How to add Panels to Cabinets & Islands

Recently my sister in law emailed me this picture of a kitchen in a home they are purchasing. 

She asked for some quick tips and tricks to update it?

I told her to first, add handles to the cabinet doors. You’d be shocked at how handles adds so much visually to cabinets!

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Next, I told her to add faux panels to the island like this. See how the island was just so flat before? We “drew” in the panels here so you could see how it may look.

I suggested she add the faux panels and then paint the island in my Distressed Black paint finish. Don’t know how to do that? Join my painting group HERE to learn. 

The black island will tie in the appliances nicely and also with the new black cabinet handles.

You can sometimes find these panel kits at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Or, find them online here and here. 

And a ton of my painting clients have added them to the flat areas of their kitchen BEFORE we paint their cabinets.

Because here is the kicker… when you add the panels with caulk or small nails or glue, like my sister-in-law Jodi above,…. and then paint…. you can’t even tell that the panels weren’t there on the cabinets all along.

And it’s soooooooooooooo much more interesting to look at the faux panels instead of just vast spances  (total made up word) of flatness on your cabinets. 

Then if they are glazed over…. they look even better. See Jodi’s kitchen above!

Huge difference, isn’t it???

Add panels before you paint, you’ll be glad you did!

XOXO

Jen

For more easy home update ideas — check out my FREE video here – 10 things to Update before dinner!

And please share my Cabinet Panel pins and follow me on Pinterest! I have pinned some GORGEOUS KITCHENS here.