The Bungalow Kitchen: Progess

Hi Everyone!

Oh hey there Thursday, I heart you. You mean we are really, really close to the weekend…which is always a good thing.  Today im here to share a bit  more kitchen progress with you.  Nothing major, but our lower cabinets finally have door fronts and I even managed to get them painted.

I went with my go to paint for cabinets again here: Benjamin Moore Aura.  I chose the color “Black” in semi gloss finish. I’ve learned that black has a tendency to turn ashy when scratched or marked, and I needed a finish that I could wipe the crap out of without the fear of compromising the color. With two kids, a dog, a small space, and the fact that I cook at least 5 out of the 7 days of the week, these cabinets will see plenty of wear. Honestly I love the look of high gloss cabinetry and would’ve chosen that, but Aura doesn’t come in high gloss. If you like Benjamin Moore products, and would want a high gloss finish,  you could go with Advance, which is another really really great option for cabinetry.  I used it in our last kitchen revamp.

I gave the door fronts a coat of my got to primer (Zinsser BIN 1-2-3), then moved on to paint

 

I stepped out of my comfort zone on this part of the project and decided to try out spraying the doors rather than brushing them.  Ive had the HomeRight Finish Max sprayer since before we decided to downsize and have been waiting for a project to test it out on.

It was really easy to use…..more than I anticipated actually.  I practiced on scrap wood to get comfortable with the machine and spray patterns before moving on to the cabinets. The whole process took me all of 20 minutes per coat to paint them all

 

The Finishmax calls for your paint to be thinned to a certain consistency in order to get the best results.  Aura paint CAN NOT be thinned. I read the manufacturers recommendations and called my local retailer to verify this before making the decision to move forward using it without thinning.  The paint is of great quality and sprayed just fine without issue.

So what are my overall thoughts…the FinishMax is awesome. Seriously.  It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and totally changes the game for me in terms of painting projects. Now, with that being said, If I could go back and do it over again would I still use it: No, not for this project. But, Shavonda you just said it was awesome and you loved it. Yes, I did, and I do….but I don’t like a factory finished look on my kitchen cabinets.

Yes, I realize that sounds weird and bonkers. But, its true and its my preference. I loooooved the look of my hand painted cabinetry in our old house.  I love the control of using a brush. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to certain things, and this is one of them. I love the feel of what a great brush and quality paint looks like on cabinetry.  I love the imperfection of the process and, the handcrafted look of the end result.  Now this doesn’t mean I don’t love the sight of a brand new kitchen. Who doesn’t love that!  I think in this case because we didn’t choose to completely gut and start over, Im not going for a brand new kitchen look.

Plus, I really suck at spraying!  I managed to get through the cabinet doors just fine, but there are a few small areas that are driving me a little mad.

I would definitely use the Finish Max on other projects like smaller furniture pieces, chairs, etc.

Up next we have to get the toe kick installed, and decide on hardware.  I know for sure its gonna be copper. Just not sure of the exact style yet. Oh and we were able to find a slab of butcher block for the corner cabinet. One of our neighbors is a master woodworker and has had a slab of maple block in his shop for years just waiting for a purpose. They had us over for dinner recently and learned of our need for one.  Without hesitation he said if it fits, its ours.  It just so happened to be the perfect size. He’s getting it prepped now and we should have it soon.  Although the Ikea block is beech, the color is really similar and honestly I don’t care about the difference. This making of home in our little bungalow is a creation of intention and love, and there’s nothing more endearing than the love and generosity of neighbor. Cant wait to get it in place.

Until next time friends…

Xo-Shavonda

*I was provided the Finish Max sprayer eons ago. The procrastination in using it along with all opinions about it are 100% mine! You should seriously get one because it really is awesome.

Posted By: Shavonda Gardner · In: thecottagebungalow