When we moved into our new home in September 2021, we hit the ground running when it came to renovations and the kitchen was no exception. By the end of October we had repainted every room in the house AND completely transformed the kitchen cabinets, cleaning, sanding, priming and repainting the existing wood into a cream and deep blue masterpiece. When our household goods were delivered, it included items that had been in storage for YEARS which included a red Kitchenaid mixer Mr. Harbin had purchased for me as an anniversary gift about 9 years earlier.
Side note: Shameless plug for Kitchenaid - these things are amazing! After sitting in a storage unit for 6 years, all it took was some soapy water and one quick run of the bowl and accessories through the dishwasher and it was good to go.
While red is a great color, once the kitchen was finished, the bold mixer was more of a distraction than anything else. We could have put it in one of the lower kitchen cabinets but that would take up valuable space and it wouldn't get used near as often (something about moving it EVERY. TIME. you want to use it is way too much work). So instead, we decided to repaint it a different color to make it an asset to the kitchen instead of an eyesore. All it takes is some sandpaper, a couple of cans of spray paint, and an afternoon.
What you need:
Kitchenaid mixer
Sandpaper - 220 grit
Painters tape
Spray paint - color of your choice
Spray paint - gloss
Drill with bit OR screwdriver
Here's what we're starting with - again, great machine, cool color, just not quite right anymore. First things first, give it a quick cleaning to remove any leftover evidence of cookies, pies, or whatever yumminess you make. Then grab your drill or screwdriver and remove any pieces that come off - the motor cover at the back, the metal "kitchenaid" band, the silver bowl attachment at the bottom. Be careful to not lose your screws!
We started sanding before we taped everything off and we don't recommend it...there was potential to scratch up the remaining silver parts that we didn't want painted so we stopped, taped everything, and then finished sanding. So take heed and tape everything that doesn't come off first - the silver attachment pieces, the speed and up/down levers on either side, the motor. Tape the cord as well!
Grab some 220 sandpaper and start sanding. Don't worry, you aren't trying to get it down to bare metal, just trying to remove the glossy factory finish, keep it even, and rough up the metal enough to give the paint something to adhere to. Fair warning, there will be plenty of dust (red dust in our case) that will go everywhere so prep your space and dress accordingly.
Once you've sanded all the old color down and the glossy finish is gone, it's time to remove the dust and paint! We used a brush to knock the majority of the dust off and a tack cloth to pick up any wayward particles.
Pick a space that's well ventilated but also somewhere that won't have a lot of dust/pollen/bugs in the air. Spray painting on a windy day is not recommended.
Our workbench has locking casters, so we rolled it in the driveway for the actual painting and then rolled it back in the garage to dry.
We used Rust-oleum Ultra Cover Paint+Primer in Smokey Beige (we had Blossom White as a backup but didn't end up using it) and the Clear Gloss as the topcoat.
This takes longer than you think! The key is to spray light coats. It's better to have a thin coat that doesn't completely cover than a thick coat that runs. So spray a light coat and let it dry according to what your can of spray paint says. Once it's dry, lightly sand to even things out and scuff up the paint for the next coat and repeat the process. Don't forget to occasionally put the mixer in the "up" position or you'll miss a few spots. It took us about 6 light coats of the beige color to evenly cover the red.
Once you're happy with your new color, it's time to add the glossy top coat to make it shiny. The process is the same - lightly sand, apply a light coat of the gloss, let it dry, repeat. We used almost the whole can of gloss with several thin coats to get it looking perfect.
When you either a) are happy with how glossy your "new" mixer is or b) run out of glossy spray paint, it's time to let everything dry for one last time. Remove the painters tape, reattach the back motor cover, reinstall all the silver pieces and knobs you took off at the beginning, and put your custom-cored Kitchenaid mixer in its place of honor on your counter. Now go make something yummy in your "new" mixer!
If you update your appliance, we'd love to see it! Tag us @reddesignedinteriors and #reddesignedfurniture #reddesignedtutorials. Happy painting!
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