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You are here: Home / Decorating / The Kitchen, Take 2 – White Trim

The Kitchen, Take 2 – White Trim

May 27, 2015 By Karen Cooper 23 Comments

The kitchen is DONE. No, really, it is done. I promise. I double pinky swear. Done. The gray trim is GONE. The kitchen, take 2 – white trim edition – is ready for her close-up!

New white kitchen paint - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

Have I mentioned how much I didn’t like the gray trim? ‘Cuz I really didn’t like the gray trim. Here’s the BEFORE pic (or at least the first “after” pic, after taking down the high upper cabinets, as explained HERE):

finished kitchen with gray trim side view - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

finished kitchen reno on budget - stove side - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

I washed that gray right outta the trim! I also painted the walls Benjamin Moore’s “Decorator’s White,” which is a bright white with gray-blue undertones. The walls were Sherwin Williams’ “Incredible White,” which looked dingy, especially next to the bright white trim.

White painted trim on window brightens kitchen - painted kitchen - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

Now the white $12 porcelain cast iron sink (from the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore) really shines against the white trim.

Coke crate spice rack - painted kitchen - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

I kept the shelves (see the post on my first kitchen redo HERE) and Coke crate spice rack (post on how to create a Coke crate spice rack HERE).

kitchen storage and open shelving - painted kitchen - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

I did move the dishes from the breakfast room back to the kitchen.

Dishes on open shelving - painted kitchen - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

As I explained in THIS POST, I hung the shelves too high the first go-round. I lowered them all around the kitchen to the standard, 18 inches above the counter, height. And, once I lowered them, the kids could reach the dishes on the bottom shelf! Win!

Farmhouse style on shelves - painted kitchen - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

I added some farmhouse-style touches, like this wire basket with vintage rolling pins, and the “Breakfast” sign (secret: I got the sign at a thrift store for 50 cents!).

cooking utensils hanging over stove - painted kitchen - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

Now the cooking utensils are hanging above the stove, rather than taking up valuable real estate on the counter. I like that better.

Coffee station - painted kitchen - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

I still have an area designated for my favorite beverage: coffee! The mugs are on the shelf right above the coffee maker, making everything within reach of the coffee pot. Perfect for when I’m not so awake (i.e., every morning!).

close up of new white painted kitchen - painted kitchen - Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

I’m just so happy that the trim now is bright and crisp-looking, and matches the trim in the rest of our home.

Yes, the cabinets are still gray, but they’re going to stay that way until we replace the cabinets completely. I just can’t invest the time and money in painting them when they aren’t in good shape to begin with.

So, just to review the big to-do list for the kitchen and laundry room, with what’s done crossed off:

  • Clear off shelves in kitchen and remove from walls. Why? Because I’m going to paint the walls and ceiling, too, while I’m at it. I decided to paint the walls Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White, which is a bright white with some gray that will complement the gray cabinet paint.
  • Take down pantry sliding door (required to paint door frame) and patch pantry door frame (from where old doors were).
  • Sand trim in kitchen and laundry room.
  • Sand chalkboard paint backsplash. I know – I like the chalkboard paint backsplash! But I’m going for a lighter look in the kitchen, so – I think – I’m going to cover the dark chalkboard paint. I have plenty of chalkboards elsewhere, honest.
    • NOTE: I haven’t decided for sure that I’m going to cover the chalkboard paint backsplash. On the one hand, I like it. On the other, it’s dark. We’ll see. (Opinions welcomed below in comments!)
  • Prime trim (this is a third of the way done) and chalkboard paint on wall.
  • Paint the kitchen ceiling. Why? Because the ceiling is darker where the upper cabinets used to be and I want it to look clean and even.
  • Paint trim – Benjamin Moore semi-gloss in white. I have already done a third of the kitchen trim and the pantry door frame.
  • Paint walls –
    • Laundry room: Violet Sparkle by Benjamin Moore
    • Kitchen: Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore.
  • Finish laundry room:
    • Install countertop above machines.
    • Install tile backsplash on back wall behind machines. – I decided not to do this, at least for now.
    • Put it all back together.
    • Sand down and repaint the doors.

BOOM! One last thing to do, and that’s sand and repaint the laundry room doors. Almost there!

