Thanks for your kind words Nancy. We painted the cabinets with a sprayer. We first sanded the oak cabinets with a mouse sander, then wiped them down, applied a couple of coats of original Kilz primer, then painted with SW Proclassic latex Paint, then applied a couple of coats of Polycrylic (water based polyurethane). I only used the RL glaze on the corbels, rope molding, etc. It was a BIG job, but we did it 5 years ago and the cabinets still look great.

I am not sure what you mean about the light rail and lighting to the bottom of my upper cabinets. We added some molding to the bottom, but I don't know what I rail is. Sorry! :)

Here are a couple of more pics for you:

Kitchen Before:

Kitchen During:

Kitchen After:

It was a huge job and we did all of the work ourself. We would never do this again although we are very happy with the results. It about killed us! :)

Thanks again.

Thanks for the reply--yes, the molding around the bottom of the upper cabinets is what I am asking about. How is it attached? I would like to do the same thing.

Thanks again,
Nancy

I, too, think your cabinets are just lovely. Could you pleae tell me if you used a grain filler to make the finish smoother? Can you still see the grain in the paint when you are up close? If so, does that bother you? I'm asking because I want to paint some oak cabinets, too. Yours look so great that I feel more confidnet. Thanks.

Blueenough, yes we did use a grain filler to fill in the oak grain after we sanded the finish off the cabinets. You cannot see the oak grain at all now. The finish is as smooth as glass.

Thanks you for your kind words.

What a fabulous transformation! It goes to show that you don't have to rip it all out to get a fantastic kitchen.

Your kitchen is just beautiful!!! I love the beadboard on the side of your cabinets, how did you do this? Is it just nailed right on to the side of the cabinet? Also love those draperies!!! Are your valances attached by a rod or are they on a cornice board? Thanks so much, you give us all insperation!

That is an AMAZING transformation! I love the new colors, so warm and pretty. Guess you're never moving, eh? :)

Goes to show you can have a vision and carry it through. I admire that, and being so creative! Whether those are all your own ideas or you got some inspiration from some other places, it looks worthy of a magazine. Kudos to you. Love, love, love it all.

I've never heard of a grain filler. Can you give me a brand name to look for? I'm guessing this is something you can get a HD or Lowes?

Laurie

Now that is what I call an upscale, Traditional style kitchen! The whole thing is just so rich and understated with old world charm. Your beautiful, *just right* trim work really sets it apart from the usual ho-hum "painted the cabinets and replaced the counter tops" kitchen remodel job. Great color choices throughout, and, although I'm generally not a "window treatments" kind of gal, the valance over your sink is perfect! Absolutely love the seeded glass panels that you installed in the cabinet doors, and the corbels! Oh my, what gorgeous corbels!

If I saw a picture of your kitchen on a magazine cover, I'd have to buy it, just to study the details.
The way everything looks so timeless and elegant is a credit to you both. Just a wonderful, inspirational job.

Another question for twg---what is holding the corbels and the other decorative wood pieces in place? Did you use a drill or just some wood glue? I have painted cabinets and just saw some ornate wood pieces at Lowe's that I was thinking of using to make my kitchen a little fancier.

Yours are amazing! Look like brand new cabinets.

wow, what a stunning transformation and what makes it even better for me is that you didn't trash the original kitchen, instead you kept what was useable and remade it into something gorgeous.
Sky

Love it! I too am interested in which grain filler you used. Do you have a close up of the end where the beadboard is? We are planning to add beaboard to the ends of ours, but not sure what to do on the front side...did you add a trim piece?

Thank you ALL so much! Your kind words mean so much! I really appreciate you all taking the time to offer encouragement!

I don't remember a particular brand of grain filler we used. We did this project 5 years ago, so some of the details are a little fuzzy. It was grain filler we bought at Lowe's or Home Depot. You sand the cabinets down to the bare wood, fill in with grain filler, sand again, then start your coats of primer. We found the original Kilz formula to work the best. It is nasty stuff, but it works the best in our experience and we have tried them all I think.

These corbels came with little places/slots for screws to attach them. We used screws with nuts on them so they could sit on them for some support. Then I think we used a liquid nails type product to further attach them.

We did add a trim piece to "finish" the ends where the beadboard was applied. Just go to a lumber place or Lowe's and find something the right size.

We made this up as we went along. :) You know how projects like this snowball.

Here is the best close up I have of the end:

Thanks again everyone!

This is HOME IMPROVEMENT for sure! Beautiful job.

All I can say is WOW!!!

Wow from me too! I am curious to know what direction white you went with on the cabinets to complement your white appliances. On this monitor I cant tell if it is white, off white or cream. Whatever it is, its GORGEOUS!