It was pretty cute from the get go, but with a few coats of paint and a little creativity, I turned it into this!
The first order of business was to remove the cabinet faces and all of the hardware. Next, I spray painted all of the hardware with spray paint. I used Rust-Oleum in Antique Brass (2-3 cans). Then all of the cabinets and bases got two-three coats of white paint. If you have the time and patients, I would recommend sanding before painting. I didn't, but I know it would be greatly beneficial. I used an exterior white semi-gloss paint. My reasoning for this, was that I thought it would be more resistant to water, scuffs, and stains, we shall see.
After the white is good and dry (waiting between steps is the worst!), I used 1 inch painters tape to lay out where I wanted my white subway tile. I cut it into 3 inch long strips and laid it out in a brick pattern. After the entire back splash was covered, which is super time consuming, I used gray acrylic paint to 'grout' the tiles.
Next came the faux marble countertop. My first step here, was putting down a fresh coat of white. This allowed me to blend in the gray really well. This was definitely a learning process, but what it really came down to was layers! I stared by adding the veining of the marble with a small brush. Then I blended lighter grey over that with a foam brush. Immediately add more white paint with the foam brush and keep layering until you get the desired effect. After mine dried, I dry brushed an extra layer of white over the top on the diagonal. This gave it a uniform look and made it seem like it had striations like you would see in stone.
I also added eyes for the stove instead of painting them on. I did this by spray painting some wooded coasters we already had black. I would also suggest using cds or purchasing wooden rounds from the craft store. These were attached using Gorilla Glue.
The square on the front of the oven is chalkboard paint, although she isn't old enough to use it yet, I'm sure she will have fun with it in the future.
One of my favorite additions to the kitchen is the metal sheet I put on the fridge. I thought it would be fun for her to actually have magnets on her refrigerator. I bought a 6"x12" galvanized metal sign from Michael's. We drilled holes into the corners and mounted it on the door. She has love playing with the magnets and learning her animals!
I'm super happy with the way everything turned out. The project took me about 2 days to complete and you have to be committed to get it finished that quickly! I had my husband watching the baby the whole time, so if you've got to watch your kids as well, it could take much longer.
I think, as with anything you do, the attention to detail really makes it. I would recommend looking at real kitchen renovations, picking out what you like, and scaling it down. If you aren't into faux painting, there are plenty of options, from contact paper to furniture appliques. You really just have to get out there to the stores and look for inspiration. Although, I will say, faux is the cheapest way to go!
Here is what I used for this project:
1 Gallon of White Paint
3 Bottles of Brass Spray Paint
Black Spray Paint (or any black paint on hand)
Chalkboard Paint (very small amount)
Gray Acrylic Paint
1" Painter's Tape
4 Coasters or Cds
Gorilla Glue
2 Small Foam Rollers
2-3 Foam Brushes
1 Angled Paint Brush (3 inches or so)
Paint Stirrers
Galvanized Metal Panel
Drill
Screwdriver
4 Small Screws
