DIY Cabinet Make Over

My kitchen cabinets suck.  There is really no other way to put it.  They are hard wood, perfectly functional but they are as ugly as a mud fence.  Since I haven't had the money for a large cabinet re-do, I have solved the problem with cabinet skirts.  It makes the kitchen more palatable and they can be changed out at the drop of the hat.

The plus is, you are not tied down to any particular style and it is great if you rent and are not allowed to implement drastic changes.  Just tack up a slim valence rod over each door and attach your curtain.

 One of the best curtain materials I have found are these cheap plastic flannel backed tablecloths.  They are sold for every conceivable holiday at every dollar store out there.   They run about $4 a tablecloth and 2 or three of them will curtain the most abysmal cabinets.   (It is a good idea for you first outing to buy an extra tablecloth just in case.  Also, read the tablecloth dimensions very carefully.  I once tried this and found I had one 54 inch and one 70 inch tablecloth so I was short a curtain!)

My cabinets as with most, are about 36 inches high.  There is a slight overhand from the counter and you want the curtain to be a bit off the floor.  This means that a length of 34 inches for the curtain is about right.  Most tablecloths come in lengths of 70 inches which means that all you need to do is cut the tablecloth in half and you will have two 35 inch pieces.   Just sew a narrow, straight 1/2 seam across the top and you are good to go.

This plastic is both easily cut and easily sewn.  There is no need to hem as the plastic doesn't ravel.  The edges of these tablecloths are whip stitched.  I try to use stitched edges as the bottom.  This is not a big problem as long as you have nondescript flowers but if you find yourself with jaunty little penguins, one curtain will have an unstitched edge as the penguins are all going the same way.

Still, this is an easy and inexpensive way to brighten up any kitchen.