Techniques of white washing kitchen cabinets and doors using contrasting colored paint.
If you want to modernize your kitchen cabinets but cannot afford to replace them, try "whitewashing" them.
Whitewashing is an inexpensive technique that will give your cabinets either a Southwestern or country look, depending on the colors you choose.
All you will need for this process is white paint (enamel looks very nice on cabinets), the complementary color paint (we'll use blue here), two paint brushes, denatured alcohol and lots and lots of rags. Also, a "test" piece of wood for practicing the technique is helpful before actually whitewashing your cabinets.
Start by cleaning and degreasing your cabinets. Since you will have to remove the doors of the cabinets to paint, it's easier to remove them before cleaning. You can take the doors outside to clean and paint and they will dry much faster. To be sure that the cabinets are completely spotless and grease-free use a solution of water and TSP, which can be purchased at your local hardware store.
Once your cabinets are clean and dry, begin by applying a white coat of paint. Start with the base of the cabinets and work your way to the doors. This way, once you are ready to re-hang the doors, you can be sure the bases will be totally dry. Be sure to let the cabinets dry completely. Depending on the climate, paint will take longer to dry in humid conditions, so take that into consideration when doing this project. A rule of thumb would be to wait at least 24 hours before going to the next step.
Once all the bases are covered with one coat of white paint and totally dry, apply a coat of blue (complementary color of your choice) paint directly over the initial white coat. Again, wait until this coat is completely dry before proceeding to step three, which is to apply another coat of white paint over the blue. After 24 hours' of drying time for this third coat of paint, it's time to "whitewash."
First using your practice piece of wood, dip a rag into the denatured alcohol and rub against the wood as lightly or as heavily as you desire, depending on the consistency you are looking for. If you want just a little of the blue to show through, lightly rub, for a bolder look, rub heavily.
Now you are ready to revitalize your cabinets. Be sure to change rags once they become "tacky." If you find you've rubbed too much color off, you can always repaint, but remember you have to again wait until the area is completely dry.
After you have completed whitewashing the doors, reattach to the base cabinets. Add coordinating handles and for under $100 and a few days' work, you'll have an updated, modern kitchen.
