Sleek Dark Chocolate Painted Cabinets!
I am really excited to share this kitchen with you! I get a lot of requests for kitchens of a different color… (meaning not white) And I love the transformation of this kitchen from light maple to dark chocolate !
-Cassity
Submitted By Decorating Cents
Hi my name is Andrea. I am a wife and a mom on a mission to create a beautiful home for my family. We recently moved into a bigger house with more space. We are loving all the space but it will be challenging decorating it and keeping within our budget. We are doing as much DIY as possible to make this house our home.
3 Favorite Posts (click on the picture to see the link!)
Dark Chocolate Painted Cabinets
First remove all the doors and drawers from the frame. I laid the doors out in the garage and kept the drawers inside. The kit comes with a deglosser that takes the finish off the fronts. You want to take as much shine off as possible for the base coat to adhere well. The kit comes with scrub pads but I bought more since we used the previous ones in the bathroom.
During this step I also filled all the nail holes with nail filler since I was changing the hardware.
The next step is the base coat. I wanted the backs of the doors painted as well so I started with the back. Apply first coat and allow to dry a couple hours before applying the second coat. After the backs are dry, flip and repeat first and second coats on the fronts.
I removed the drawers and sat them on the counter. I just allowed the face to hand over the counter so I could apply to all sides. Since I still had to feed the family during the week, I placed the drawers back in the frame and just left them pulled them out slightly they could dry. You can see where I did this on the drawers along the window side.
The next step is the optional glaze. The glaze makes the paint a little darker and allows you to add a wood tone to the finish instead of just the brown paint.
Here’s the brown paint dry.
Using the supplied cloths, wipe away as much glaze as you like to create the look you want. I wanted the cabinets darker so I left more glaze on and the wood tone looks deeper. Allow the glaze to dry 12 hours before applying the final clear coat.
Thank you so much for your great, detailed, and informational how-you-did it! I probably read your review 10 times before doing my own project! I just started it this weekend and mentioned your blog as a great reference. Feel free to check it out: https://bit.ly/1pyqcA2!
Thanks, Katie! (Sorry we are slow to reply!)
Hi. Your cabinets turned out beautifully! I love the hardware you chose as well. Did it take you more than one kit to complete your whole kitchen?
Hi Yolanda! This was a guest post so if you’ll head over to the guest’s blog (linked at the top of the post) then she can answer your questions! Thanks!
Hi, I think your cabinet’s turn out beautiful. I am wanting to paint my kitchen cabinets too, but they are laminated. Would I have to sand them down, or just apply the paint in the kit you suggested?
Hi Rosie! This is a guest post, so you can click over to her blog (linked up toward the top) with questions, but the Rustoleum kit should work on any kind of cabinets, or at least that’s what I’ve heard! Good luck!
is this kit oil based, gloss, or satin? I was looking to buy the kit and there are so many options I was not sure what to buy. Can you help please?
Kim – the Rustoleum kits like this say they are water-based and satin. The biggest difference will be in the color you choose, and I believe there is a glaze that is also optional (as I have read some experiences where they chose not to use it). Hopefully this helps!
I have these same “before” cabinets in my home, which i hate, and want to go darker. I saw this kit in Home Depot but i am scared to try it! Do the cabinets have a painted look or a stained look? I guess i am wondering if you can still see the wood grain?
Thanks!
Hi Melissa! This post is from one of our fabulous guests, so you’ll need to click over to the original author’s site (linked at the top of the post) and ask there, since this isn’t my kitchen so I can’t answer your question 🙂 Thanks!
Very classy…I love it!
Thanks, Suzanne!
Really enjoyed reading this kitchen before & after. It looks great! I used and was pleased with Rustoleum Cabinet Transformation, as well, only in Cabernet. Really love the deep brown color of your cabinets.
Thanks for sharing Andrea and Cassity.
Thanks, Calista!
Very nice updating! Not my color palette but beautifully done. Congratulations!
This stuff is so great! I used it for my kitchen as well. It was done in a weekend with the plus of not loosing my space either.
Thanks for the comment, Andrea! We love to hear stories like that.
can you please tell me what color you used??
I have builder grade cabinets they are the ashy cream color ones, I have black granite tops and lite honey color hard word floors! What color would you think would look good If I decide to paint them?!
Thank so much for your time????
Hi Kandy! If you’ll message us with your question and a photo or two over on Facebook, we will post for our readers to give you some input. https://www.facebook.com/remodelaholic
What a beautiful job; the kitchen is beautiful!
I’m a couple years late. lol. I love the transformation, so clean and uncluttered.
Absolutely lovely. I love the transformation. Before was kind of insipid with not much character and now it’s definitely someplace I’d like to come home to. That darker colour aldd so much more mystery and warmth and, well it’s just fab, I love it..
Looks great! How many kits of the rustoleum did the whole kitchen require? And was there any left over? (Our kitchen is a bit bigger so I would want to make sure I got enough!)
Have you had any issues with chipping?
Did you use a paint roller, brush or spray the paint? Your cabinets look awesome!
I did the same thing/same color three years ago, and it was beautiful–“was” being the operative word.After the second year,the paint started wearing away and chipping I am now in the process of sanding them all down and painting them white. How have yours held up?
Great job! Can you tell me what color you painted the walls?
How these cabnits are holding up?
I am about to paint some very ugly dark wood vanities in both bathrooms of a rental house. Everyone thinks I should paint. I am torn between colors. The walls already got painted, sore of beige and I put in dark ceramic tile with a darker beige glossy woodwork. I know white will not work. If I use brown, what color of brown? I am so scared of what to do. Please help asap. Got to get this house rented. Needs to be able to take wear and tear from renters.
Hi Peggy,
We’d love to help. Send us a picture or two and we’ll pass your question along to our amazing readers for some ideas! You can message us over on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/remodelaholic) or email at hello@remodelaholic.com.