Jet Set´s last blog ..An End to Summer =-.
I love the top photo of the yellow cabinets. The other two I don’t really care for. I am not much of a fan of stencils anyway and those just, I don’t know, don’t do it for me.
.-= Emily@remodelingthislife´s last blog ..A Lived-In Home is a Beautiful Home =-.
This is one of those decorating fads that I will gladly let pass me by. Not my style.
When I think stenciling I see country blue and white ducks. And I shudder….
.-= songbirdtiff´s last blog ..How to Keep Slipcovers in Place =-.
Ummm….Hell, No.
The blue one would be ok IF they had just stenciled above the sink & the drawers. Stenciling the doors was TOO much.
I wouldn’t do it because I think I’d get tired of it too quickly.
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Current giveaways =-.
Ick, I thought that type of “stencil” work went out in the 90s.
.-= Darla´s last blog ..DarlaF: And in two years? Nancy Pelosi will swear she never heard these health care reform rules and the CIA lied to her about THAT TOO{I’m grumpy!} =-.
In much more muted colors, I would love a handpainted look to my cabinets!
No; I would not.
That said, when we bought our house, we were like, “kitchen is the first to go!” But the cabinets are solid wood (custom built by the Amish in the late 1970s, we just found out) so we are loathe to replace them. They are SOLID. Once we cleaned up the kitchen, slapped on a fresh coat of paint, and added new lights and a nicer refrigerator, the cabinets started to look better. We even gave them new (cheap) drawer and door pulls that made a world of difference. If the cabinets are in really bad shape, you could always primer and paint a neutral (re: non-stencilriffic
color. So I suggest before folks go stencil crazy, work with what you have, clean her up and give her a facelift. You may be surprised at how good she looks after a nip and tuck. 
.-= Laura @ the shore house´s last blog ..The savvy shopper. =-.
Since our haobby [my husband's and mine] is the restoration of old houses, [ours have dated from 1750 to the one we are in now: 1886], we have found stencils applicable in many instances. They don’t have to be flowery or geometric, one can often add a touch of nature to a room. I find using them and working with them very rewarding. In the past I designed one of my own which was bought by a NY wallpaper company. YES! I think stencils have a definite place in home decoration. [I am also a retired Interior Designer].
I think the cost of new cabinets and such are so overpriced and frankly, unnecessary. Look at the charm and uniqueness of the kitchens shown here. The paint colors are a little too much for me – but I like that they are ONE OF KIND. Why do people all want the same damn thing? Stainless steel, granite countertops, the latest ‘style’ of cabinets . . boring and so overdone.
The nicest kitchens I’ve seen are ones that people didn’t rip out every single thing in them – they used creativity and imagination in their remodeling. One such kitchen I visited one time had the cabinets painted over in a soft, matte moss green with black hardware. She had a couple solid cupboard doors taken in to a window place and had glass inserted for a reasonable price. She also painted a large amoire that same green, reversed the hardware so the doors stay open and it is filled with her collection of brown transferware. She then installed some soft lighting from above (inside the armoire!) – just absolutely beautiful. She has an island she made out of an old walnut desk and has the neatest old, huge lamp she found at a Goodwill store that makes the room just glow. Oh – and her kitchen sink was sitting by the side of a country road with a sign, ‘free’! It’s huge and has an attached ribbed drainboard – the kind from the 40s. I’ve met a few woman like her in my time – the kind that can afford just about anything they want – but prefer to do things their way because they don’t want what everybody else has and they would rather spend their money elsewhere (this woman is a generous contributor to local animal shelters). Spending huge amounts of money doesn’t equate quality or style.
They used some beautiful stencils on My Marrakesh to do her boutique hotel and home. These aren’t my taste but I like stencils, I used them in place of wallpaper in my office and I like it quite a lot.
I agree with Karen, making something your own is much better than having a space with no personality.
I think subtle stenciling is wonderful in moderation. These are too much for me. It creates the rhythm in the room a bit too rapid for me. I have used stenciling so I am not knocking it! It can look amazing in moderation.
Paula Grace ~
.-= Paula Grace ´s last blog ..Watergate Update ~ =-.
I don’t plan on whipping out the stencils any time soon, but I do plan on keeping my kitchen cabinets. I think that paint can go a long way to making older cabinets look new. In addition, I get to save money and the environment!
.-= Kasey at Thrifty Little Blog´s last blog ..Cheapest Bathroom Reno Ever =-.
Love the stencils….so pretty! xoxo
Nooooo….too cluttered looking for my tastes. I do like the yellow cabinets though.
.-= Amanda @ Serenity Now´s last blog ..DIY: Flip Flop Basket =-.
I like them in moderation. I repainted my kitchen cabinets, but only stenciled the island, and it looks like a handpainted french country piece of furniture. (I cut bed posts apart lenth wise and attached to the sides of the island as well as the feet)
Here is link if you want to see:
http://let–it–shine.blogspot.com/2009/08/kitchen-gets-makeover.html
Worse case scenario, I get tired of them and it costs a quart of paint. Fun while it lasts.
Fun post as always.
Take care ~ Alyshia
.-= Alyshia´s last blog ..Painted Formica Counter Tops Part Deux =-.
Quite an eyeful!
Not for me, my motto is “serenity now” and if that motto falls down on the job, my second motto is “keep champagne in handbag at all times” but never “paint things on the cabinets”… that would never have occurred to me (and so many things have!).
.-= The Blushing Hostess´s last blog ..Etiquette Challenge Workshop: Teach your children well =-.
We painted our old, ugly cabinets an off white color. With the Pottery Barn satin nickel knobs and pulls, we are done. Don’t think I’ll be breaking out any stencils in the near future!
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..new blog header idea =-.
I DO NOT love the stencils. It reminders of the 80s. RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!
.-= the BLAH BLAH BLAHger´s last blog ..GIVEAWAY TIME! =-.
The stencils are not my style. But, I love seeing what colors people paint their kitchens.
.-= Candy @ SoBella Creations´s last blog ..Grand Openings & More Giveaways =-.
I think these cabinets would be a little much for me.
.-= pk @ room remix´s last blog ..Award and DIY Scavenger Hunt =-.
LOL, i used to stencil ivy on everything!!!
.-= Stephanie@Geezees´s last blog ..Destination Roll, Custom Words on Canvas – Geezees Giveaway 4 days left =-.
I love your site! I agree with you that stencils can sometimes go too far, but to each his own. It is a great way to add some architectural detail to a cabinet that doesn’t have any moulding or detail. And it’s a lot cheaper and easier than buying trim and installing it. Thanks for sharing those inpirational photos with us!
.-= Miss Mustard Seed´s last blog ..All Things Blue & White =-.
I am painting my kitchen cupboards and by sheer coincidence, the kitchen in Marley and Me is exactly what I was looking for! DOes anyone know the details of the shade – is it Dulux or Hempels and what colour is it exactly?? Thanks everybody!
.-= Nikki´s last blog ..Purple Crystal Earrings =-.
Nikki–
Sorry, but I don’t know what they used. If anyone else does, let us know! -Julia
Well,
It depends on who stencils your cabinets.The examples shown were all amateurish
and, absolutely vile! with little or no taste.
If they are painted by a talented artist the outcome would be far superior.
As they say Nigger Please!
That top picture is really old… That kitchen was featured in a magazine (I don’t remember which one) back in 2000. I know this, because I painted my old dining room those colors in 1999 and everyone thought I was crazy for having a green and yellow dining room. But then about a month or two after I did it, the magazine came out featuring that kitchen, and I showed everyone and kind of when nah-nah at them, because the colors were trendy!
Comments on this entry are closed.