This Clever Cabinet Paint Trick Gives Small Kitchens A Big Look

Walking around a pristine showroom kitchen with new cabinetry, fancy appliances, and shiny faucets provides plenty of home reno inspiration. However, not all of us have the budget to completely redecorate our kitchens, which is where a quick revamp with a pot of paint comes in handy. The right color has the potential to transform your space from drab to dreamy, providing warmth, character, and freshness. A clever cabinet paint trick that gives small kitchens a big look is to select lighter hues for the top cupboards and darker ones for the base unit.

Known as two-tone or dual cabinetry in design circles, this hack is awesome for opening up the space and making a compact, cozy kitchen look roomy and airy. If you paint the top cabinets in a lighter shade to the base units, it creates the illusion of expanse because the eye is drawn up towards the paler upper half of the kitchen. Lighter colors also brighten up an older kitchen instantly, making it look more modern and sleek, as well reflect the light better from windows and skylights. 

You don't have to go down the white paint color route; a cream or pale grey will uplift your kitchen as long as the units below are darker — the key is to create contrast. As white cupboards can be tricky to keep clean, you may prefer a warmer shade that doesn't require a weekly wipe down.

Lighter colored cabinets that reach the ceiling can make a kitchen space look roomier, and draw the eye even further upwards. This also provides an extra closed-off location for storing items you rarely use. The practical reason kitchen cabinets don't always extend all the way up to the ceiling is to provide space for ventilation, which reduces the risk of mold developing on walls. However, as long as you have another way for air to move, such as an open window, these taller cabinets can be super useful and hide a multitude of bric-a-brac items.   

Selecting darker paint colors for the base units ensures that any dirt or grime is camouflaged too. The best way to clean grease from your cabinets, whether they be light or dark, is to give them a wipe down with water and dish soap before following up with a loose paste made of baking soda and water to remove stubborn residue. FYI – baking soda is also useful for keeping your kitchen sink sparkling clean.