Many kitchen updates start with new cabinets. This started with a problem. In a makeover shared by Instagram creator @tippyandpeashouseThe laminate finish on the kitchen cabinet doors began to bubble and lift from the surface after years of exposure to heat from nearby appliances.
Instead of replacing the cabinetry, she removed the failing laminate, mixed a custom paint color using French Paint, and updated the kitchen for a fraction of the cost of renovating.
The layout remained the same, but painted cabinetry and a new color palette gave the kitchen a different look. More than a year after the project was completed, the finish was still holding up without touch-ups, showing that repainting damaged cabinet doors can extend the life of an existing kitchen while the underlying structure remains in good condition.
Heat causes laminates to fail
The makeover began when the cabinet doors started showing signs of damage.
Parts of the laminate covering separated from the MDF underneath due to the heat generated from the kitchen appliances. Bubbles developed on some doors while other areas began to lift around the edges. What started as a few damaged spots eventually spread to multiple doors.
Once the laminate began to fail, patch repairs were no longer practical. The damage was noticeable throughout the kitchen and drew attention from the rest of the room. Replacing every cabinet door was expensive, especially since the cabinet box itself remained functional.
Instead of perceiving the problem as a reason to buy a new kitchen, she looked for a way to preserve what was already there.
Laminate had to come first
Before any painting could begin, the damaged surface had to be removed.
Using a hair dryer (Or you can try a head gun), she softened the adhesive behind the laminate and removed the covering from the cabinet doors. The process stripped down the MDF and removed the damaged finish.
According to the manufacturer, the first few doors were broken using an old hair dryer before it stopped working. A proper heat gun speeds up the process and makes removing the laminate much easier.
Patience was required at this stage, but it also removed the source of the problem rather than covering it with paint. By first removing the damaged layer, the cabinet doors were ready for a new finish.
The original wood-tone finish covers each cabinet
Before the makeover, the kitchen featured white subway tile, white countertops and a wood-look laminate finish paired with dark flooring.
Wood tones cover almost every cabinet door and drawer front, making it one of the dominant finishes in the room. While functional, the finish offered little contrast against surrounding surfaces and lacked the depth found in painted cabinetry.
The kitchen already had many features worth keeping. The subway tile backsplash remained in good condition, the countertops still work well, and the layout offers substantial storage. The cabinet finish became the biggest issue.
Removing the laminate opened the door for a different color palette without changing the kitchen structure.
A custom sage green replaced the wood tone
Instead of choosing an off-the-shelf cabinet color, she mixed her own shade using two paint colors: French Wise Old Sage and French Funky Doora
The end result fell somewhere between sage green and soft olive, creating a muted tone that works with white subway tile, white counters and dark flooring. Color introduces contrast without overpowering the room.
The manufacturer later shared that the cabinet was first painted a different color. After living with that choice for about a week, she decided it wasn’t right for the space and had the entire kitchen repainted using a custom blend.
That extra step paid off. The finish color became one of the most talked about parts of the makeover and helped set the kitchen apart from other painted cabinet projects.
The white subway tile stood out more
Before the makeover the kitchen already featured a classic white subway tile backsplash.
The tile blends into the background, along with the original wood-tone cabinets. After the cabinets received a new sage-green finish, the bright white tile became a stronger design feature.
The cabinet color helped frame the backsplash and created more contrast across the wall. Although the tile itself was never replaced, it became more noticeable once surrounded by darker cabinetry.
This is one reason why painted cabinet projects often have more impact than expected. An existing finish can take on a different look when the surrounding colors change.
The existing counters and appliances remained in place
One of the biggest cost-saving decisions involves keeping an existing kitchen intact.
The white countertops, stainless range hood, subway tile and appliance layout all remained in place. Instead of replacing expensive components, the project focused on replacing damaged surfaces.
The decision shows how many kitchen makeovers can be done without removing every key element. By focusing on cabinet doors, the project addressed the most visible problem while avoiding the cost and disruption of a full remodel.
The existing storage, work surfaces and kitchen footprint continued to function exactly as before.
Paint made the biggest difference
The change shows how much of an impact cabinet color can have in a kitchen.
No walls have been moved. Cabinets were not replaced. The footprint remained the same. Yet the kitchen looks remarkably different because the most visible surfaces have received a new finish.
The makeover started with distressed laminate and finished with painted cabinetry that extended the life of the existing kitchen. It also provides a practical solution for homeowners dealing with peeling thermofoil doors who aren’t willing to invest in a complete renovation.
What started as bubbling laminate became an opportunity to refresh the kitchen, preserve the existing layout, and avoid the cost of replacing an entire set of cabinets.
All credit goes to Instagram creator @tippyandpeashouse.
