How to create distressed black kitchen cabinets

Use sandpaper to lightly scrub off the paint on your cabinets. A medium grade provides just the right amount of pressure. Avoid electric sanders as they will scrape off too much of the finish. Do not use this step if you have cabinets that are already painted black.

Remove all kitchen hardware, including handles and doorknobs. Put them aside for later. A screwdriver will help you accomplish this task without too much trouble. You don't want paint to spill on items and make the overall effect look sloppy.

Paint primer on the cabinet doors with a small-sized brush. The primer is necessary to help the paint stick to the cabinet doors. Avoid using too much primer or the primer will mix in with the paint and make it hard for it to stick.

Pour out black paint into a pan. Place a roller in the pan, pull up paint and roll back and forth to remove excess paint. The roller should be used to paint most of the area on the kitchen cabinets. Use a thin paintbrush to fill in any remaining areas.

Use distressing materials to create an individualized pattern on the cabinets. Run a metal chain along the edge of the cabinet. Push a key with many edges across the middle of each cabinet. Drag an ice pick along the outer edge of the cabinet and create small holes in each area. Use as little pressure as possible or you may ruin the subtle effect you want.

Brush a coat of varnish on each cabinet to preserve the effect and let dry. Reattach the hardware to the cabinets after you have confirmed the varnish is no longer wet by running your fingertip gently over the surface of the cabinet.