Sherwin Williams Alabaster Kitchen Cabinets

Sherwin Williams Alabaster is a beautiful white color that can be used on kitchen cabinets, walls, and trim. If you’re looking for an elegant option that will stand out from the rest, then this cabinet paint color would work perfectly. SW Alabaster has been one of our most popular colors this year- and for good reason. Let’s find out why! 

Y’all, I have painted SO many kitchen cabinets these past few years AND I have used almost every color under the sun. Everything from Accessible Beige to Creamyand even Hale Navy!

But, I have to say, Sherwin Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) has to be my most requested paint color for kitchen cabinets. And it’s easy to see why! It’s a really great option when you’re looking for a good, clean white that’s not too stark and definitely not too warm.

For today’s project, I will be showing you how I transformed these dated honey oak cabinets from MEH to WOAH with a fresh coat of SW Alabaster White.

Tip: If you want some advice on how to paint your own oak cabinets, take a look at this helpful guide I put together full of tips and hacks to perfectly paint your oak cabinets.

Let’s goooooo!

What is the LRV of Alabaster?

Alabaster has an LRV (luminous reflectance value) of 82, which means that it reflects light easily and makes your kitchen seem brighter. While many tend to question if Alabaster has a yellow tinge to it, it really depends on the lighting. Even so, it has never look yellow to me, but more of an off-white, leaning more towards a creamier light beige.

Is Alabaster cool or warm?

Honestly, neither! That’s why so many people love it. It’s a perfect balance of color with subtle undertones and just the right amount of brightness.

I love it!

What color goes with Alabaster from Sherwin Williams?

For my clients, I typically match Alabaster with a lighter variant of the color. For instance, if they have SW Alabaster on their kitchen cabinets, I will paint the trim in something like SW White Rice (SW 60011), which is closer to an almond white or even semi-transparent Sherwin Williams Ecru (SW 70022).

I’ve also found that Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray pairs really well with alabaster and gives it a nice, clean look when used in a kitchen.

For this specific kitchen I am showing you today, the walls are painted in Sherwin Williams Anew Gray. The perfect color combination if you ask me!

Painted Oak Cabinets In SW Alabaster: Before & After

This kitchen has some amazing before and after photos! Everything received a much-needed facelift.

Details about my cabinet painting process can be found after the photos, so keep scrolling!

Let’s take a look at the major transformation, shall we?

Can you even believe that’s the same kitchen!? I’ve painted a lot of cabinets over the years, but this one just might be my favorite so far!

The night and day transformation from ugly, honey oak to beautiful, smooth white makes me so happy. Painting cabinets is tedious and labor-intensive, but getting the after photos makes it all worth it to me!

How I Painted These Alabaster Kitchen Cabinets

I know there are no less than one milllllion blog posts out there on how to paint kitchen cabinets…but 99% of the posts I’ve read are…

well, I hate to just come out and say it, but I guess I will…

They’re B. A. D.

Pinterest is filled to the brim with pretty pictures boasting, “no sanding, no priming” tutorials for cabinet painting.

It gives me heartburn.

A quality paint job that will last can be attributed to the amount of effort put into the cleaning, sanding and priming phases. That’s the long and short of the story.

So, I wanted to show you how to PROPERLY paint these oak-colored cabinets with Sherwin Williams Alabaster White!

1. Disassemble all of the doors and drawers in the kitchen.
2. Thoroughly scrub every square inch with TSP/hot water solution and spray Nine degreaser.
3. Wipe down with clean water after scrubbing clean.
4. Thoroughly sand off the existing finish with an electric sander (not to bare wood, but sand off all the shine).
5. Vacuum the dust and wipe with Denatured Alcohol. Then, wipe with a tack cloth.
6. Prime with an oil-based or shellac-based primer (normally I spray doors/drawers and brush the frames).
7. Sand primer smooth once dry then clean up all dust.
8. Caulk and fill holes/cracks, dents, and dings.
9. Spot prime places that you filled then sand smooth again.
10. Apply the first coat of paint.
11. Sand with 400 grit after it’s dry and then, clean up the dust.
12. Apply a second coat of paint.
13. Reassemble and you are done!

Are you ready to paint your kitchen cabinets in Alabaster?

As you can see…there are many steps you need to take before the actual painting occurs. And these steps are so crucial!

So crucial, in fact, that I created an eCourse all about how to paint your cabinets like a pro. AND, I designed the course with a homeowner with little-to-no painting experience in mind!

Through a series of videos, I walk through each and every step of the process, break it all down and show you what you need to know to get the job done – like a PRO!

If you’d like a professional painter to show you all the tips and tricks and virtually hold your hand, click here to learn more!

Let’s do it together!!

If you want to know all the products and tools I use to paint cabinets, you can download this handy little list straight to your device for FREE!

More Posts To Read:

• 10 Must-Know Cabinet Painting Tips Before You Pick up A Paint Brush
• Painting Oak Cabinets: 5 Must-Know Tips To Achieve The Smoothest Finish
• 10 Worst Cabinet Painting Mistakes
• The Best Colors For Off-White Kitchen Cabinets
• Learn To Fill Woodgrain: Insider Tips From A Pro

This post was originally published on April 18, 2019, and was modified/updated on July 31, 2021.