A beach condo kitchen got a light, layered update when the owner painted oak cabinets white, then applied a wiped-on aqua glaze to door and drawer fronts. She kept counters and appliances, distressed edges slightly, and finished with wax for a durable, textured look.
Two-step finish: custom chalk paint white base, then a tinted clear glaze wiped back to leave color in recessed details.
Keep what works: existing cream counters and white appliances stayed, so the cabinetry color became the primary visual change.
Simple hardware update: added wooden knobs and spray-painted existing pulls to match the aqua finish.
A beach condo kitchen dominated by medium-brown, raised-panel oak cabinets was transformed without replacing cabinetry or appliances. The owner wanted a lighter look but decided that plain white felt flat after two coats. She created a layered finish: a homemade chalk-paint white base followed by an aqua-tinted glaze wiped back to highlight raised details.
The counters are cream laminate and the white appliances were still functional. Because those surfaces remained unchanged, the cabinet color dictated the room's overall shift. Keeping doors attached during painting sped the process and avoided repeated rehanging.
Design decisions that controlled the result
Photos show aqua concentrated in recessed lines and as a thin wash over parts of white surfaces. The distressed edges reveal small amounts of original brown, which adds subtle warmth and depth. Hardware painted to match ties the look together and emphasizes the updated color without introducing new finishes.
This is a practical, low- to mid-effort cabinet refresh that changes the kitchen's character without removing cabinets or replacing counters and appliances. The approach balances a bright white base with a restrained, detail-focused aqua glaze to keep color controlled and architectural detail visible.
Oak cabinets covered both sides of this kitchen, wrapping around the range, sink, refrigerator, and window. Raised-panel doors and visible wood grain carried the same honey-brown finish from the base cabinets to the uppers. Instagram creator @pezzottipainting changed the cabinets with two colors instead of replacing th
Oak covered almost every major storage surface in this kitchen. Raised-panel doors ran around the sink, refrigerator, double ovens, island, and a separate floor-to-ceiling cabinet wall, while matching crown molding carried the wood finish above them. Instagram creator @pezzottipainting kept the cabinetry and spray pain
Warm oak covered almost every cabinet in this kitchen, from the long run beneath the windows to the tall appliance units and island. Instead of removing cabinetry that already fit the room, the existing doors, drawer fronts, frames, end panels, wine storage, and decorative details were kept for a color change. Instagra
Oak cabinetry filled this kitchen from the cooktop wall to the sink, peninsula, and wall ovens. Raised-panel doors and visible wood grain put the same medium-brown finish across much of the room, while white counters and backsplash tile separated the upper and lower cabinets. Benjamin Moore Sherwood Green replaced the
This Kirkland, Washington, family of four loves to cook and entertain, but their classic 1970s split-level home wasn’t making it easy. The kitchen’s dark, basic cabinetry; small, crowded island; and adjacent laundry room left little space for cooking, gathering or connecting with the backyard. ...
This Kirkland, Washington, family of four loves to cook and entertain, but their classic 1970s split-level home wasn’t making it easy. The kitchen’s dark, basic cabinetry; small, crowded island; and adjacent laundry room left little space for cooking, gathering or connecting with the backyard. ...
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