Picking up where I left off with the kitchen, we had just installed the countertops & backsplash and were eagerly awaiting our SemiHandmade doors & drawer fronts. Well, I was beyond ecstatic that they arrived just in time for Thanksgiving and I am freaking out over how good they turned out.

cabinet doors by SemiHandmade // smitten studioLike I mentioned before, SemiHandmade is a company that makes high quality custom doors and drawer fronts to fit Ikea cabinetry. This allows you to get the look of a custom kitchen for less. The style that we chose is called the DIY Shaker, which is one of the options they offer that comes unstained/unpainted. The picky color fiend in me was thrilled because it meant I got to choose the exact hue I wanted.

cabinet doors by SemiHandmade // smitten studioAll the sordid details, a little blood, sweat, & (happy) tears, and more photos after the jump…

Originally we were going to paint the doors & drawer fronts ourselves. I researched spray guns, and read up on different DIY techniques, but in the end we hired a professional. By the time I factored in the price of the sprayer and considered all the time it would take me, it turns out hiring the professional ended up being more cost effective and it also saved me from pulling out my hair over the thought of messing it all up! The DIY maven in me was sad to give it up but in this case it just made sense.

cabinet doors by SemiHandmade // smitten studioYou may remember I was loving the idea of painting the base cabinets a dark color. I ended up picking some paint samples up of some of my favorite Farrow & Ball shades that I thought would be the winners (Railings & Studio Green). I also picked up the one you see, Pigeon, kind of on a whim.

The way I decided on my color was I fully painted big foam core boards, one for each color, which created a large color swatch that I could move around and see how the light effected it in different areas of the kitchen. After living with the three jumbo color swatches in the space for a few days, “Pigeon” surprised us as the winner (we picked “Wimborne White” for the top cabinets).

cabinet doors by SemiHandmade // smitten studioIt took us one full day to put on all the SemiHandmade doors and drawer fronts and we were able to follow the Ikea instructions without too many swear words uttered (at least on my end).

cabinet doors by SemiHandmade // smitten studioThe drawer fronts snapped in quick like lightning but hanging the doors and adjusting the hinges took a bit of time (I volunteered to handle the drawers :)).

cabinet doors by SemiHandmade // smitten studioSemiHandmade also made us this custom panel that covers the back of the cabinets.

cabinet doors by SemiHandmade // smitten studioSo there they are! What do you think? There is still a ways to go but I think it’s starting to shape up. Is anyone else exhausted?

Still to do in the kitchen: 1. take down another wall (we just got the approved permits. woo hoo! Details to come) 2. find some pretty hardware 3. find new lighting. 4. extend the countertop & cabinets into the extended kitchen 5. paint the toe-kicks 6. finish the base moulding.

Product Sources: Doors & Drawer fronts by SemiHandmade // Cabinets from Ikea // Faucet by Brizo // Dining Table by Organic Modernism // Rug by The Rug Warehouse // Stools by Organic Modernism // Butterfly Chair & Dining Chairs are vintage // Cabinet paint colors: Pigeon & Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball // Floor Stain Color is Ebony by Minwax

To see the kitchen before look here.
To see all of the renovation progress look here.

Images by Sarah Sherman Samuel

  • Julia

    Ooooh! Pretty! That color is fantastic!! Looks great against the marble counter tops!

  • Absolutely love it!!! The color choice is perfect and I love how everything is coming together perfectly.. oh and that chair? Yes please!!

  • oh i LOVE the color and i am dying over the eat in area. that table is amazing! it’s all perfect!

  • Margo

    It looks great! Fantastic, understated colour. Very nice with the wooden furniture too.
    I must admit, when you showed the pictures of the house, I couldn’t understand why you would want to leave your previous house for this, but it’s all making sense now 😀

  • Mailinh

    Sooooo….lovely! So simple, yet chic.

  • When I first came across your blog I fell in love with your cabin kitchen, and I have fallen in love all over again with this one! You guys are doing a fantastic job!

  • Kristina

    Sweet christ in a croptop these are gorgeous. Thank you (damn you) for bringing semi-handmade into my life. Not that I have a kitchen to outfit yet, but the fact that I now know that they exist is…just so awesome.

  • Love the choice in color. Keep up the good work…you’re my inspiration!

  • Wow that looks great!! You’re right, it wouldn’t have been my first pick just seeing it on a color swatch either but it really plays up the subtle grays in your granite plus it allows the kitchen to remain bright and beautiful! I’ll have to consider semihandmade when I eventually have my own home (ugh so sick of renting!!)

