Kitchen Renovations IV

I love paint - it's the universal equalizer.... no matter how miss-matched something might look like when you start.....

give it a coat of paint - and it pulls it all together.....

This color happens to be one of my favorite - Rust-oleum Espresso - easy to spray and chocolaty rich - it covers almost anything in just one coat.

Finally - the cabinets are starting to come together!!!

I did find an article on line on how to remove paint from hardware.... at this site {http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/377801/removing_paint_from_metal_door_knobs.html?cat=6} - he recommended taking an old pot, placing water to cover the hardware - covering the bottom of the pot with baking soda and gently simmering the hardware for about 30 minutes - I tried this and it worked - - the paint pretty much peeled off.... took me about 4 hours to remove it from all the hinges and handles - and the last 30 minutes was tedious - as the concentration was getting pretty weak.....

My fingers got pretty raw towards the end - the secret was not to let the hinges cool off - or the paint re-adhered to the hinges.... or (as I found out towards the end of the process) - to let them simmer - then shock them with cold water and chip the paint off  - it would get brittle and flake off really easily then....

Not bad results for old hinges with 3 coats of paint..... pity I'm going right downstairs to repaint them...

I couldn't decide which color to paint the handles - so used a couple spares to try a few colors - I had originally thought to paint them brushed nickel - but didn't like the color - something about the hammered metal of the handles didn't work with the brushed nickel - nor did it work with the cafe au latte (the top color shown in this picture).... I think the black looks the best.... which, incidentally, is the color I just spent the last 4 hours removing....

In my defense - the old paint was peeling and built up - - - this new coat will look fresh and new....

or so I will keep telling myself so that I won't kick myself across the house....

while all this has been drying - I've finished painting the last of the cabinet doors - and gone over the house and painted the cabinets themselves (I'll take pictures and post them soon).....

not too long and the cabinets will be done.... Eddie's almost done with the floor - - I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.......