Cottage kitchen transformation
Take a look, a close look. At first glance it may be hard to recognise, but this kitchen is the same as the one below.
The cabinets, countertop, flooring, sink and window haven’t changed at all. Better yet, once the materials were in hand, this transformation took place in just a few days - without putting the kitchen out of commission.
Cabinetry
First on the list was to tackle the cabinet doors. There are several kitchen companies and cabinet makers that manufacture new door and drawer fronts.
We used the same hinges and mounting holes in the face frames to ensure the right fit.
Existing drawer fronts can be attached in a number of different ways.
We were able to simply pry off the old and screw on the new.
If yours can’t be removed, you’ll need to cut off the existing front, then apply the new drawer front directly over the old.
If this won't work for whatever reason, you may need to install new drawer hardware or new drawers.
Adding trim
Crown moulding comes in many profiles and sizes; we installed rope moulding to the top of the cabinets.
If your face frames aren’t wide enough on top to nail the moulding to, nail strips of wood to the top edge to provide a nailing surface. You will find crown moulding at most builder's merchants and timber stores.
Position and mark each piece of crown moulding as you work your way around the kitchen. Make small notches in the top corners of the face frames so the mouldings lie flat against the sides of the cabinets when installed.
Dislpay rack
If you have a short cabinet flanked by two taller cabinets, you can add this combination plate/shelf rack.
To create the two plate rack “ladders,” measure the cabinet, then build each ladder so the finished height equals the height of the inside of the cabinet.
The finished width should be equal to the width of the face frame opening.
Drill 8mm holes, 8mm deep, spaced 40 to 50mm apart. Cut 8mm dowels to length, add a drop of wood glue in each hole, insert the dowels, then use clamps to hold things together until the glue dries.
Basket storage
If you want to install open cabinet with basket-style storage, remove the existing cabinet hardware, then the rails where you want to create an open cabinet.
A fine-tooth pull saw works well for removing the dividers, since it lies flat against the cabinet frame as it cuts.
Sand the area to create a smooth surface. Create cabinet brackets and basket frames from pine that is stained to match the new door fronts.
