I’m a DIY expert – how I transformed the ugly space above my kitchen cabinets into extra storage
IF the empty spaces above your kitchen cabinets are going unused, listen to one DIY expert’s advice and revamp them into a genius storage solution.
The incredible kitchen makeover transformed wasted space into a convenient place to store appliances, bowls, cookbooks, and more.
DIY genius Astin Hancock walked her 46.7k TikTok followers through the project, which she said was surprisingly simple.
“Do you hate that empty spot above your cabinets?” Hancock asked in the caption of the clip. “It’s easier than you think to fill it in with additional cabinet boxes.”
The main components of the impressive do-it-yourself solution were pieces of plywood, a drill, screws, and paint, which gave both the cubbies and the cabinets a facelift.
“I just built some plywood boxes, installed them up there, and then added some trim,” Hancock said, before giving viewers a closer look at the process.
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To start, she measured the area above the cabinets. Though Hancock crafted boxes to custom-fit her space, you could also use pre-assembled storage crates, available at many hardware stores.
Next, Hancock made sure the boxes fit snugly between the cabinets, walls, and ceiling before she screwed them into place.
Once the boxes were secured, she then affixed the trim to the front with help from her daughter. Before she primed and painted everything, she removed her cabinet doors.
“So I only used a brush and roller on the boxes,” she explained in the comments. “I took the doors off and sprayed them for a smoother finish.”
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After she painted the cabinets a sage green, Hancock was left with a cohesive look and a kitchen update that looked like a professional renovation.
The new cabinets looked great with the epoxy countertop and new backsplash she added in as part of the kitchen revamp.
Hancock also encouraged fellow DIY fans to experiment with their own versions of the project. You aren’t required to stick with easy-access cubbies like hers, she said.
“You could always add doors to them if you want them closed off to store things you may not use often,” Hancock explained.
In the comments section, viewers praised the DIY, and several people said they were amazed by the results.
“I had such low expectations,” one viewer confessed. “I did not trust the process and that was my mistake.
But when the viewer saw the before and after photos, her mind was changed. “I GASPED when I saw the finished product,” she added.
“That’s an amazing DIY transformation,” another commenter wrote in approval. “Love when people have good ideas to take advantage of previously wasted space.”