Creative Cabinet Refinishing Ideas for Your Kitchen

Refinishing is often thought of as simply painting the cabinets white. It can be much more than that. Because it keeps your existing doors, drawer fronts and boxes, refinishing leaves room in the plan for creative touches: a contrasting island, a new sheen, smarter storage or a few carpentry changes.

Here are cabinet refinishing ideas to consider when you want a kitchen that feels new and still feels like yours.

Use colour in more than one way

Give the island its own colour

An island is a natural place to try a second colour. A deep navy, green or charcoal island in a light kitchen adds a focal point without making the whole room dark. If you are unsure about a strong colour, the island is a lower-risk place to use it.

Split uppers and lowers

Lighter upper cabinets with darker lowers keep the top half of the room bright while grounding it at the bottom. Darker lowers also tend to hide everyday scuffs from feet, pets and kids better than light ones.

Match cabinets to the walls

For a calm, built-in look, finish the cabinets in a colour close to the wall colour, or a shade or two deeper. The cabinets blend into the room rather than standing out, which suits smaller or open-plan spaces.

Pick one feature run

Instead of an island, choose one section, such as a pantry wall, a coffee station or a bank of tall cabinets, and give it a different colour. It adds personality in a contained way.

Play with sheen, not just colour

The same colour can look quite different depending on the sheen. A matte or satin finish feels soft and calm and hides small imperfections. A higher gloss looks sleek, reflects more light and suits modern slab doors. Ask to see samples in more than one sheen before you decide.

With professional cabinet refinishing, doors and drawer fronts are removed and sprayed in our shop with an industrial two-component coating, then bake-cured. That factory-grade process is what gives a smooth, even finish whichever sheen you choose.

Pair the new finish with better storage

A refinish is a good moment to fix the cabinets that frustrate you. Our custom organizers and space savers can be added alongside the refinish, including:

• Garbage and recycling pull-outs
• Spice and pantry pull-outs
• Under-sink storage
• Tray storage for baking sheets and cutting boards
• Blind-corner solutions for hard-to-reach corners
• Soft-close hardware so doors and drawers close quietly

The kitchen ends up looking new and working better at the same time.

Add a few carpentry changes

Some of the most effective refinishing ideas involve small structural changes. Our carpenters and finishers work under one roof, so these can be built and then finished to match the rest of the kitchen.

• Convert doors to drawers: deep drawers in lower cabinets make pots and pans much easier to reach than a door and a shelf.
• Ceiling-height cabinets: extending uppers to the ceiling adds storage and gives the kitchen a more built-in look.
• A new island or added cabinetry: extra prep space or storage, finished in the same colour or a contrasting one.

You can read more about custom carpentry and cabinet modifications. The carpentry portion is usually a day or two.

Finish the look with hardware and counters

New hardware is one of the simplest ways to change the character of refinished cabinets. Long pulls give a more modern feel, while knobs and cup pulls feel more traditional. Choose the hardware finish at the same time as the cabinet colour so they work together.

If your countertops no longer suit the new colour, countertops can be coordinated through FloForm as part of the project. If you are moving a sink or changing fixtures, you will need a licensed plumber, as we do not do plumbing.

How to try cabinet refinishing ideas before committing

It can be hard to picture a two-colour kitchen or a new sheen from a small sample. A few ways to make the decision easier:

• Look at colour and sheen samples in your own kitchen light, morning and evening.
• Hold samples against your countertop, floor and backsplash, not just the wall.
• Browse our kitchen makeover gallery and save the kitchens that feel closest to what you want.
• Start with one bold idea, such as the island, and keep the rest of the room simple.

Bring your ideas to a free in-home quote

Refinishing involves about four days of work in your home, with a 7 to 10 day gap while your doors are in our shop. Because the doors are sprayed in the shop, there is less dust and noise in your home, and the work comes with a written 3-year refinishing warranty.

When you have a few ideas in mind, book a free in-home quote. We will look at your cabinets, talk through what is possible and give you clear, line-item pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use two colours when I refinish my cabinets?

Yes. A two-tone kitchen, such as light perimeter cabinets with a darker island or lighter uppers with darker lowers, is a popular choice. We can talk through combinations during your free in-home quote.

Can I add pull-outs and organizers at the same time as refinishing?

Yes. Custom-built organizers and space savers, including garbage and recycling pull-outs and blind-corner solutions, can be added on their own or together with a refinish.

Will refinishing change my cabinet door style?

No. Refinishing keeps your existing doors and drawer fronts and changes the colour and finish. If you want a different door style, cabinet refacing adds brand-new doors and drawer fronts and finishes the frames to match.