Cabinet Paint Colors That Are Anything but Neutral

@Ceri Hart

I used spray paint on my metal cabinets (see comment above) - and learned it takes a lot of patience and time to get a really nice finish. To achieve the almost-automotive-grade finish I let each coat dry for several days, and then wet-sanded between every coat of paint, including primer, using increasingly fine grades of wet sandpaper (purchased at auto supply store not hardware store). Finally I hand-rubbed the final coat with rubbing compound. Also, you'd need a space with excellent ventilation and very clean: dust + spray paint = :-( and need to really heed temperature and humidity conditions.

I think you could achieve a decent finish with paint & rollers if you were willing to do thin coats with sanding and wiping between coats. A paint that takes thinning well would probably be your friend for this kind of job. Thin coats, wet sand between, and you would probably get a nice finish.

Good luck!

All of you who shared pix of painted cabinets in bright colors have my admiration for having the guts to do so. They ALL turned out stunning!!!! Great job every one of you!!!!

Another vote for doing what you like... but that can be white. Personally, I don't like the all white kitchens, I find most very sterile. But I've had white cabinets all my life and still prefer them in my own space. Then my walls are usually yellow or a Mid-C robin's egg kind of blue. In fact it kind of irritated me when white cabinets became the fad...who wants to seem to just follow a fad?? I keep hoping the fad will end so that I can go back to being a white cabinet rebel:) Got to say, tho, I really liked the red and orange cabinets shown in the article and posted by HOUZZers. Also found the eggplant kitchen elegant...but you know that it really is another variation on the faddish all grey kitchen (proving those CAN actually be very warm and inviting). A round of cheers to Ceri buying and then beautifully (and suitably) restoring salvaged retro cabinets! Cheers also to the former owner who took the care to remove them for reuse by another, rather than destroy them.