Daddy Newbie Adventures in Fatherhood
Related Articles
The cost of new kitchen cabinets can range from $1,800- $4600 ( cost estimates from About.com Home Renovations “What is the Cost of Kitchen Cabinets?” ) Kitchen cabinet replacement is one of the most expensive parts of a kitchen renovation project. But in many cases, you can create an entirely new look to the kitchen by giving those cabinets the love they deserve. Having your child help you can be fun and scary at the same time. They can’t help thru the whole process but pick and choose how and when they can help. As in the way they can be at times thru this whole process, it is good to remember that they want to be with you, they want to help you, and to us it seems stressful and bothersome at times, for your son/daughter it will be times that they remember for a lifetime. Creating memories and moments with your child is one of the many perks we get as parents, so however a pain it may seem try and include them, it will payoff for them and you in ways that can’t be placed a value too.
If your cabinets are in good shape but you just are not thrilled with their finish, you have many options to change their appearance. You can strip off the original finish and stain them any way you like. Stain colors are not limited to the brown family; they can be just about any color of the rainbow. Be sure that when you put a topcoat on them you select one that does not yellow; this is especially a problem in the kitchen. If choosing to do this option, including the younger kids may not be a great idea, as stain, not just stains your wood but your hands and clothes as well. My son is 2 so, not a great idea with him, it is up to you when you feel your child is ready to help in this area.
Painting your kitchen cabinets is another great option. Crackling is a beautiful effect for cabinets, especially if you use a bright color that will pop under a more neutral tone like off-white. Painting the cabinets is a great way to include your child in the process, as if they use too much paint or what not you can just go back over their work, or mess fixing it up. For your child this is a lot like paper mache and as your paste is pretty easy to adjust help of any age is welcome.
For the more adventurous, vintage wallpaper is a hot ticket. Patterns are available in Asian prints, floral, stripes, botanicals, you name it. Elements can be cut out of the vintage wall covering and decoupaged to the kitchen cabinet door face. You can create your own pattern and style by mixing and matching different details from the wall coverings and sealing it with a top coat.
If the idea of having a pattern on the exterior of your cabinets is a bit frightening, then how about replacing your cabinet doors with glass doors and using the vintage wall paper as a liner to brighten up the interior? If the crafty thing is not your style, you can purchase new cabinet doors, which are an instant facelift for your kitchen.
Finally, don’t forget about replacing the kitchen cabinet hardware. Small changes like new door handles and drawer pulls can make a huge difference in the overall look of the kitchen. Most home centers stock a huge variety of handle designs and styles, and many more are available by special order. Most of the time this involves a screwdriver, and what kid doesn’t like playing with tools ? If you have a son I am sure he had a pretend tool set and if not then let your child use one of your smaller drivers, and let them go wild, if doing this after painting, staining or wallpapering, be sure to keep an eye on them as you don’t want them to ding or scratch what you have done so far.
You must be logged in to post a comment.