Do You Paint Inside of Cabinets? 

If you’re painting your cabinets you may be wondering, “do you paint inside of cabinets?” If this is you, you probably want to do a thorough job but also don’t want to waste your time if a step isn’t needed. 

For the most part, most people don’t need to. But there are exceptions where it would really add a lot to your kitchen to do so. 

In this article I’ll help you figure out when you should paint inside of your cabinets, and when you can skip it.

So grab your paint brush and let’s get started!

Do You Paint Inside of Cabinets?

There’s no hard and fast rule over whether you should paint your cabinets or not. In my experience, it’s usually not needed except for in a few specific situations. I’ve outlined the most common scenarios when you really should paint inside your cabinets below:

When to paint inside cabinets

1. When your cabinet doors are glass or another see-through material. With glass doors, the inside of your cabinet is just as visible as your kitchen walls. In this case, it makes sense to paint inside your cabinets. 
2. When you have open-face cabinets. Open-face cabinets are trendy, but they can look cluttered if you don’t pay attention to details like organization and paint color. Painting inside your cabinets will help your open-face cabinets look intentional and organized.
3. To create contrast and visual depth: If you have open-front cabinets, you can create a custom look by painting the inside with a contrasting paint to the outside of the cabinet. I did this in my cabinet refresh. Check it out here!
4. To have a uniform, cleaner look. Maybe the insides of your cabinets aren’t visible to anyone but you. You may still want to paint inside of your cabinets if having a uniform paint job helps you feel better. It’s your kitchen, you should like the way it looks!

Why you may not want to paint inside of cabinets

I see 3 main reasons you may want to skip this project: 

1. Cost: Painting another surface will cost you more! You have to buy more primer, more paint, and even more paint brushes!
2. Time: it takes several steps and time to complete the painting process. If the insides of your cabinet are not visible, this may not be the best use of your time. 
3. Your cabinet interiors are not visible. If you’re not able to showcase your hard work, it’s understandable you may not want to bother. 

The most obvious example is if you have cabinet doors that close (and aren’t glass). But this could also include having very full cabinets or cabinets in a less visible part of your home. 

How to paint inside of cabinets

I painted the inside of my open-face cabinets and did a full write-up with instructions and a before-and-after. Check it out here. 

Choosing the right color

Choosing the right color for your kitchen cabinets can feel complicated. Colors can really affect the mood and feel of a room, after all. 

If you need some ideas to get started, check out my guides to timeless kitchen cabinet colors and the trendiest kitchen cabinet colors for 2024.

For just painting inside the cabinets, you’d do okay going after a trendy color, since it’s a small project and easy to re-do. But if you’re really unsure, stick with one of the classics!

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, it’s up to you if you want to paint inside your cabinets. In my experience, it’s worth it for open-face cabinets, glass-front cabinets, or similar situations. I’ve used strategic paint in open-face cabinets to create focal points for a room and it’s always striking!

If you have closed-door cabinets in a low-traffic area, you may not want to save the time and energy and skip painting inside them. 

I believe your home can be a reflection of your personality and artistic spirit. That’s why it’s up to you if you want to go the extra mile to paint inside your cabinets. 

That’s also why I share my home DIY projects with you–to help you bring an artistic touch to your homes, while still staying practical (and on budget!). 

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