The Cabinet Queen

09/14/2026

I wrapped up this alder island makeover on Sunday!!! I’ve been a busy bee and forget to post projects.

Color is SW Navel
Primer: Novalk 917b
Topcoat: CIC Hydrobond 2K

🔥🔥🔥

08/15/2026

This refinish completely changed the look of the kitchen! Color: SW Oak Moss. Wow!

07/28/2026

This space turned out GORGEOUS! Big thanks to Teresa Lipsey Designs for your vision and for trusting me to do the work on the cabinets! Your designs are always spot on!!! It’s soo pretty!

Cabinet color: SW 9660 Tarragon
Cabinet primer/topcoat Novalk USA 917b + 932

07/14/2026

Who can relate? Oh my the lessons I’ve learned over the last decade! What’s your biggest goof you made when you started your business? You don’t know until you know…..

07/08/2026

07/06/2026

4 years ago, I was challenged to start masking frames vs rolling them. I rolled frames for 4 years before that because masking is SCARY! Why?!?! Because what if I get paint on a fridge? On the floor? On the ceiling? On the counters? I always saw it as too much risk. And I loathe wrapping christmas presents; this is really just wrapping a very large present!!

With some encouragement from my fellow painters, I allowed the fear to turn me into a brave perfectionist. 😄 I learned to relax, trust the process and trust myself.

My goal is to be as thorough, efficient and neat as possible! Most kitchens take 2-3 days to mask and spray, and that means you don’t have to cook dinner! 😉 Here is what a masked kitchen looks like.

06/28/2026

Details matter!!
I’ve been working on oak this week-oak doors are incredibly porous and grainy. When paint is applied, you see EVERYTHING!! Look closely at photo #1 and 2. This photo was snapped after cleaning/initial sand/ one coat primer. So what’s next??? How do I make them pretty?

1) I use a “high solids primer” that is designed to adhere, fill in the pits and grain and also block wood tannins. But it doesnt just magically fill in and “wala! Smooth!”

2) After this initial prime, I take each door under an inspection light to slowly sand the primer into the grain, then the doors get another round of primer and another round of sanding. Times that by 35 pieces! Some doors take up to 30min each to sand. Add that to the amount of time already spent cleaning and sanding before primer! Ive tried so many primers, and many ways of filling in oak over the years, and this is what I found to be the best.

3) it takes a ton of arm and back strength, patience and perseverance!! Imagine 8 hours a day, 4 days a week of straight sanding.

Thats my job! Is it worth the extra $$ to hire a Professional Refinisher who specializes in cabinets vs a painting company who specializes in interior/exterior? YES. You might get quotes that are several thousand dollars apart. That’s because the lower bids don’t take the extra time to do things such as this..
And consider how much space your cabinets take up in your kitchen. They are the main event! ⭐️

Would you want a tile company to put on a new roof? NO.
That’s how different painting walls and painting cabinets are!!
Photo 2 is sanding under the light, and photo 3 is the end result after 2 rounds of primer and sanding. Crazy, right? Please, zoom in!

06/28/2026

These doors were not easy, but they turned out beautifully! Hire a true refinisher, someone who has the knowledge, exprience, training, and is willing to do the extra work to give you a lasting, gorgeous finish.

06/17/2026

New builds/Home Depot/lacquer finishes! Let’s talk about it!
What these photos show is a classic example of a factory-applied lacquer failing finish. It’s a VERY COMMON FINISH on cabinets!
Lacquer is: cheap, fast drying, easy to spray, can look nice….but it’s also soft, less chemical resistant, and more prone to chipping especially around high moisture areas. It’s also extremely difficult to touch up due to how “chippy” they are.

Enter The Cabinet Queen! We are sanding these babies down to bsre wood and starting over with a 1K/2K system! This is the only appropriate professional move to give our clients a durable, lasting, beautiful finish. Stay tuned!!!

05/21/2026

This kitchen refresh pushed me to new heights!!! But the transformation is truly remarkable!!! What made it challenging?

-50 Heavy, solid oak doors (largest ones weighed almost 20lb each!)
-all arched with tight profiles
-5 glass doors and 2 spindles that were previously coated with an oil base paint, so they had to be fully stripped/sanded down so I could start over!
-Each frame box had 1-3 oak shelves that were attached to the frame and had to be individually painted. I did not count but it was well over 50 shelves.

⭐️ It’s a good thing I love a challenge, and it’s a great thing I had the most wonderful, kind, amazing clients! ⭐️

What do you think? (These aren’t official after photos!) but I couldn’t help but snap a few 🙂