Kitchen Cabinet Hardware
Cabinet facelifts: we took the same kitchen cabinets and gave them three distinct looks using paint and a wardrobe of fashionable accessories. Let these designs—and the new door options on page 36—inspire a fresh face for your kitchen - style in the making - Brief ArticleCatherine Kramer
essential elements
To create a streamlined environment in your kitchen, remove a few doors and eliminate the fussy window cornice from builder's-grade cupboards (left). Erase dull wood with an energizing coat of white paint. Then arrange dishware in the wall cabinet and gain display space by adding a shelf above the window. Conceal under-sink clutter with a white cotton panel hung from clip-on tings and steel cable. Wrap it all up with a little sparkle: sleek brushed-chrome hardware, an arched chrome faucet, a metallic-finish blind, and shiny tiles sprinkled across a white backsplash.
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rustic charm
Two hues are better than one for infusing average cupboards with loved-through-the-years character. After removing the doors and drawers, lightly sand them and apply primer. Substitute substantial wooden knobs for metal hardware. Finish with a rousing combination of rich red for the base cabinetry and deep taupe for upper doors and the cornice. To instantly age the new finish, lightly dry-brush taupe over the red. Complete the transformation with a single row of cream and taupe tiles for the backsplash, a woven window shade accented with red cotton banding, and walls dressed in timeless toile wallpaper.
classic beauty
Clever additions give these cupboards the look of elegant freestanding furniture. To create the hutch, three elements found at home centers bridge the gap between upper and lower cabinets: a beadboard backsplash, an arched fascia (installed below the upper cabinets), and curved side brackets. For the upper doors, glass replaces wood panels; wood mullions (also purchased from a home center) were cut to fit atop the glass and glued to the door frame. Bun feet, tucked into the toe-kick gap, complete the illusion. White paint refreshes the cabinet exteriors, while the red painted interior in the upper cabinet provides a dramatic backdrop for dishware.
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choice doors
Spare the cost of new cabinets--and dramatically change your kitchen's style--with new cupboard doors. If you have standard-size cabinets, which most builder's-grade or stock cabinets are, measure the old doors and drawer fronts, and take the dimensions to a home center to view an array of replacement styles. Complete your cabinet makeover by covering exposed sides and face frames with matching adhesive-backed veneers.
Sleek
For those with a yearning for a clean, adaptable look, this model features wire mesh behind glass. It complements popular stainless steel appliances and fixtures.
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Charming
Create a cottage look with this beadboard design. Suitable for any kitchen where your goal is nostalgia, this unfussy style adds dimension and interest to neutral white cabinetry.
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Fresh
To bring the refreshing feel of the outdoors inside, cultivate a gardenlike setting with this breezy door style. It features a green lattice panel within a natural-finish frame.
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Subtle
This versatile style features a richly stained frame with a wicker inset. It is suitable whether you collect exotic Asian imports or handwoven American baskets.
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COPYRIGHT 2002 Meredith Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group