This Kitchen Redo Has One the Best Paint Transformations I’ve Ever Seen
White paint gets a lot of glory when it comes to completely transforming a dark and dreary space — and honestly, no wonder when you see just how much it can do. But I believe that fresh paint in any color can do a lot of good for a dated room. It’s a design superhero!
One of my favorite examples ever (really, ever) comes from a kitchen makeover we posted on Apartment Therapy back in 2022. The project comes from Drew Michael Scott of Lone Fox, a designer and experienced DIYer whose simple-but-brilliant projects always leave me impressed. He’s designed spaces in his own home, of course, as well as for friends, but Drew did this kitchen transformation for his parents.
The kitchen’s before will probably look familiar to anyone who grew up in the 2000s: a warm, wood-filled space with a Tuscan-inspired ambiance. It was nice, but a little dated — and pretty dark, too, thanks to all that wood.
Some DIYers might have looked at that kitchen and thought everything had to go. But not Drew! He made the entire kitchen look completely new and completely fresh just by changing a few small things, starting with the cabinet color.
To help highlight all of the warm, natural Tuscan-inspired elements — like the earthy floors, the textured backsplash, and the natural stone counters — Drew chose a light sage green paint color for all of the cabinetry. The color brightens up the space and also helps create a soothing, natural vibe for the kitchen that makes it so cozy.
Other than the cabinet color, Drew didn’t change much! In place of the old black knobs he added new antique brass-toned hardware (both pulls and knobs), and he also swapped out the old too-small pendant light for a bigger basket-style pendant light. After that, it was just little stuff: a runner, a couple of bar stools, and some smaller pieces of decor.
What makes me think back to this redo again and again is just how much Drew was able to do with so little. While none of the major elements of this kitchen were replaced, the strategic paint color choice really does make them all look new. It’s proof that when it comes to kitchen makeovers, sometimes it pays to work smarter and not harder!
You can read more about the makeover and check out the rest of the photos here.
Not able to paint your cabinets? Here’s how to refresh dated cabinets without a lick of paint.
This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: This Dreamy Kitchen Redo Is One the Best Paint Transformations I’ve Ever Seen
Further Reading
Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study
Tuscan Chicken Is the "Most Delicious" Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who's Tried It
