Remember when the kitchen looked like this back when we first laid eyes on our house?
Well, now it looks like this…
It’s amazing how different certain angles can feel in person.
Walking into the room now, it’s like someone added five extra lights—it’s so much brighter.
We dove into priming and painting the baseboards, crown molding, and window trim (52 panes—yes, fifty-two) and then decided to go all the way: we painted the paneling and the doors to the pantry and garage while we were at it. We don’t dislike dark wood, but for this house we prefer the painted look. A few classic spaces we admired pushed us in that direction.
The process wasn’t quick or easy, but it was absolutely worth it. The room feels lighter and less heavy, and we actually find ourselves looking out the windows now. Dark trim used to stop your eye; with white trim, the view outside becomes emphasized and more like a framed focal point.
One of my favorite new perspectives is from the front door. Here’s a shot we took during inspection—mind the chaos; a crew was moving out some old furniture at the time.
And here’s a shot we took yesterday afternoon. Ignore the beige for now—we plan to add some airy color on the walls to break things up. The lower cabinets will be painted a darker tone for contrast, and eventually we’d like big dark tiles on the floor to help ground the space. White paneling, softly colored walls, dark floors, and a rustic wood table should give a nice, balanced mix.
Overall, we applied two coats of primer followed by two coats of paint by hand. We chose to reserve our sprayer for removable pieces we could take outside—like cabinet doors and drawers—because we’ve used it inside before and noticed overspray. For this kitchen, which connects to several rooms, taping and sealing off everything to spray didn’t seem worth the time or risk of getting paint on adjacent floors.
Over the course of five days we chipped away at the job (our dog Burger declined to help). We found a stain-blocking, no-VOC primer that actually worked well, so both of us could safely participate. The primer we used stopped wood bleed without the fumes, and for paint we stuck with Simply White in semi-gloss for trim and doors, consistent with other projects in the house.
Two coats of primer plus two coats of paint took about 12 hours. The first coat is always the slowest since it takes longer to reach every nook and cranny; subsequent coats went faster. I’d estimate roughly four hours for the first coat, three for the second, and about two to three hours for the final two coats combined.
For tools and technique we used a 2″ angled brush for trim and window frames and a combination of brush and roller for paneling. The brush gets into crevices while the roller smooths the flat faces of the boards. If your trim or paneling is glossy or lacquered, sand it or use a liquid deglosser before priming. In our case the wood was dry and chalky, so primer and paint adhered nicely without that extra step.
Now I feel like I’m walking into a whole new world every time I open the kitchen door.
This corner shows a huge difference. The door straight ahead leads to the garage and the one on the left is the pantry. One day we’d love a paneled garage door to match the rest of the house, but because it must meet fire-safety and size requirements, it may be a custom order or a lucky find at a salvage store. For now, white paint is a welcome upgrade.
We didn’t need to repaint one pantry door because we already had a white door stored upstairs from a previous project. As for the garage door, removing it to spray outside would have left the house drafty and insecure, so we painted it in place. We also plan to replace the old brass hinges soon.
A quick tip: when you paint over dark wood, cracks and gaps that were previously hidden often become visible. After applying primer, inspect for these lines and fill them with paintable caulk before your final coat. We like paintable window and door caulk in white—fill, smooth, and allow it to cure, then finish with your final paint coat for a seamless look.
Here’s the current to-do list for this kitchen:
Remove wallpaperMove fridge cabinet forwardRemove upper cabinets on window wall to prep for open shelvesReinstall crown moldingPrime and paint the pantry and garage doorsPrime and paint trim, crown molding, and baseboardsPrime and 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 (we’ve settled on a soft hue)
- Hang floating shelves on the window wall
- Decide whether to replace the microwave with a countertop model and add a simple range hood
- Paint the cabinets (we have color options in mind)
- Update cabinet hinges and knobs
- Choose a rug for the eat-in area or install peel-and-stick tiles
- Install curtains for the windows
For background on why we’re tackling these steps now—like why we’re painting cabinets and not painting the linoleum—there’s more context in our Phase 1 plan.
There are still many items to cross off, but we’re thrilled with how much progress this room has already made. What did you work on this weekend?