I love the brighter, cleaner-looking kitchen. It’s amazing how much a dark color on the trim changes the tone of the room. Lightening it up with bright white paint was the right decision, and I love it every day. Plus, I improved some other things about the kitchen, such as storage, shelf height, and organization (more about organization later – working on a separate post on that!), that makes such a difference in using the kitchen every day.

What do you think?

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Thanks for stopping by!

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  • Update: Kitchen and Laundry Room Project
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  • The Plan for the Kitchen and Laundry Room
    The Plan for the Kitchen and Laundry Room

Filed Under: Decorating, Paint and Color, Room Reveals Tagged With: Kitchens 23 Comments

About Karen Cooper

Hi! I'm Karen. I call myself a “recovering lawyer” - I traded in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY adventures. Join me for DIY, home decorating, repurposing and upcycling, and organizing projects and tips as I transform a 1929 Tudor bungalow into our home. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home.

« The Friday Five: Five Favorite Repurposed Items in My Home
How to Prepare Walls for Painting »




Comments

  1. Chrissy Weeks says

    May 27, 2015 at 1:36 pm

    I really like the huge clock and all the shelves!!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      May 27, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      Thank you, Chrissy! The clock and shelves are from IKEA, FYI.

      Reply
  2. Cathy B. says

    May 27, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    Thumbs up!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      May 27, 2015 at 5:10 pm

      Thank you, Cathy!

      Reply
  3. Mary D says

    May 27, 2015 at 6:47 pm

    little changes make a difference….love how it looks! Congrats—back from the beach…- mañana i’ll attempt to do some of the bathroom!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      May 27, 2015 at 11:10 pm

      Thanks, Mary! Welcome back and good luck with the bathroom!

      Reply
  4. Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says

    May 27, 2015 at 7:43 pm

    Karen, I am so impressed with your crossed off “To-Do” list! The crisp, white trim looks marvelous and I’m in love with your open shelving! So glad I hopped over here to catch up with you!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      May 27, 2015 at 11:09 pm

      Thank you so much, Jane! I’m glad you stopped by! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Sirli says

    May 27, 2015 at 8:05 pm

    Wow…that kitchen just blew my mind. Stunning !!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      May 27, 2015 at 11:09 pm

      Thank you so much, Sirli!

      Reply
  6. Jaclyn says

    May 27, 2015 at 10:18 pm

    Your kitchen is beautiful!! 8)

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      May 27, 2015 at 11:08 pm

      Thank you, Jaclyn!!

      Reply
  7. Emily | Rainbow Delicious says

    May 28, 2015 at 2:14 am

    I love the brighter feel of the white trim! I am currently in a rental and the cabinets are such an ugly wood color and I’m dying to paint them white. Your kitchen looks fab!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      May 28, 2015 at 2:41 am

      Thank you, Emily! Let me know if you paint your cabinets – I’d love to see them!!

      Reply
  8. Cathy @ Our Mini Family says

    May 28, 2015 at 9:41 am

    Loving the white trim! Your kitchen is darling–wish mine looked half as cute as yours!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      May 28, 2015 at 10:01 am

      You are so sweet, Cathy! Thank you!

      Reply
  9. Kayla says

    June 4, 2015 at 10:04 am

    I LOVE that you have the utensils hanging. I totally agree that it’s much better than having them take up space on the counter. The kitchen looks fantastic!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      June 4, 2015 at 10:24 am

      Thank you, Kayla! I really like that handy bar that holds the utensil crocks!

      Reply
  10. Rianna, Bohemian Wanderlust says

    June 4, 2015 at 10:13 pm

    love it! The big clock looks great 🙂 Lovely style you have. xx

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      June 4, 2015 at 11:06 pm

      Thank you, Rianna!

      Reply
  11. Christine says

    June 4, 2015 at 10:52 pm

    I like the open shelving! I’ve always wanted some in my kitchen but nervous thinking it would look messy. But yours looks cozy! I like it! Well done!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      June 4, 2015 at 11:05 pm

      Thank you! I just keep stuff on the shelves I use often, so that it doesn’t sit around getting dusty or messy. Thanks!!

      Reply

Trackbacks

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    […] Final Kitchen Reveal  |  Dogs Don’t Eat Pizza […]

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Hi! I’m Karen. I call myself a “recovering lawyer,” because I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. This blog is all about DIY, home decorating, repurposing and upcycling, and organization. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home.




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A "recovering lawyer," I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home. Read More…

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