Two-Tone Kitchen Makeover in Harrisburg, PA

Every now and then, we meet a homeowner whose vision is so stylish, so intentional, that we find ourselves saying, “Okay… we’re going to need to step up our game.” This was one of those projects.

Our customer in Harrisburg had already created a home that could have easily landed in a design magazine—tasteful, cohesive, and layered with personality. But as with all true design lovers, she wasn’t done yet. The kitchen—always the heart of the home—was next on her list, and she had a vision that was crisp, bold, and completely hers.

The goal? A two-tone kitchen featuring bright white upper cabinets and rich Sherwin-Williams Naval on the bottoms. This combination would tie in perfectly with the stunning wallpaper she had already picked out (and purchased, because she’s a planner after our own hearts).

Easy enough, right? Well… mostly.

Maple kitchen cabinets with arched upper doors in a Harrisburg townhouse before refinishing. — Two-Tone Kitchen Makeover by in Harrisburg, PA by Just Add Paint, Before Door Replacement

When Shaker Meets Arch: The Great Door Dilemma

Here’s where things got interesting.

The lower cabinets were sleek, symmetrical, and shaker-style—clean lines, modern edges, timeless appeal. The upper cabinets, however, had… arches. Those curvy, early-2000s arches that scream, “I was once very trendy, please let me rest now.”

Our customer wasn’t exactly in love with them.

The question became: could we make the uppers match the lowers without replacing the entire set of cabinets?

Good news—yes, we could.

Even better news—it wouldn’t break the bank.

On smaller kitchen sets like this one, replacing just the upper cabinet doors is often a surprisingly affordable way to modernize an entire space. Once we explained the process and pricing, our customer was ecstatic. The kind of ecstatic that makes us want to high-five across the countertop (which, to be fair, we may have done).

With the design plan set and color palette approved, we moved to the next question: how to apply the paint.

The Sprayer Situation

Normally, our preferred method for cabinets is to spray everything. It gives the most consistent, smooth-as-glass finish possible. But our customer had one very reasonable concern—her kitchen was in a townhouse, and space was tight. Like, “Rich could touch both walls at once” tight.

Spraying indoors requires a fair bit of room for proper masking, ventilation, and air movement, and in this case, it just wasn’t practical.

No problem—we pivoted.

We decided to brush and roll the cabinet boxes right there on site while spraying the doors and drawers back at our shop. It’s a great hybrid approach that still delivers a clean, professional finish. And honestly, in this kitchen, brushing and rolling made perfect sense.

Besides, we don’t mind a little old-fashioned hands-on work when the end result is going to look this good.

Measurements, Maple, and Making It Happen

Just Add Paint Team Measuring for Cabinet Installation — Rich from Just Add Paint Installing Cabinet Drawers

Rich from Just Add Paint Performing Acrobatics While Installing Base Molding, Just For The Challenge — Rich from Just Add Paint Installing Cabinet Drawers

Once the plan was in motion, Rich and Curtis headed back to the jobsite to take precise measurements for the new upper doors. If you’ve never watched Rich measure cabinetry, it’s like watching a NASA engineer double-check a lunar landing. Every fraction of an inch matters when you’re ordering from Keystone Wood Specialties in Lancaster, PA.

(Quick shout-out to our friends at Keystone—they’ve been an awesome local partner for years, and they turned this order around in about a month. That’s lightning-fast in the custom cabinetry world.)

While we waited for the new doors to arrive, Lexy and Rich jumped on the lower section of the kitchen since those doors were already on hand. The product lineup was our tried-and-true combo:

Primer: Envirolak 170 EPLR – untinted for the uppers, tinted dark gray for the lowers to help cover that deep Naval hue.
Topcoat: Milesi 2K Poly, 20 Sheen – satin finish for that perfect balance between soft glow and everyday durability.

This combination is a staple in our cabinet refinishing lineup—it levels beautifully, dries hard, and looks stunning in both natural and artificial light.

Color in Action

The Naval lower cabinets came out beautifully—rich, dramatic, and somehow both modern and classic. When paired with bright white uppers, it’s the kind of contrast that makes your morning coffee taste just a little better.

Once the new doors arrived from Keystone, it was time to bring everything together. The Just Add Paint team sanded, primed, and sprayed them to perfection before installing them back on site.

Watching that transformation happen was like watching the final brushstroke on a painting—you just know when it all clicks.

The Finishing Touches

New Shaker-style lower cabinet doors cool Deco pulls — Close-up of new Shaker-style lower cabinet doors painted Sherwin Williams Naval with hip Deco-Style “Jewelry” in a Harrisburg kitchen.

With our part complete, the baton passed to our customer for the finishing details. Wallpaper installation was next—a bold, patterned design that pulled the entire color palette together. And then came the hardware.

We’re talking statement hardware.

These weren’t just knobs and pulls; these were what our customer affectionately called her “jewelry.” Ornate, art deco–inspired pieces that added sparkle, contrast, and a serious dose of personality.

We haven’t been back yet to see the finished wallpaper and hardware in person (though we’re already trying to think of excuses to stop by), but she kindly sent us some “after” photos. Let’s just say they were enough to make the entire crew smile.

And the cherry on top? A five-star review from CC herself.

“If you’re thinking about a cabinet makeover, look no further. Just Add Paint was the best contractor I’ve ever dealt with. From the initial proposal to the finished product, they were a 10 out of 5 in every category. The finished job transferred a boring brown kitchen into a colorful artistic room.”

A Happy Ending—and a Sequel in the Works

Two-tone kitchen with bright white upper cabinets and Sherwin-Williams Naval blue lowers, refinished by Just Add Paint in Harrisburg, PA. — Two-Tone Kitchen Makeover by in Harrisburg, PA by Just Add Paint, After

This project wrapped up just the way we like it: on time, on budget, and with a homeowner who was thrilled with the results.

But we’re not done yet. CC already has plans for the next phase of her home refresh, and we’re looking forward to teaming up again next year to bring that vision to life. (Rumor has it, she’s got her eye on another room that’s just begging for a color transformation.)

Until then, we’ll be raising a paintbrush in her honor at our upcoming holiday party, where she’s promised to drop by. After all, once you’ve shared a cabinet color chart and a few laughs with someone, you’re basically part of the Just Add Paint family.

The Takeaway

Projects like this remind us why we love what we do. Painting isn’t just about applying color—it’s about understanding a homeowner’s vision and helping it come to life. When our customers bring great design ideas to the table, it’s our job to match that energy with skill, craftsmanship, and a sense of humor.

And let’s be honest: we love a two-tone cabinet project. Especially one that involves Naval, bright white, and a customer with exceptional taste (and even better hardware).

So here’s to CC’s kitchen: proof that with the right prep, products, and partners, even the smallest spaces can make a big design statement.