How to Refresh Bathroom Cabinets

As you get ready to refresh your bathroom cabinets, take some time to think about what you want them to look like. Do you want to paint them another color? Upgrade the hardware? Organize the interior?

The tools and materials you’ll need for each task will vary.

For painting, you’ll need:

• Paint
• Paint brushes
• Drop cloth
• Painter’s tape
• Sandpaper or sanding sponge
• Screwdriver
• Gloves
• Safety mask

To replace cabinet hardware, you’ll need:

• Screwdriver
• Cabinet door handles
• Drawer pulls
• Hinges

To organize cabinets and drawers, you’ll need:

• Drawer liners or peel-and-stick wallpaper
• Drawer dividers
• Organizers

A coat of paint or two can completely transform your bathroom vanity. As you shop for paint colors, also think about the type of paint you want to use. Oil-based paints are better for humid rooms like bathrooms. This paint type takes longer to dry, though. If you need paint that will dry more quickly, try mildew-resistant latex paint. For best results, plan to sand and prime your bathroom cabinet before painting.

Before you paint, decide if you want to update the cabinet hardware. If not, choose a paint color and finish that works well with the existing drawer pulls and cabinet handles. If you are upgrading the hardware, you’ll want to think about how it will look with the new paint. Spend some time looking at how well the handles and knobs you like go with the paint colors you’re considering.

Whatever color you decide on, you’ll need to remove the cabinet hardware with a screwdriver before you start painting. You’ll also want to use a drop cloth to cover the floor around the cabinet. Use painter’s tape to protect the perimeter of the vanity, the inside of the cabinets and the top of the counter. Preventing paint from dripping onto the bathroom floor and countertop is a lot easier than removing it afterward.

To paint the cabinet doors and drawers, you can leave them in place or remove them. Your paint job will go more quickly if you don’t paint the doors and drawers separately. However, removing them will let you cover the base of the vanity and the drawers and doors more thoroughly. Let the paint dry completely before you put the doors and the drawers back and replace the hardware.

Whether or not you plan to paint your bathroom vanity or cabinets, you can switch out the hardware. Replacing the handles and drawer pulls can give your bathroom cabinets a whole new style. While you’ll typically see knobs on cabinet doors and handles on drawers, these two types of hardware can be used interchangeably.

Give your bathroom cabinet a more modern feel with sleek handles and pulls in brushed nickel or chrome. For a timeless look, try classic hardware in finishes like matte black, satin nickel or antique brass. If the cabinets you’re updating are in a bathroom used primarily by kids, novelty hardware is a fun touch. If they love a particular sport, you can get knobs shaped like basketballs, soccer balls or baseballs.

Cabinet hardware prices vary, from value packs to lux options. Whatever look you like, you should be able to find cabinet hardware that fits your budget.

Switching the knobs and pulls is a straightforward DIY project that most people can do themselves. Before shopping for cabinet hardware, remove one of your current drawer pulls with a screwdriver. Once it’s off, measure the distance from the center of one of the screw holes to the center of the other screw hole in the drawer.

This center-to-center measurement is the size the replacement pull should be. If you get pulls that are a different size, you may have to cover up or repair the existing holes in the drawers and add new ones. Measure the pull from end to end to get the pull length. The pull length can be longer than the center-to-center measurement, but doesn’t have to be.

While you refresh your bathroom cabinets, take time to update the inside of them, too. You can give the drawer and cabinet interiors a new look with peel-and-stick wallpaper in a vibrant color or striking pattern. Dividers can split a drawer into smaller sections to encourage organization. Drawer and cabinet organizers come in different configurations. You can also use small baskets and containers to create your own system for keeping everything in place.

As you figure out how to refresh your bathroom cabinets, you might want to upgrade the sink fixtures, too. A new faucet and sink controls can elevate the look of the entire vanity.

Popular choices for bathroom fixtures are chrome and brass, which are both easy to clean. If you find a traditional look appealing, then you might like brass or bronze. As part of your update, you can install a faucet that can help you conserve water. Look for faucets that have a water sense label.

To replace the sink faucet without changing the countertop, you’ll need to choose a faucet with spacing and holes that match the existing faucet. You should also check the fit of the new faucet’s arc, which is how far above the sink the curve and spout of the faucet are.

Replacing the sink fixtures can be a DIY project. If you aren’t ready to tackle a plumbing project, however, you can hire a professional to work on your bathroom sink fixtures. The Home Depot offers faucet replacement services.