Remember how the kitchen looked the first time we walked through the house?
Now it looks completely different.
Seeing some angles in person makes a huge difference. The room feels so much brighter—like someone added five extra lights overnight. We dove into priming and painting the baseboards, crown molding, and window trim (yes, all 52 panes), and while we were at it we painted the paneling and the doors to the pantry and garage. We don’t dislike dark paneling, but for this house a painted finish felt right, inspired by several classic spaces we admired.
It wasn’t the easiest project, but it was absolutely worth it. The kitchen now feels lighter and less heavy, and we actually find ourselves looking out the windows more. Dark trim used to stop your eye; now the white trim directs attention outward, making the view beyond the windows the focal point.
One of my favorite viewpoints is from the front door. The difference between the inspection-day chaos and how the space looks now is dramatic. We’re still planning to add soft color to the walls to break up the white, and the lower cabinets will be painted a dark tone to create contrast. Eventually we’d like dark, heated tiles on the floor to ground the space—white paneling, softly colored walls, dark floors, and a rustic wood table feels like a balanced mix.
For the trim and paneling we applied two coats of primer followed by two coats of paint, all by hand. We considered using a sprayer but reserved it for pieces we could remove and spray outdoors, such as cabinet doors and drawers. From past experience, that kind of sprayer can cause noticeable overspray indoors. Some people tape off entire rooms and spray every inch of woodwork, but our kitchen connects to several other rooms and taping everything would have taken a long time without much advantage.
John and I chipped away at the work over five days. We found a stain-blocking, no-VOC primer that performed well—important because some primers let wood tannins bleed through, but this one stopped stains effectively. For the paint we used a familiar white in semi-gloss for trim and doors, the same choice we’ve used in other rooms. If you’re looking for alternatives, there are many popular white paint options to consider.
The process took about 12 hours total for two coats of primer and two coats of paint. The first coat always takes the longest since it requires working into all the nooks and crevices; subsequent coats tend to go faster. We used a 2″ angled brush to handle trim and window frames, and a combination of brush and roller on the paneling—brush work to get into grooves and a roller to smooth the flat surfaces. If your trim or paneling is shiny or lacquered, sand or use a liquid deglosser before priming; our wood was dry and chalky, so we went straight to primer and paint and it adhered well.
One thing to watch for: after priming and painting, cracks and seams in the wood that were previously hidden by dark tones often become visible. Check for those after a coat or two of primer and fill them with paintable caulk before your final coat for a seamless finish. We used a white paintable window and door caulk that worked nicely.
The garage door and the pantry door look much better painted white. We decided not to remove the garage door to spray it outdoors because that would leave an exterior door off its hinges for several days. The pantry door had already been painted earlier and repurposed, so it didn’t need repainting this time. We still plan to replace the brass hinges for a cleaner look.
Here’s our current to-do list for the kitchen, with the items we’ve completed crossed off:
Remove wallpaperMove fridge cabinet forwardRemove upper cabinets on window wall to prep for open shelvesReinstall crown moldingPrime & paint the pantry and the garage doorPrime & paint the trim, crown molding, & baseboardsPrime & paint the paneling- Patch and paint the ceiling
- Replace the fluorescent light in the cooking area and the pendant over the sink
- Replace and center the light over the dining table
- Paint the walls
- Hang floating shelves on the window wall
- Consider replacing the countertop microwave and adding a simple range hood to brighten that wall
- Paint the cabinets
- Update cabinet hinges and knobs
- Get a rug for the eat-in area or install peel-and-stick tiles
- Install curtains for the windows
There’s still plenty to do, but we’re thrilled with how far the room has come already. It feels refreshed, brighter, and much more inviting. What did you tackle this weekend?