Easy kitchen cabinet update with reeded glass window film
Over the past few months I’ve been adding more character to our kitchen. Some paint here, some wallpaper there…… all to refresh the kitchen and make it more cohesive with the rest of the house. Apparently I can’t just finish a space and leave it alone! I have to find some other ways to give it more pizazz and impact like this easy kitchen cabinet update with reeded glass window fillm.
DIY Kitchen cabinet update with window film
I was sitting in the family room when I looked over to the kitchen and saw that the hubs had placed several of the serving dishes in the wrong glass cabinets. The determination he must have had to get these oblong shaped dishes into a cabinet that it clearly wouldn’t fit in was astonishing. Let me add that I haven’t changed much of what’s inside these glass cabinets nor how they are styled since having the kitchen renovation completed in 2018!
Here is how the cabinets looked before the window film but after put everything in their proper place (~ side eye to my hubs). Then, how the cabinets looked after!
The only way to lessen the eye sore happening in the glass cabinets was to (A) knock out the cabinets and replace them with solid wood cabinetry or (B) replace the clear glass for an opaque glass. Neither of these options would be in my budget and let’s be honest, it wouldn’t help the long battle ahead in getting the hubs to place the dishes in their right places. So, I went with option (C) installing glass window film!
My experience with window film is extremely limited…as in nonexistent, but I was confident that it wouldn’t be too much trouble and along the lines of installing wallpaper. The reeded film looked great as soon as I unrolled a bit for a sneak peak. The spaces were smaller than I thought, but still looked good.
Check out the tutorial below for installing window film to a kitchen cabinet below and let me know what you think of the update.
How to install window film to a kitchen cabinet
The first thing I did was to buy 3 rolls of reeded window film from Amazon. I found what I thought would be a great fit for this project easily and the photo examples were beautiful. I mean for about $11.00 a roll it was a DIY I could try and wouldn’t cost me that much if I hated the results. It was love at first sight when I unrolled and saw the reeded effect.
Installation was easier than I thought too! The film has an installation process that only involves water and a drop of dish soap. Yes, dish soap! Check out the full step by step process below or catch the video tutorial (DIY Reeded Glass Cabinet Doors ) that I shared on instagram.
Video tutorial: DIY Reeded Glass Cabinet Doors
Tutorial for installing window film on kitchen cabinet doors
- Measure cabinet glass and add at least an inch to all sides. Cut window film to that size.
- Clean glass with glass cleaner or wipe down with rubbing alcohol.
- Remove the film backing and lay on the counter while you spray the glass with a mixture of 8oz water and a drop of dish soap (not hand soap!).
- Apply the window film to the glass and use a squeegee card or an old gift card to remove the bubbles. TIP: If you have a lot of bubbles then you didn’t use enough water. Add more water between the glass and the window film and continue to smooth out the bubbles.
- Use box cutter to carefully trim excess film.
- Clean up excess water with a paper towel or lint free cloth.
The end results are subtle yet it adds a much needed touch to the kitchen. You can use this DIY kitchen cabinet update with window film idea on glass insert doors and showers too. I would imagine this would look stunning if I had glass insert doors for the laundry room.
Would you give this quick update a try?
