Frugal B: ~Temporary Fix - Now Permanent Solution~

When we bought our home 6 years ago I really wanted a kitchen that had all the bells and whistles. But as we began to prioritize our needs vs our wants that desire steadily moved down the list. At the time we purchased our home it was just the 3 of us, my husband, myself and Kamden. Now we both wanted a large family, hence the 2700 sq ft home with just us, but all we could conceive at the time was the need for space (neither of us came from large families we did not know any better). So the home with more space won out over the homes with more bells and whistles.

We began to tackle the kitchen 2 years ago. We started with the floor. We took out the linoleum and replaced it with tile. That was a J-O-B. It was such a job that we finished it and did not touch the kitchen again for 2 years. During that time we were pricing cabinets. Yes, we chose the builder grade, come with your house for "free"cabinets. With the idea that we were going to change them through an independent dealer, because we did not like the choices our builder had. Well we were in for a nice little surprise to find that cabinets were PRICEY!! So on to plan B, we were going to find some cabinets avoidably and put them in up by ourselves.

I dreamed of moving the cabinets we have now to the garage and the laundry room and getting deluxe black cabinets with pull out drawers and one touch closing. So we scoured Craigslist, looked for closeouts, all while planning our new layout. We found some great deals but again we were shocked with the price of granite counter tops (new cabinets meant we had to get new countertops), shoot the price of any counter tops. Now we are all for getting good stuff but it takes some time to save, plan, and search out the best deal for things. So I kept praying for a nice set of cabinets and a good deal on counter tops to come along at the same time.

Well, I got tired of waiting and I proposed painting the cabinets to the Hubby. Most times I have to talk him into things, this time was no different. I scoured blog land to find good examples of painted cabinets (he needed proof that it would work). I sent hime here, here, and here.Hubby got right on board with the plan to paint the cabinets. With the understanding that this was a temporary fix, to make me happy, until we could afford "the real thing". The only part he was not OK with was me painting them. He said that with 4 kids that the length of time it would take to do this right was going to impede on our family a bit much. While I strongly disagreed, I began pricing professional painters.

I started getting prices and first thought I was just reaching out to the wrong people but $3,000 was the cheapest I could find. Well Mr. Frugal B. was not down with that. So I gave up on finding somebody and started working on wearing down Hubby, to get this done I was going to need to roll up my sleeves and get to painting. I have painted our entire home and I think I do a pretty good job, but he was still leery. So I moved on to the next project, which was finding a finish carpenter to put in some box molding. I found a Carpenter on Craigslist that had a wonderful website with referrals and all, so I had him come out. So as he was measuring the wall for the box molding (yeah I am doing that myself), I asked him if he knew anyone that painted cabinets. Well, he said he could do it, asked me what I was looking for. I told him BLACK, and waited for shock. He said he had just completed a similar color with distressing for someone close and that he could give me their information so I could talk to them (he was super professional). So I waited for the price, which came the same evening (crazy right). He priced it at $600!!!!

So I was faced with another dilemma, how was I going to explain to my husband that I found a carpenter on Craigslist (of all places) that has given me a quote to paint our cabinets (spraying them) for less than a 1/3rd of other quotes, and have him take me seriously? Well, I talked him into it and this is what we got!

Sprayed Black Cabinets with a 4inch crown and a 1x4 turned lateral on the bottom. We love it!