Do you have “old” cabinets you’d like to refresh? Everyone still wants to make changes in their homes but in this economy who can afford to rip out and put in new? It isn’t hard to change up your old dark cabinets at all. A little paint…some new hardware and ShaZAM! Gorgeous new cabinets! Well…new looking, right?
Here’s an email from a newsletter subscriber:
Hi Tawn,
I have dark wood cabinets in my bathroom. I would like to lighten them up or even paint them white. Would it be too much work to paint them white since they are so dark? Or do you have a different idea to lighten them up & bring them up to present time?
Thanks for your help! Nella
I completely understand about wanting to update dark cabinets. I’ve had my share of “cave” bathrooms because the cabinets were soooo dark!! 
It doesn’t really matter how many cabinets you have to paint they’ll all need to be “processed”. It isn’t hard…its the standard “prep work” that makes your project turn out FABULOUS!
Here are the steps you will need to follow:
1. Remove all the hardware from cabinet doors – yes, the hinges, too!
2. Clean the cabinets and doors thoroughly with soap and water or a non-abrasive cleaner. Make sure whatever you use to clean the cabinets with does not leave behind any sort of oily residue. Scrub them good, rinse them twice and then let them dry.
3. Now you need to lightly sand the doors and the cabinet with a fine grit sanding pad or with some steel wool. If your cabinets have a clear coat of varnish or polyurethane on them, you’ll have to sand them a bit more in order to get the surface ready for your paint. 
4. Time to wipe them clean again. Take a damp cloth and wipe the cabinets and doors clean of any dust from the sanding. Let ‘em dry again.
5. Time to PRIME! Use a good quality primer/sealer like Kilz, Bin or Zinsser. Let your primer dry for at least an hour before the next step.
6. Paint away with whatever color you choose. Its best to use a semi-gloss paint finish for the cabinets. It has a slight shine, will look gorgeous, AND it makes it easy to clean finger prints and “stuff” off the surface if it gets on there. Whatever you do – DON’T USE FLAT PAINT!
7 You may want to seal it with a clear coat, but if you use a semi-gloss it may not be necessary. If you want this extra layer of protection you’ll want to lightly sand the surface of your fresh paint (after it’s dried for a day), wipe it clean and then brush on a coat of MinWax Polycrylic. Or whatever product you prefer. I just like Polycrylic! It comes in different sheens so you can pick the one you want.
8. Now it’s time for some new hardware! Or you can just put back the ones you removed. Depending on the look you want and the hardware you have in your bathroom there are LOTS of options for you to update your look now. Want hammered metal? Shiney chrome? What about a brushed nickel? Or even glass? My son likes the oil rubbed bronze ones. The options are limitless. You can find new knobs and hinges at a hardware store or even at Target, Wal-Mart or Sears!
Have fun with your project. It’s easy to update your look any time you want and as often as you want. It just takes a little scrubbing and some paint!
Now get out there and splash some paint around!
P.S. Found this cool book on painting furniture I thought you might like to look at, too!
This book is more for the home decorating or home improvement person rather than a crafter. It takes the approach of creating cool decorative furniture for your home rather than creating art work on a piece of furniture. It doesn’t require any artistic skill or weird materials or tools. AND it has COMPLETE step-by-step PHOTOGRAPHY for all 50 painting techniques, surface embellishments and faux finishes for your furniture!
Another good option? Debra’s FABULOUS Wood Graining Video! 
Get rid of those dark cabinets and turn ‘em in to golden oak or maybe you want a rich mahogany! You can do it with Debra’s Beginner Guides To Professional Finishes – Faux Wood Grain. Eassssyyyy Breezzzyy!!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
hi there, I’m trying to paint a cabint that my father made for me for the covered porch. It has a granite top with browns and little black in it. I have already primed and painted a dark chocholate color on the cabinet. My question is this- what do i need to put on top of my base coat so when i put my next color on to do the worn look with the sandpaper it won’t rub down to my primer? And what do i need to use to protect my paint job?
Hi Andrea -
You know what would be helpful for you? Reading this article:
http://www.thatpainterlady.com/distressing-furniture-ideas/
and maybe reading this one:
http://www.thatpainterlady.com/creating-a-distressed-look-on-kitchen-island/
and maybe even this one:
http://www.thatpainterlady.com/how-to-create-hand-rubbed-paint-finish/
What it all boils down to is this:
Use wax or Vaseline on the areas you plan on sanding
Paint your top coat on
GENTLY sand the areas where you put the wax or Vaseline so it removes the top layer but doesn’t go deeper
Let the paint cure
Wash it gently to get off any remaining debris from the sanding
Seal the deal with Polycrylic by MinWax. It comes in different sheens so pick the one you want. For a dull flat finish choose Matte, or for a shiny finish pick Gloss.