  • Those look amazing! I love the color

  • Mozonte

    Divertido Y ala vez sencilla la forma en la que puedes hacer de tu hogar un lugar espectacular muy bonita la decoración,

  • Your kitchen looks fantastic… Love the color choice for your cabinets.

  • Julia2

    I just painted my cabinets, but now seeing yours…I might just have to paint them again! I love how bright the house is now with your changes!

  • Wow! It’s all really coming together. I can imagine your sigh of relief after living with cabinet fronts.

  • haha Margot! Believe me, I totally know what you mean. I was a bit wary myself. It was hard moving from brand new construction to a dumpy little house, but I think the potential is here. Plus to have a backyard and a separate studio space definitely makes up for a lot.

  • Hi Julia(2), I think it may be addictive! I am already wondering if maybe we should paint the top cabinets the same green color instead of the white. I like how bright the white keeps it but with all the walls already white maybe the green will be a nice color block. Oh decisions…. 🙂

  • Wow! I love how this turned out. Pigeon looks great with your faucet. A really nice color palette!

  • I can’t get over how amazing your place looks already!! Especially compared to the way it looked when you started… you are doing such a fantastic job!!
    xo Andrea
    Wonderful and Marvelous

  • The kitchen looks so dreamy! I’m loving that greeny-grey color for cabinets right now, and the marble? Yes please!
    Can’t wait to see more!

    Love Holly
    http://www.houseinthesouth.com

  • Those cabinets and that color?! Perfection!

  • looks amazing of course. And the cabinet color is just so soothing. You’ll be really happy that you had someone else paint them, I bet it’ll hold up much better over time. 🙂

  • It’s looking AMAZING!! Hard to believe this house was soooo different just a couple months ago! WOW! 😀 Loving every step of the way with you guys!

  • megan

    LOVE the cabinet color! great choice

  • such a soft pretty color. your hard work is paying off!

  • Fiona

    I love the colour of the lower cabinets and your so clever getting those custom doors on the ikea cabinets, one question I have though for you is why didn’t you make the benchtop come out wider over your bar stools so you can sit with your legs under it? 🙂

  • Hi Fiona. Thank you! It’s hard to tell but the countertop does hangover so that you can sit there with the stools. I didn’t want it to jut too far into the living room since we are right on space so we kept it to an 8″ overhang. It has worked great. 🙂

  • I LOVE the color of your cabinets! It’s my favorite shade of green. It is coming together so beautifully!

  • Kelly

    adore this kitchen! i’m curious – what did the painting process entail and what type of paint did your painter use? lacquer? clear finish coat? very very nice work!

  • Sheila

    I love love love how the kitchen turned out so far. Love your style!! Though, it is your jeans that caught my eye, would you mind sharing where your jeans are from?

  • OH THANK YOU!!! This is the resource i was waiting for… to find a way to have the IKEA cabinet doors/drawers with a better quality and that would allow us to paint them in a diff color YAY!!! you have no idea how your beautiful project has help me… so excited!!! I love your kitchen and soon I’ll love mine too 🙂

  • You seriously should consider flipping houses or working as an interior decorator. You have such a flair for it!

  • Oh I just love how they came out! That color is gorgeous. It’s funny because I would normally peg that color for a “americana” type color only (my grandmother loves americana and I think she’s used a very similar color several times), but I actually ADORE it in a more modern type setting – so lovely!

  • […] the subject include this one on the painted floors in her studio and this one on the progress in the kitchen (The marble. The floor colour. That table. Those chairs. And that’s the sink we’re […]

  • Snapb

    Love your aesthetic! I like how the uppers blend in with the walls, try holding off on putting hardware on them, you may like the look.

  • Laura Ford

    Can you share what marble countertop that is? Beautiful!

  • Jane

    this is just fantastic. I LOVE it. You have great taste, thanks for the inspiration.

  • 5 Options to Upgrade Your IKEA Kitchen Cabinets | Steal Mag

    […] more of Smitten’s Studio kitchen cabinets on Remodelista here and on Smitten Studio here. Copyright 2005 – 2013 Poppytalk. All Rights Reserved […]

  • […] more of Smitten’s Studio kitchen cabinets on Remodelista here and on Smitten Studio here. Copyright 2005 – 2013 Poppytalk. All Rights Reserved […]

  • Amy

    Hi Sarah. The cabinets are perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing. Question…what paint finish was used to get that matte look? It looks so much better than some painted cabinets that look plastic.

  • (Sorry I’m late to the game – just found your kitchen via the Remodelista article!) The cabinets are gorgeous! You’ve inspired me to do the “ikea hack” with Semihandmade fronts. Quick question – did you get panels custom painted for the sides of the cabinets flanking the sink? Thanks!

