Painting Techniques for Wood Cabinets

Keep It Simple

• To add a simple splash of color to your cabinet, keep it simple. Apply a single coat of paint or two to your cabinet. For a more unusual look, take out the inside panels of your cabinet doors, if you can, and paint them a different color. To add a little texture to your cabinet while keeping a basic look, use heavy brush strokes as you paint to keep the strokes visible once the paint has dried.

Go Faux

• If you want a more rustic look, use a faux painting technique to give your cabinet the aged look you seek. Colorwash the outside to make the paint job look old and worn, or wear away the edges and some paint by distressing or antiquing your pieces. For a more unusual look, make your cabinet look like leather, linen or another material. Classic faux paint techniques, such as sponging and ragging are also often used on cabinets.

Get Decorative

• For a cabinet with a personal touch, get decorative. Paint a design of your choosing on the front, top or sides of your cabinet. Create it freehand with a paint brush, sketch it out before you paint or use a stencil to create your decorative image. To make a colorful finish, add a glaze or stain once the paint has dried to give it a classic, decorative look. Birds, vines and other flora and fauna are often used as the main images in decorative pieces.