There aren’t many times in life when you need to take pictures of your cabinets. You know, photos that need to be more functional than beautiful. But, getting your kitchen cabinets painted is one of those times. Sure, you won’t be hanging these “before” pics on your wall, but at least you didn’t have to try to get your cabinets to smile. Or sit still. Really good cabinet pictures (and by good, I mean detailed and not magazine-worthy) are essential when getting a quote to paint your kitchen or bathroom cabinets. Having these pictures helps make the quote process faster and easier, so we can turn your dream project into a reality as quickly as possible.

Here’s the rundown on how to take pictures of your cabinets. Remember, these pictures don’t need to be like the ones in magazines or taken by professional realtors (that’s the “after” photos). You just need to capture the nitty gritty details so a quote can be tailored specifically for your project.

Lighting matters (but maybe not the way you think)

For these pictures you don’t need flattering light, you just need enough light so that the details of the cabinets are clear. Dark pictures make it difficult to distinguish details and see what we are working with. So, go turn on all your lights before you get started.

Grainy isn’t what we’re going for

Sometimes grain, when talking about wood, is a good thing. But it isn’t what we want for photos. Usually if the light is good, then the pictures are clear. Make sure that you do take a moment to focus the camera (okay, cellphone… who are we kidding) and then check to ensure the picture is not fuzzy before moving on to the next pic.

Did you get them all?

It is funny how we don’t really “see” elements of our everyday environment until we have a need to really examine them in detail. To make sure you get a complete quote the first time, it is critical to take pictures of ALL your cabinets and drawers. Sometimes it is easy to forget that there are additional cabinets and drawers on the opposite wall or down the hall that you want to include for your project.

The devil is in the details

The other pro tip for taking great pictures to get a cabinet painting quote is: make sure to get the edges. That is, be sure to take the picture so it shows where the cabinets meet the ceiling, walls and floors. Oh, and if you have any stand alone cabinets, like kitchen islands, you’ll want to ensure you get every side of those. If you have a cabinet or area that you have questions on or are concerned about (maybe where your puppy decided taste one of your cabinet doors), be sure to snap a close up of those areas. Having pictures like that makes it easier to identify other considerations for the quote.

Going the extra mile to take pictures of your cabinets

If you’re an overachiever or just like extra credit, then swing open your cabinet doors and take a picture of the inside of one of the cabinets. Do the same for your drawers and you’ll be a rockstar! Having pictures of the insides of cabinets and drawers make it easy to see what kind of hinges you have and how your drawers are put together.

Next stop – getting your cabinet painting quote

Follow this handy checklist to make sure you have everything you need ready to go when requesting a quote!

Type of Project

• Kitchen, Bathroom or Both?
• How many total doors?
• How many total drawers? (Yes, even ones that don’t open!)

Special Features

• Do you have tilt out sponge trays under your sink?
• Child security lock? (If your kids are now grown we can take them off!)
• Pull out or roll out shelves in your cabinets? If so, you’ll want to note which cabinets have them (those are good candidates for pictures with the cabinet doors open).

The Look You Want

• Do you know what look you want, or do you need help deciding?

Taking Photos

• Turn all your lights on! Bright pictures help show the details
• Make sure you take a picture of every door and drawer.
• Do you have an island? Make sure to snap a photo of every side!
• Take pictures of where the cabinets meet the wall or ceiling
• Extra credit! Take pictures inside at least one cabinet and drawer

Got all your info? Great! Now head on over to our quote form to send us your info so we can send you a quote to professionally paint your kitchen or bathroom cabinets!