#8 Great Kitchen Cabinet Color Palettes

Make your kitchen uniquely yours with painted cabinetry. Here's how (and what) to paint them

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How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

1. Prep. Remove cabinet doors and drawers and give everything a good cleaning with TSP (TriSodium Phosphate), or a TSP alternative, to remove any grease or dirt.

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4. Prime. You are now ready to apply primer. If you are going to be painting your cabinets a deep, intense shade, ask your paint retailer to add pigment to the primer to get better color coverage with the final coat.

5. Sand, prime and sand again. If you want a super-smooth finish on your cabinets, or to ensure a long-lasting, durable finish, you may want to sand and prime and then sand one last time, using fine-grit sandpaper.

6. Clean. Make sure all surfaces to be painted are completely free of dust and grit.

7. Spray or brush on the paint. If you don't own a paint sprayer, you can rent one from a home improvement or hardware store.

Be aware that spraying can be a messy business, and you'll need to mask and cover anything in the room and adjacent areas that you don't want covered with paint. Install plastic sheeting to close off other rooms in the house. Or simply paint using the highest-quality paintbrush you can afford. Use an angled brush for areas of detail, such as any raised or recessed panels on your fronts.

Note: You will want to apply at least two coats of paint. Semigloss is the best finish to use for cabinets because of its durability and ease of cleaning.

8. Install. Make sure the paint has dried and cured fully before attaching the fronts; otherwise they might stick to the boxes and cause the paint to chip off. (Installing plastic bumpers to the inside of your fronts can help prevent this). Check with your retailer or consult the paint can for estimates on drying and curing times.

Now for the fun part. Install the finished cabinet fronts and door hardware and admire your work.

Now for some inspirational kitchens, along with examples of paint and material palettes: