DIY

Have you heard the expression “always never done”? That’s the perfect way to sum up my kitchen makeover project! Although I declared it finished last spring, I was wrong. (Shocker.)

I decided to add DIY cabinet end panels with shaker style trim to dress up the cabinet bases and tie into the kitchen soffit disguise.

Adding trim to the cabinet bases to create the look of nicer end panels did a lot for the look of this kitchen, and I’m really glad I did this. It was actually very easy, and something even a novice DIY’er could accomplish.

Supplies Used to Create DIY Cabinet End Panels

These are the supplies and tools I used to do this project exactly as shown in this post. Some of the links are affiliate links, and you can read my full disclosure policy for more information.

• 1/4″ x 4″ select grade wood boards (note: if covering a gap at the bottom of the cabinet base, make sure the 4″ width will completely cover that. You may need to get a wider board if your gap is larger than mine.)
• Miter saw (alternatively you could use a circular saw or even a hand saw)
• Brad nailer
• Tape measure
• Speed square
• Contour gauge (if cutting wood to fit flush with baseboards)
• Jigsaw (if cutting wood to fit flush with baseboards)
• Pencil
• Caulk
• Wood filler
• Sandpaper
• Primer & paint
• Small crow bar or pry bar (if removing shoe trim or quarter round from cabinet bases)

How to Add Shaker Style Trim to Cabinet End Panels

While there was nothing technically wrong with my cabinet bases, they felt plain to me and they were pretty beat up along the edges. I brainstormed for a long time on how to make them look better, and I decided that making them look more like the soffit trim we previously added would be the best bet.

My cabinets had a pieces of shoe trim at the base, so I began by removing that trim along the bases where I was adding the trim or panels. I also had to remove the adjoining shoe trim pieces because they would stick out too far once the new base panels were complete.

With the shoe trim removed, I then measured the distance from underneath the countertop to the floor, and used my miter saw to cut one piece of 1/4″ x 4″ wood to that size. I then used my brad nailer to attach it to the left side of the cabinet base.

I repeated the measuring and cutting process, and attached another board to the right side of the cabinet base. The left and right measurements were slightly different, so it’s important to measure for each piece and not assume that they’ll be the same!

Next, I measured the top piece and bottom piece, cut those boards, and attached them with the brad nailer.

This first one was the easiest cabinet base to add paneling to because it only needed perfectly straight boards.

Cutting Trim to Accommodate Baseboards

The other two cabinet bases are attached to a wall and have adjacent baseboards, which meant that I either needed to remove (and replace) the baseboards, or cut two of the wood panel pieces to fit snugly with the curvature of the baseboards.

I chose the latter option and used a contour gauge to trace the profile of the baseboards onto the wood trim. I always wanted to use one of these tools because they remind me of those toys that look like nails and they make a perfect impression of your hand, face, whatever. But I digress . . . ;-P

Then I cut out that squiggly design (I’m sure that’s a technical way to describe it) with the miter saw, and it fit perfectly!

I added all of the trim just as I did for the first cabinet base.

Cabinet Base Panels Finishing Work

Once that was finished, I filled holes with the wood filler, caulked all along the edges, primed, and painted. I also added new shoe trim to the fronts of the cabinets where the toe kick remained.

Before finishing it all up, I popped on a new outlet cover that blends with the painted cabinets. It’s a special cover that goes over the existing outlet, so no electrical work is required and you’re not painting the actual outlet – just the decorator cover.

I’m so happy with how it all came together! And, I’m really proud that I did this 100% all by myself. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below or by messaging me on Instagram!

As part of my sister’s 1950s kitchen makeover, we updated her linoleum with a peel and stick kitchen floor applied right on top of it.

This post is not sponsored and I have no affiliation or relationship with the company that makes FloorPops tiles – the peel and stick we used here. This is a totally unbiased review of their peel and stick floor tiles meant to, help you!

Also, I’m not going to give you a step-by-step of installation for these floor tiles because the instructions that come with them are great. I will share tips that we learned, which helped us along the way.

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.

Before Installation: How to Prepare a Floor for Peel and Stick Tile

Before we even stuck one tile in place, my sister had to do some dirty work.

She scrubbed the old linoleum clean and used a heavy duty floor stripper product to get up all of the built-up wax on the surface. The floors still looked yucky even after all that cleaning!

Once the floor dried, she primed it with a multi-purpose primer. Simply2Moms recommended it in their blog post about peel and stick vinyl tiles in the laundry room. She let that dry overnight.

(P.S. sorry for my man hands in the below photo: I didn’t polish them since I was doing manual labor! :-))

The FloorPops instructions didn’t say anything about priming the underlying floor, but because the linoleum was so old and probably still had some wax or polish build up in the divots, we figured better safe than sorry!

FloorPops Vinyl Tiles

For my sister’s kitchen, we used FloorPops peel and stick vinyl tiles in the Parthenon pattern, which seems to only be available at Floor and Decor.

To help give some perspective, she spent around $275 on tile for her kitchen, which included a box of extra tile to keep for future replacements, if needed.

FloorPops are available at many other stores and in many other patterns.

You can buy them at Amazon, Home Depot, and even on WallPops’ website (they make FloorPops).

Peel and Stick Tile Installation: a One Day Project

The day after my sister cleaned and primed the linoleum, we got to work!

We started by finding the rough center of the kitchen and drawing a straight horizontal line intersected with a vertical line on the floor in Sharpie. Then we pressed the first tile into place, and rolled over it with our tile roller tool.

The tile roller tool really helped press that adhesive to the linoleum floor. I definitely recommend using one if you plan to install peel and stick tile over linoleum.

If you’re wondering why we started laying the tile in the middle of the room, you should watch my video on starting in the center!

We worked outward from the center in a staircase pattern, for the most part, and made sure to look at each tile closely to line up the patterns as much as possible.

We left a border around the edges to complete last.

Amy at The Crazy Craft Lady gave us a helpful tip for sizing the edge pieces in her YouTube video. Definitely watch her video if you plan to install FloorPops in your home!

We cut the edge pieces using a combination of a self-healing mat and utility knife, and regular scissors! The self-healing mat / utility knife combo worked great for straight cuts. The scissors were perfect for cutting pieces that had notches, etc.

The edge pieces went in easily, and once we finished installing all of the peel and stick tiles, my sister added new shoe trim around the baseboards to help hold the tiles in place even better. This also gave the floor a more finished look.

And in case you’re wondering: yes, we tiled underneath the refrigerator and oven! #nottoofun

Are FloorPops Durable?

When I posted a video of our peel and stick tile installation on TikTok, many people asked about the durability of FloorPops, especially in a kitchen.

At the time of writing this post, my sister has only had these in her kitchen for four months, but they’re holding up great.

There has not been any peeling of the tiles, nor have there been any adhesion issues. The tiles are staying put and looking great!

How Do You Clean FloorPops Peel and Stick Tile?

People were also very interested in how you clean these peel and stick tiles, especially in a kitchen!

My sister mops them as she did her linoleum floor, but she makes sure not to use too much water. Since there is no grout in between the tiles, she doesn’t want to get water in between those gaps and cause problems with them sticking.

Of course they vacuum nicely, too.

One thing we were worried about was if adhesive would puddle or ooze between the tiles and cause crumbs and dirt to get stuck there. This has not been a problem at all – thank goodness!

My FloorPops Review

All in all, I definitely recommend FloorPops peel and stick tiles for certain situations.

I would not look at these peel and stick tiles as a long-term flooring solution. I think they’re perfectly suited for a facelift that you want to get a few to several years out of before upgrading to a more traditional floor type.

In this case, my sister and her husband plan to renovate the kitchen in the future, so the FloorPops were the perfect flooring update while they wait to renovate.

They’re easy to install, come in a multitude of on-trend colors and patterns, and clean nicely. They are a fantastic option for anyone looking to make a budget-friendly update, while recognizing they will not last as long as regular flooring.

Leave me a comment here or message me on Instagram if you have any questions!

-Bre

My sister and her husband recently purchased their first home and welcomed their first baby. While they loved much about their new house, they did not love the dated and barely functional 1950s kitchen.

The 1950s Kitchen Before: Aesthetic and Functional Problems

There was no dishwasher, and with lots of baby bottles to be washed, that was a problem. The range vent hood also hung so low over the stove that it made it almost impossible to use the back burners.

Limited cabinet space forced them to use a mash up of bookcases to store food and appliances. At least they had that great wall-mount telephone to call their friends! Ha.

And style-wise, well, I think the photos speak for themselves. What is hard to tell in these photos is that the yellow gingham wallpaper also covered the ceiling. It made a statement. The large exposed hinges on the cabinets also drove my sister crazy.