  • Summer Simmons

    Hi there!
    Your kitchen is gorgeous. I need to have a bathroom vanity professionally painted and I wondered if you would refer me to who ever did your Kitchen Cabinets. Thanks so much!

    Summer Simmons

  • […] found a great reno overview via Remodelista, with more IKEA cabinet hacking and painting. Turned out great. It’s the […]

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    Ready to assemble cabinets comes with a vast selection of kitchen cabinets available in all types of wooden frames. Just need to be clear with your requirements and they get assembled according to your kitchen dimensions.

  • Olessia

    Hi there,
    We are renovating our home and considering to get Ikea kitchen, but would like to uprate the cabinets doors like you did. Some of them will be off white and some of them darker color. Just thinking if I should paint the sides of cabinets too… i will get doors and drawers spray professional but what should i do with the rest???:( trimming and sides…
    Help please !

  • Olessia

    And one more question, the color you have on the top door cabinets, how is it with the base of cabinets?

  • […] Grace’s Brass Pendant Lights // Blue-Gray Glass Backsplash Tiles at Deep Thoughts by Cynthia // Smitten Studio’s Kitchen Remodel // Gold Faucet & Brass Pendant // Adding Corbels Under Cabinets // Grayish Blue Cabinets with […]

  • Val

    Love your kitchen. I am planning on using Ikea cabinets and Semihandmade doors in my kitchen remodel. I was hoping you could help me out by letting me know 1) what size Ikea cabinet did you use under the sink 2) what farmhouse style sink did you use (name and size)? Thank you. Also, was the cabinet retro fitted to fit the sink?

    Thanks,
    Val

  • Juli

    I have a question. I am thinking of going the same route. How were your cabinets painted? primed and two coats of semi-gloss sprayed?

  • Wow your pictures are gorgeous. The doors look great and the finished product with the counter top is very amazing. Good choice on color!!!

  • Jennifer

    Question on the cabinets you bought. I see you can get just the boxes for the uppers and some lower cabinets but did you buy ones with drawer fronts on them for the cabinets with drawers and then remove/replace them with the semihandmade fronts? Just want to make sure I order the right thing. I want to do a bank of cabinets with drawers only. Thanks.

  • JEMMA

    Hi Sarah, i couldn’t see from reading your post, but did you get your sink from Ikea too? And was it the single 25″ one?
    Thanks very much, your kitchen looks amazing, and making us feel very good about our Ikea/Semihandmade decision!
    thanks!

  • Maz

    Hi Sarah. I’ve just come across your stunning kitchen on Pinterest. This is a long shot but by any chance do you know of a similar company to semi handmade in the UK? We live in London and on a budget but I’m keen to make our new home as individual as possible! Thanks, Maz

  • Hi Sarah,

    It’s a nice look. Clearly you don’t have kids though huh? Ha!

  • jennifer french

    Hi-

    I LOVE the color of the cabinets and want to do similar (we are doing semihandmade), BUT, does it matter that the ikea boxes are white [as are the edges of the boxes] and the cabinets are a different color- can you see through / does it bug you?

    PS. Can you please post a link to where you talk about spray painting the cabinets yourself – we are in the midst of trying to work out IF we can do it ourselves and would love to hear your POV.

    Thank you!!!

    • sarah

      Hi Jennifer! You don’t see the white. ans yes! Posting my painting process next week! X

  • Jen Matherne

    I am planning our renovation now and we definitely are doing IKEA with Semihandmade. We are debating between the DIY Shaker and the thermofoil Shaker. We were wondering how well your (both your DIY version and the “pro” painted version) have held up. I’ve read that almost all paint chips, scratches, shows expansion cracks within three years, but I can’t seem to find a person with actual experience to tell me!

    • sarah

      Hi Jen!
      Mine have held up beautifully. Farrow and ball is such great quality paint! The only place in the entire kitchen that shows some wear is the garbage pull out panel. That one gets so much use. The paint is starting to wear off showing a small line on the top front edge.

  • Shannon

    Hi Sarah. Any chance you could give me a ball park number of the cost to paint the cabinet doors/drawers professionally? I just got a quote for our cabin in Tahoe with a similar sized kitchen at it was $4,200. I am still in shock! Does this seem reasonable? They like to price gouge in the area but just wanted to compare. Thanks!!

  • Janie

    You’re kitchen is perfection! We just installed our Ikea cabinets and are ordering custom doors as well. Can you give me any tips how you extended your doors under the domsjo sink and got rid of that panel. I would love to know how you accomplished this!

  • Rebecca Lowe

    Wondering if you could tell me where are the pretty hardware is from. Is it Ikea too? I love the colors! Thank you!

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