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You have seen them. Every old kitchen/house seems to have those old, stained, run down cabinet doors that scream "we haven't been cleaned in ages". Some times the most heavy-weight cleaning jobs won't do the trick. Or simply, they need a new look.
So that's what I did the other weekend. My rented apartment is ancient and it's not more obvious than from its old style doors and cabinets. The one in my kitchen was brown, stained from years of oil and food spills, and its color stuck out in my modernistic grey-white theme. While painting it over was an option, I decided to go with something totally different.
Enter wallpaper sticky decals. I bought a few sheets off Amazon, in a grey exposed-brick look. Full disclosure, I did sit on my ass for the longest time avoiding the actual work.
Using these wallpaper decals isn't the easiest DIY.
Here's the step-by-step directions on how to use self-adhesive decals on your cupboards.
Step 1: Buff and clean the area they're gonna be on
You want to use a solution of vinegar-water to get all the built-up gunk off. The cleaner the surface, the more lasting the decal will be. Let dry.
Step 2: Take the measurement of the door precisely with a ruler or measuring tape.
Step 3: Paint the border of the cabinet door if needed. I painted mine black as the brown wouldn't have gone with the grey wallpaper.
Step 3: Cut the decal in the exact measurement that you'd taken of the cabinet door. Ensure that you make a notch for the door handle exactly as that has the potential to make it look a botch job.
Step 4: Get the alignment right before pressing down
Now hovering the decal over the intended place, get the alignment right and place, pressing with a firm hand. Run a comb or a flat surface lengthwise top-bottom on top of the decal to smoothen out the kinks.
Step 5: Cut off any stray run-offs with a blade or scissors.
This is the last and the finishing step. Smooth out the kinks and 'bubbles', cut off loose ends and overruns. Clean up around the area.
Enjoy your new kitchen/room!