In addition, there were two types of countertops (wood-look laminate and black tiles), and multiple styles of tile backsplash – all of which were falling off the wall.

In short, this kitchen was a HOT MESS.

Kitchen Remodel: The Plan

My sister and brother-in-law planned to do a gut renovation of the space (like, with real contractors and designers). But when they realized their remodeling priorities would need to shift with the addition of a new family member, I devised a plan to remodel their kitchen for both looks and function . . . DIY style.

Having just completed my own DIY Kitchen Makeover, I decided to torture myself again.

Here is the official proposal and plan, which I scribbled on notebook paper Memorial Day weekend 2021. It’s very sophisticated, as you can tell.

Since my sister and brother-in-law are both teachers and had the summer off of work, we decided to tackle this 1950s kitchen remodel project as a team, and with the help of many others, so that their kitchen would be ready to go before school started again.

We got to work almost immediately! It was a lot to take on, but so much fun (not always – I’m not going to lie to you!)! We worked hard to make the kitchen look so much better, and work better for the family, and I am so proud to show you how it all turned out!

DIY 1950s Kitchen Makeover: The Process

A lot of the work was completed by my sister and brother-in-law while I wasn’t there. We live in different states, so it was impossible for me to be there all of the time! During the times I wasn’t there, I was obsessively calling my sister to make sure they were staying on track with the insane job list I’d given them.

They started by removing the wallpaper, repairing the walls, and painting the walls and ceiling Sherwin Williams Moderne White. My brother-in-law also removed that low-hanging vent hood and shortened the upper cabinet to accommodate an over-range microwave / vent combo.

Once these jobs were complete, my mom, kids, and I crashed in to do an intense three day cabinet painting marathon. We took turns sanding, priming, painting, and entertaining children. We could not have done this so quickly without my mom taking care of the kids and pitching in to paint while the baby was napping!

Having painted my own kitchen cabinets months earlier, I knew exactly what to do, so we were able to pound this out. (And hey, if you’re interested in learning how to paint cabinets, check out my digital cabinet painting ebook, which gives you EVERYTHING you need to do this job right!)

For these cabinets, we used Behr Cabinet and Trim Enamel in Hillside Green. I really liked working with this cabinet paint because the recoat time was much faster than Benjamin Moore Advance. I also think it covered and self-leveled nicely.

Once we finished painting the cabinets green, we felt like the kitchen was already looking so much better!

The next project in this kitchen was covering up the old linoleum, which was discolored and dingy no matter how many times it was cleaned. My sister scrubbed the floors and removed all of the wax buildup, and then primed them with a self-adhesive tile primer.

The next day she and I worked like crazy while my mom watched our kids (she was the MVP for sure), and we put down an entire new peel and stick floor right over the old linoleum! (Check out this post on her Peel and Stick Kitchen Floor!)

I loved this part of the project; it was exhilarating to see this kitchen change right before our eyes! This peel and stick tile is beautiful and very nice quality. I don’t think it will last forever, but it will do the trick until my sister and her husband are ready for a full renovation.

On the wall where the bookcases previously served as a pantry, we added floating shelves, new cabinets painted to match the original 1950s cabinets, and a portable dishwasher. Yes, that’s right, a portable dishwasher! My sister and brother-in-law just roll it over to the sink when it’s time to do the dishes. It’s been a game changer for them.

During this process, my sister was sharing her progress on Instagram, and one of her co-workers saw that we needed help with some electrical. She enlisted her husband, a contractor, to help, and he spent 1.5 days with my brother-in-law teaching him how to fix the electrical issues. Can you believe that generosity?

Once that was taken care of, the new countertops could be installed. My sister opted for a beautiful marble-look laminate as a durable and budget-friendly countertop. She went through Home Depot for installation, and they did a great job!

The Kitchen Remodel Reveal

Although there are still a few minor details to be wrapped up in this kitchen, after about four months of work it is 95% finished! I am so happy for my sister and brother-in-law because they have a kitchen that makes them feel good when they step inside, and it actually works for them now!

The original 1950s cabinets look so much better painted in Behr Hillside Green, and updated with gorgeous hardware that was gifted to us by D Lawless Hardware.

My sister chose flat black hinges, black knobs, and black pulls to coordinate with the black appliances in the kitchen. I’ve purchased hardware from D Lawless before (including for my Oak China Cabinet Makeover), and the price and quality cannot be beat. The updated hardware was a huge improvement from the original 1950s cabinet hardware!

