Hello lovely blog readers! Today we are going to be chatting about the kitchen and ways that you can update your this space to make it feel more unique and special to you. A lot of times when it comes to the kitchen we kind of get this all or nothing mentality where we think there isn’t much we can do to change things unless we want to do a renovation of some sort. However, there are so many things that you can do to update this space and inject personality into it without breaking the bank!
I partnered up with Kent which is an amazing Atlantic Canadian company with a community focused mindset and a place where I have been shopping for years! Like for real guys, I have been shopping at Kent for as long as I can remember. We teamed up for their online series #loveyourspace and we also filmed a video you can check outhere!
So one of the easiest ways you can update your kitchen is to switch out your sink and faucet. This is such an simple piece to upgrade and you will be shocked by how just changing out this one fixture will go in terms of making your whole space appear more updated. As soon as I saw this Blanco composite granite sink I fell in love, it’s white and brightening and when paired with this modern Delta faucet in matte black it just feels fresh, clean and very modern farmhouse. I love how making this one change has completely transformed the look of my kitchen.
Another simple weekend project is to paint your island. I have been getting so many questions from you all about my newly painted kitchen island and let me just say guys, this was such an easy, inexpensive project that only took two days to do! And when it comes to creating impact in your space there are very few things that will give you the impact at the price point that paint does.
You will need:
- Small mohair roller (ensures a smooth even finish)
- High quality angled brush
- Small roller
- Small paint tray
- Fine grain block hand sander
- Painters tape
- Strong adhesion primer
- Hard enamel paint
STEP 1- Clean
The first and probably the most important step is to take your island apart, remove the hardware and give everything a really good clean. When working in the kitchen there are lots of spills and messes so you want to make sure your cabinets are free of any dirt and food residue.
STEP 2- Sweep
Next you want to make sure you always sweep along the perimeter of whatever you are painting. This is often a forgotten step but trust me, the last thing you want is food crumbs on the floor being dragged up through your paint job when you take your brush and roller down to paint the base of your island.
STEP 3- Tape
Next you want to tape off everywhere that you don’t want to mistakenly get paint. Think the base of the floor, between cabinets and on the interior portion of your drawers.
STEP 4- Prime
Now that you have completed all the prep work (thank goodness right?!) it’s time to start priming! There are so many great bonding primers out there now that really save you from having to sand everything down and they give you great adhesion to ensure your paint sticks.
STEP 5- Sand
Once your primer dries you want to do a light sanding with a fine grain hand sand block to get rid of any drip marks or brush strokes. This step is really important and ensures you get a smooth finish. Make sure you wipe down everything with a damp cloth after you do your light sanding to remove any dust that was left behind on your cabinets.
STEP 6- Paint
Now you are finally ready to paint! You want to look for a strong enamel paint that is going to give you a nice hard finish. I chose to go with a satin finish paint and I used the colour Benjamin Moore “Kendall Charcoal”, I love how rich and soft a shade of grey it is and it’s a nice contrast with the rest of the white cabinetry. After you first coat dries you want to make sure you do another light sanding, wipe your surface with a damp cloth and then do your second coat. Voila!! Now you can enjoy your beautiful new painted island! Remember it takes paint about 30 days to fully cure so you want to make sure you take it easy until it fully sets.
I hope you enjoyed this simple tutorial and be sure to check out Kent’s #loveyourspace series and follow them on Facebook and Instagram 🙂
Kind thoughts,
Lauren Elizabeth
*This post is in partnership with Kent Building Supplies. Thank you for supporting this blog the brands I choose to work with.