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3 Creative Uses for Ordinary Cabinet Faces and Doors
Whether you are looking for ways to add more space to your tiny, studio apartment, or you simply want a kitchen with a unique look, transforming your plain cabinet faces into something more practical is a great place to start. Kitchen cabinets, especially those in small apartments, are usually nondescript and boring. Instead of living with the look of boring cabinet, turn them into magnetic boards, chalkboard or even dry erase surfaces with some quick and easy tricks.
Magnetic Attraction
Do you find your refrigerator overflowing with children's artwork and reminders? If so, it may be time to add a magnetic surface to your plain front kitchen cabinetry. To begin, measure the size of each cabinet door. It may seem redundant to measure each door, but if they are old they may not be a uniform size. It is better to take the extra few minutes to measure each one individually rather than purchase materials that will not fit. After you have the dimensions, purchase thin sheets of metal at the local home improvement store. If you ask, many stores will actually cut the metal sheeting to the dimensions you need. Be careful with the edges of the sheets, as they will be very sharp. To protect fingers and hands, fold down the edges of the sheets using pliers while wearing heavy-duty work gloves and eye protection. To mount the metal onto the cabinet doors, drill a hole through the metal and the cabinet door and attach it with a screw and wing nut. You could also nail the metal sheeting in place, but it may be difficult if the cabinet door is a composite and not a solid wood. Once the metal is in place, you have an instant magnetic surface that can be used to display artwork and reminders about what to buy at the grocery store.
Chalkboard
Creating a chalkboard surface is one of the easiest ways to transform your kitchen cabinet faces into useful and practical surfaces. After priming your cabinet doors with a coat of high-quality primer, use brush-on chalkboard paint. While there are also spray-on chalkboard paints available, unless you are in a highly ventilated area, the noxious fumes from the spray paint may be overpowering. You may need to give the surface two coats to be sure that it is evenly and completely coated. Follow the manufacturer's directions to get the best results. Once the paint is dry, you can write notes or draw pictures with regular chalk on your kitchen cabinet doors.
Dry Erase Boards
It may seem like an unusual idea, but mounting small dry erase boards on your cabinet doors is a great way to create a spot for lists, children's creative play and family schedules. Start by deciding how many doors you want to turn into dry erase surfaces and purchase that many dry erase boards. Screw them into the kitchen cabinets; or, for a less permanent attachment, attach a removable adhesive hook on the front of the cabinet and hang them from a ribbon. The plain white boards will soon be filled with colorful notes, reminders, expressions of love, family schedules, children's drawings, recipes, and so much more.
Making your cabinets work for you is the best way to turn your kitchen into a space that meets your needs. Do not be afraid to be unorthodox in your kitchen cabinet door designs. The creativity that you use now will result in a functional and fun kitchen that allows everyone in the family to express themselves.
Jessica Ackerman of WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, is an interior designer who illustrates how simple it can be to use atomic outdoor wall clocks and wrought iron wall crosses.