In case you’re missing the gingham wallpaper that previously covered the walls and ceiling, don’t worry. We saved a piece of it and used it as artwork in the kitchen. Aaah, memories.

Unfortunately, one relic of the 1950s kitchen that didn’t survive was the wall-mounted telephone. Taking its place is an entirely new bank of cabinets, the portable dishwasher, and gorgeous DIY open shelving that houses items my sister and her family actually use, as well as decorative items to give the space personality. (I think we’ll take the shelves over the phone.)

The toe kick panels still need to go on the base of the cabinets, but you get the idea of what this will look like when it’s totally finished.

This added counter space and storage (including pull-out trash), has been incredible for the livability of this kitchen!

This 1950s kitchen remodel was a lot of work, but it was an incredible joy for me to get to spend time with my sister and our families, and to make such a difference in her happiness and home.

With the constant flow of home renovation content on television, Instagram, and blogs, it can feel like a total renovation is the only option for updating a kitchen and making it work for you. But that is not the case: with some creative planning and hard work from family and friends, you can create a space you love and that works for you, without spending a small fortune!

Thank you for reading all about this project that we poured our hearts and souls into. Please let me know if you have any questions or need a pep talk! You can leave me a comment here, or find me on Instagram!

If you have hardwood floors, you know how frustrating it is to see scratches marring their beauty.  After lots of trial and error, I have figured out the easiest hardwood floor scratch repair technique, and it doesn’t involve ANY sanding at all!

I can’t tell you how excited I am about this hardwood floor fix.  It may seem dumb, but I lived with unsightly white scratches on my hardwood floors for years before finding this solution.  It takes about 20 minutes and costs hardly anything to fix.  

Supplies Needed to Fix Scratched Hardwood Floors Without Sanding

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

• DAP Wood Blend Sticks (get the color that matches your hardwood floors most closely.  There are packs for dark wood and light wood)
• Clean, dry, lint-free cloth (tip: I like to use cut up men’s undershirts for this)
• S.C. Johnson Paste Wax (if your floor is not finished with glossy poly or in an ultra-matte finish)

Hardwood Floor Scratch Repair with a Wax Stick

After replacing some furniture in my living room, scratches left on the floor from the old furniture were really starting to bother me.  There were large sections of white marks that stuck out like a sore thumb all over the place.

Then one day while digging through my utility drawer (aka the “who knows what’s in there drawer”), I found a pack of DAP Wood Blend Sticks.  I have no idea where these things came from.  I have no memory of buying them and neither does my husband.  But I digress.  Anyway, I decided to see if they would fix my scratched wood floors problem.

Step One: Rub the Wax Sticks on the Hardwood Scratches

I cleaned up the section of the floor where I needed to work, and then I started rubbing the wood blend sticks over the scratches – kind of like I was coloring on the floor.  (My three-year-old was watching me the whole time, and I just know that I’m going to find Crayola crayon drawings on the floor sometime soon.)  

I used several of the colors that came in the pack, since my floors vary in tone from place to place.  

Step Two: Buff off the Excess Wax

After I applied a lot of blend stick to the scratches, I let it sit for a couple of minutes.  Then I grabbed a lint-free cloth and got to work buffing the areas I’d colored.

I had to use a lot of elbow grease to get all of the excess wax stick off of the floor.  It was easy to tell when I’d removed all of the excess blend stick from the floor because the cloth moved over those spots easily and it no longer felt sticky to the touch.

The scratches looked much less pronounced after I’d done that, but it wasn’t totally perfect yet.

Step Three: Apply Paste Wax

I then grabbed the S.C. Johnson Paste Wax that I love to use on my furniture refinishing projects, and I applied a thin layer over the scratched areas.  

Once it had been on there for about twenty minutes, I buffed the excess off and was SO EXCITED to see that the scratches on my hardwood floors were virtually invisible now!  Everything blended together so nicely and the floor looked beautiful once again!  

Of course if you put your face right up to the scratches you can see them because there are still the scratch indentations there (I didn’t sand anything down after all), but to a person who isn’t checking the floor out with a microscope, they look beautiful once again.  

This little trick for fixing scratched hardwood floors without sanding has made a big difference in the look of my floors.  And it is so inexpensive (compared to refinishing!), and easy!  

If you have any hardwood floors that are in need of touching up, I recommend giving the DAP Blend Sticks and Paste Wax a try.  Remember to only use the Paste Wax if your floors have a finish of a subtle sheen (as opposed to gloss or matte).  

