Kitchen Cabinet Transformation

My first project were these terrible light oak kitchen cabinets (they were worst in person!). There was white paint left in the garage so white it was. First step: I took all the doors and drawers off and took all the hardware off. Second step: sanded the cabinets down with my small orbital sander. I didn't take it all the way down to the wood but just enough to break down the shiny coat (this was a mistake! I should have spent more time sanding and making sure I got in every nook and cranny!). Next I took a piece of sand paper and and sanded down the frames that were still attached in the kitchen. The dust was EVERYWHERE. It was so impossible to clean it all up. I wiped and vacuumed for days! After the sanding mess was cleaned up it was time to paint!!!

I got a Kilz 2 primer and painted that on doors (both sides), drawers, and frames. I also Painted the inside shelves of our cabinets because I think it will help lighten it up in there when I am hunting dishes.

 When this dried I cam back with the white paint left in our garage it was ACE Brand trim paint in semi-gloss. I did two more coats once this dries. Oh! I used a sponge roller so there wouldn't be any brush marks. They make sponge rollers in small (4 inch to 6 inch) sizes just for cabinets and trim, they worked great! I also got a few sponge brushes for all the insets that the rollers would not get in. Here are some before, during, and after. All the sanding and painting took me about two weeks, there were days I did nothing because I was sooo sick of painting and of course each coat takes some drying time.

 I got plain brushed nickel pulls and hinges from Lowe's. I thought about spray painting the old ones but decided it just wasn't worth the money savings. Some nights I lay in bed wishing I had used rubbed bronze pulls but it is done now!

I will be painting the walls but have not chosen a color yet. I am leaning toward greens. But for now I am taking a break from painting!