I’ve been arduous at work on my studio the previous couple of days, and I’m lastly engaged on the cupboard doorways and drawer fronts for all the cupboards. That is my first time utilizing IKEA cupboards, and since I can’t go away effectively sufficient alone, I’m sanding all of them down, including trim, and priming and portray them. And whereas beginning with IKEA cupboard doorways and drawer fronts will save me plenty of time, this entire course of is reminding me of all of the instances I made my very own cupboard doorways and drawer fronts from scratch.
I’ve by no means made something like Shaker doorways the “correct” approach, however I’ve my very own easy go-to technique for making cupboard doorways and drawer fronts that at all times produces a consequence that I’m happy with.
Making your individual cupboard doorways and drawer fronts is among the finest methods to replace an outdated kitchen or lavatory if the cupboard containers are nonetheless in fine condition and also you’re not altering the format of the room. And when you’ve obtained that down, and when you can construct a easy field, you’ll be able to then construct your individual cupboards or items of furnishings from scratch.
1. Our Rental Hallway Rest room
The very first time I made my very own cupboard doorways and drawer fronts was for our tiny condo hallway bathroom. I labored on that rest room simply over ten years in the past, in March 2013.
You possibly can see how I made those cabinets doors here, and see the whole bathroom before and after here. It’s arduous to imagine that was over a decade go! And but, that darkish teal that I used on the partitions in that rest room (Behr Mythic Forest) is identical coloration I’ve on our music room bookcases and doors and the cabinets in our walk-in pantry right now. 😀 Some issues by no means change, like my love for teal. Anyway…
I actually had no concept what I used to be doing on the time. I solely had just a few primary instruments (a $99 nail gun and compressor set, a really primary miter noticed, and so on.) on the time, so I knew that I couldn’t make “correct” cupboard doorways that required the usage of a router or desk noticed. As an alternative, I’d need to depend on my primary instruments and plenty of trim to make some fairly (and primary) cupboard doorways.
They could have been primary, however I used to be very happy with how they turned out. They have been an enormous improve from the unique doorways.
Sadly, ten years in the past, I didn’t understand how straightforward it’s to make use of a Kreg Hinge Jig to drill the proper holes for hidden cupboard door hinges. That will have made these new DIY cupboard doorways look even higher.
2. Our Hallway Cupboard
When I built the cabinet in our hallway, I undoubtedly had acquired extra instruments than I had after we lived within the tiny condominium. However I nonetheless didn’t have the instruments required to make one thing like a Shaker door (which is basically not my model anyway), so I went again to my condominium lavatory days and used that same idea.
I did make some adjustments on these cupboards doorways and drawer fronts, like including extra trim, and utilizing the Kreg Hinge Jig in order that the hinges on the cupboard doorways wouldn’t present. Simply that one change alone actually took these doorways up a notch from my unique condominium lavatory cupboard doorways with the uncovered hinges.
3. Our Stroll-In Pantry Cupboards
Our walk-in pantry was the primary time I had ever constructed a full room of cupboards from scratch. And as soon as once more, when it got here time to do the doorways and drawer fronts, I went again to my outdated trusted (and really straightforward) model of cupboard doorways and drawer fronts.
Are you sensing a theme right here? 😀 Principally, in all my years of DIYing and transforming, I’ve by no means made a correct Shaker door or another sort of door or drawer entrance that requires desk saws or routers or something like that. Only a round noticed, a miter noticed, and a brad nailer is all I’ve ever used to make cupboard doorways and drawer fronts. Properly, these plus a Kreg Hinge Jig. And I’ve been happy with them each time!
I like that they’ve a little bit little bit of visible curiosity with the trim, however they’re not overly fussy. They’re the proper mix of easy and stylish. However most of all, they’re simply straightforward to make, and don’t break the bank.
The 4 white drawers within the pantry are a unique model, however nonetheless quite simple. These drawer fronts are simply strong items of oak lumber minimize to measurement with skinny oak trim hooked up to the face across the edges. Quite simple. You can see more of the before and after of our walk-in pantry here.
4. My Mother’s Kitchen Cupboards
Originally of 2020, my mother and I gave her kitchen a pretty extensive makeover. She didn’t wish to change the format of her kitchen in any respect, and her cupboard containers have been in nice form. She simply needed to replace the doorways and drawer fronts.
So we made quite simple plywood slab doorways with the perimeters completed off with edge banding, after which a little bit of trim inset on the faces of the doorways. What she ended up with was easy but elegant, and as soon as once more, didn’t require any fancy instruments.
And these new doorways and drawer fronts have been an important replace from the quintessential skinny Nineteen Sixties cupboard doorways with the routed design on entrance that she began out with.
It truly is superb what a little bit little bit of trim can do. And when you’ve been round right here for lengthy, you understand how a lot I like trim! 😀 You can see more of my mom’s kitchen makeover here.
5. Our Grasp Rest room Cupboard
When it got here time to construct the vanities and storage cupboard for our master bathroom remodel, I made a decision to vary issues up a bit. As an alternative of utilizing my tried and true cupboard door and drawer entrance technique, I made drawer fronts that have been a bit extra concerned. And this time, they did require the usage of a desk noticed (or I might have used a router) to make a body for every drawer.
This was additionally my first time to construct cupboards out of good wooden (walnut) that wasn’t going to be primed and painted. That meant that the whole lot needed to be extra exact as a result of I wouldn’t be capable to cheat and conceal my errors with wooden filler and caulk earlier than priming and portray. I like these firsts that stretch my DIY skills only a bit extra. Even after 30+ years of DIYing, I’m nonetheless studying.
You can see how I made those drawer fronts here, and you can see the whole bathroom before and after here.
So after three a long time of DIYing, I’ve nonetheless by no means made fancy cupboard doorways that require fancy instruments. And you recognize what? I most likely by no means will. I’m fairly pleased with my easy strategies that I take advantage of, so why repair one thing that isn’t damaged? 😀 So when you’re needing new cupboard doorways and drawer fronts, however shopping for new isn’t an choice, and making fancy ones that require numerous instruments appears overwhelming to you, simply keep on with one thing easy that requires primary instruments. You possibly can rework the look of your kitchen or lavatory with new cupboard doorways and drawer fronts which are quite simple to make.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and adorn the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