I will paint anything. Really. But being totally honest, I was nervous to spray paint my bathroom faucet and tub fixtures. Thankfully, it was a HUGE success, and I can’t wait to show you the best way to spray paint a faucet and bathroom fixtures for a lasting finish!

I completed this tub fixture painting project months before writing this post so I could be sure the process actually works. I didn’t want to give you bad advice about spray painting faucets (or any other bathroom fixture, for that matter)!

I stand behind this process and the products used, and I believe this inexpensive painting project can be an integral part of updating any bathroom!

Spray Paint a Faucet: Supplies Needed

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.

To spray paint my bathroom fixtures as I show you in this post, these are the exact supplies I used.

• Lime-A-Way cleaner
• Comet cleaner
• Sponge
• Rubber gloves
• Sandpaper (I used 150 grit)
• Tack cloth
• Painters tape
• Masking film
• Rustoleum spray Automotive Primer
• Rustoleum Matte Finish Custom Shop automotive spray paint

How to Spray Paint a Faucet or Bathroom Fixtures

After I painted this bathroom’s bath tub, the tub fixtures looked even dingier and gross than they did before. I was hesitant to try and remove them because they were strongly caulked in place, and I was worried about disturbing old plumbing and causing problems for myself.

I worked up the courage to paint the tub fixtures, including the faucet, and I’m so glad I did! I was concerned that I’d accidentally get spray paint on my newly-painted tub or the shower tile, but it all worked out.

Step One: Clean the Faucet and Fixtures

As with any painting project, one of the most important things to do is clean the surface properly!

In this case I scrubbed the faucet and fixtures with Comet cleaner, and then followed up with Lime-A-Way to remove the calcium and lime buildup from the pieces.

The tub overflow plate was especially gross with tons of buildup, so I put that in a Ziploc bag and let it sit. The Lime-A-Way ate through the bag, but luckily I had it sitting on a plate so it didn’t ruin the table I had it sitting on! Just be careful if you use Lime-A-Way as it seems pretty caustic.

Step Two: Sand the Bathroom Fixtures

Once the fixtures were clean, I lightly sanded them with 150 grit sandpaper and then removed all of the dust with tack cloth.

Step Three: Protect the Surrounding Area

Next to cleaning the fixtures, protecting the surrounding surfaces is probably the second most important thing to do!

For this, I hung masking film from the shower ceiling and sides, and then carefully cut small holes to push the tub fixtures through. Once the fixtures were through the masking film, I taped up the rest of the film on the opposite wall.

Then I draped masking film over and into the bath tub, and taped that to the masking film on the walls.

This was sufficient to protect everything from overspray – thank goodness!

Step Four: Prime the Faucet and Fixtures

Now it’s prime time! For this step I sprayed the faucet, trim valve / handle, shower arm, and overflow plate with Rustoleum Automotive Primer. (Instead of painting the shower head, I purchased this matte black shower head, which I added to the shower arm after the fact.)

It dries very quickly, and I topcoated it (next step) within one hour of application. Note that if you don’t apply a topcoat within an hour, you’re supposed to wait 48 hours before topcoating.

Step Five: Spray Paint the Faucet and Bathroom Fixtures

And here is where the magic really started to happen! I spray painted the faucet and fixtures with Rustoleum Matte Finish Custom Shop spray paint in black.

I applied a light coat to everything, and recoated almost immediately. Unlike other spray paints I’ve used in the past, this spray paint allows you to recoat at any time.

Two coats of the automotive spray paint did the trick and covered the faucet and fixtures perfectly.

I let this dry for two days, which is longer than the spray paint can recommended. I figured better safe than sorry!

The spray painted finish is holding up absolutely perfectly on the tub faucet and fixtures. My kids use this tub/shower two times daily, so the paint finish is definitely getting a test.

Cleaning Spray Painted Faucets and Fixtures

Part of the secret to maintaining painted faucets and painted bath fixtures is using gentle cleaning products on them.

I clean both the painted bath tub and the painted fixtures with a mix of hot water and Mr. Clean concentrate, and apply with a sponge cloth. I wipe off water spots with a soft cloth and avoid using paper towels to clean these surfaces, as the paper fibers could scratch them (maybe?).

If these spray painted fixtures ever start to chip or flake, I will update this post. For now, everything looks amazing! If you’re looking to give your bathroom a low-cost update, consider spray painting the fixtures!