01
From espresso to white
Espresso cabinets were everywhere a few years ago. With globe pendants and a quartz island, this kitchen had everything going for it except the colour, which swallowed the light. The colour on screen in my video is Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65, a clean white.
Going from almost black to white is the hardest change in cabinet painting. Every missed spot and every thin coat shows, so the prep and the primer carry the job.
02
Protecting a kitchen like this one
On day one I masked everything: every cabinet box sealed with 3M film, the sink and the brass faucet covered before any spraying. My caption that day: masking “keeps the kitchen clean, protects the inside of the cabinets, and helps create a professional factory-style finish.”
The owners did not have to empty a single cabinet. What was inside stayed inside, behind the film, until the last day.
03
The week
Here is how it went, post by post:
- August 3: walk-through before; doors off, kitchen masked, sink protected.
- August 4: sanding every door and the panels.
- August 5: first coat of primer on the doors, primer on the uppers and island, on-site.
- August 6: first coat of colour.
- August 7: “A premium finish starts with premium coatings. That’s why I use Renner Italia 2K.” First and final coats with Renner 2K.
- August 8: doors back on.
04
Same kitchen, completely new look
On August 12 I posted one more short video with the caption “Same kitchen – completely new look.” That sums it up. The room reads twice as big with the same boxes.
Drag the comparisons below to see it, and find the full timeline on the project page. If you live in or near Westmount, the Westmount page has more on my work in the area.
