Kitchen of the Week: What a Difference Paint Can Make

“They wanted to funkify it,” project designer Michelle Ruber says of her clients’ goal for their Portland, Oregon, kitchen. When the young family purchased the 100-year-old residence from a house flipper, they loved its location and bones but knew they’d renovate to infuse it with their own personalities.

“The owners are both very involved in theater and are used to theatrical sets and artistic, creative spaces,” says Ruber, of Encircle Design and Build. Check out the dramatic difference they were able to make with a few impactful changes.

Who lives here: A family with 2 young children
Location: Portland, Oregon
Designer: Encircle Design and Build
Size: 220 square feet

The house had been renovated by a house flipper, and thus was pretty generic to appeal to a wide variety of potential buyers. The results were nice, but these homeowners wanted something unique and tailored to their tastes.

“My clients wanted to transform it into a fun family house that they could enjoy for years to come,” Ruber says.

The plus side to all of the flipper’s work was the brand-new cabinetry, appliances, countertops and backsplash. “We always try hard to put as little as possible in the landfill and to use or reuse everything we can on these projects,” Ruber says. In this case the team kept it all, minus just a few cabinet door panel inserts.


AFTER: The design team’s most impactful move was painting the cabinets a bold avocado green, giving the room the dynamic energy the family sought. Another big intervention was the new fir Marvin windows, which add warmth to the room and are energy efficient — another project priority. Ruber also added speakers to the ceiling, so the family can enjoy their favorite tunes.

The light fixtures over the island were also installed by the flipper, but the owners chose the colander-like pendant over the sink to add a quirky touch. They also selected the rug, bar stools and Edgar Allen Poe–esque bird. “It’s so her and really gives you an idea of her fun personality,” Ruber says.


A few things that did leave the room were some of the panels in the cabinets; they were replaced with Lumicor (a resin product). The new panels reflect the light, while the small graphic pattern plays nicely off the larger pattern of the subway tiles.

Ruber recommends going to a good professional paint shop when it comes to painting cabinets. “They spray on a special bonding primer and make sure that the integrity of the paint job will remain durable for a long time,” she says.

Cabinet panels: Ovalesque Frost, Lumicor; cabinet paint: The Goods 0794, Miller Paint


To make the cabinets function better on a day-to-day basis, Ruber upgraded the hardware to include soft-close hinges and fully extending drawer glides.


Opening up the kitchen to other rooms wouldn’t have worked with the home’s style, but the woman of the house still wanted a way to draw her kiddos into the room with her. Thus, the island and the wall along the side of the refrigerator were covered in chalkboard paint. “It gives the kids a way to mark their own space and a way to get creative in here,” Ruber explains.

“This is a great way to take a kitchen, change just a few things but make a 180-degree difference,” she says.

See the rest of this home’s renovation

More: From the Pros: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

URL: Kitchen of the Week: What a Difference Paint Can Make http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-22738.html