This one is pretty and practical. Check out this easy DIY.
It's reminiscent of a simpler time and adds so much charm and character to a cottage style kitchen. It's been on my decorating bucket list for as long as I can remember.
Unfortunately, when we replaced our faucet, we discovered that apron front drop in sinks for laminate countertops were no longer being manufactured.
Grrrr.
Monkey wrench...
However, being the stubborn Sicilian girl that I am, I refused to take no for an answer and was determined to find a way to make a skirt work without that apron front sink.
Now, you might think, ok, not such a tall order.
I've seen many bloggers and pictures of homes with standard sinks wearing cute skirts. If they could do it, so could I.
But...
Once I really started thinking about it, it wasn't as simple as adding some fabric and calling it a day. I had a lot of reservations...and a lot of requirements.
Kitchen Sink Skirt Must Haves:
* First and foremost the skirt had to look good. Really, really good. I wanted to capture that authentic cottage style whimsy.
I didn't want something that looked like an afterthought, out of place, tucked under the laminate, like a bunch of fabric hanging in a modern kitchen.
* Second, it had to function well. The garbage pail is under the sink and everyone is used to it being there. That wasn't going to change.
We also keep the cleaning supplies under the sink. I needed a solution that would give us easy access...as easy as we had with the cabinet doors.
Fabric on a rod doesn't always move smoothly, even with rings.
* Third, it needed to be very sturdy. I have teenagers and a husband, none of whom were going to be as gentle opening and closing that curtain as I would like, no matter how many times I asked.
This is reality folks. I needed form and function.
* My last requirement was that it needed to be temporary. Let's face it the kitchen is the most important room in the house when it comes to resale.
Now, I rarely, if ever, decorate with that in mind, but I didn't want to irreparably alter the cabinets.
They're in perfect shape and I wasn't willing to mess with that...cabinets are a huge investment.
*Update: I recently removed the skirt and washed it. Check out the easy how to.
Well, it's a bit of an illusion. You see, my skirt isn't really a skirt.
It's a fake...a fraud...my sink skirt is fabric mounted on the cabinets and the doors still open.
Tricky, huh?
The doors function perfectly.
It's sturdy, nothing has been damaged and no one has to slide or push anything out of the way.
Charm, whimsy, function. It's all there. And we didn't even scratch the cabinet doors.
So how'd I do, it? Well, this won't be a short post. If you're ready to check out now, I totally get it.
However, if you want to hang around to see the full DIY tutorial. Great.
Here we go.
Adding Farmhouse Flair To A Drop In Kitchen Sink
The first step actually begins above the skirt.
To add a little more interest to the sink area and make the skirt look as if it wasn't just stuck there, almost as if it's a piece of furniture, we replaced the cabinet panel with a piece of moulding and painted it white.
Replacing The Cabinet Panel Below The Sink
It's easy to do, it's usually a piece of wood that just clips on and pulls off.
You don't need to use a lot of force, just a tiny tug should do the trick.
At home, we removed the clips from the old piece and placed them on the back of the new moulding and popped it right back into place.
How To Make A Cabinet Mounted Sink Skirt
Like I said, we didn't want to do anything that would permanently damage the cabinets and we needed a skirt that was very functional.
Most of the skirts I had seen online were hung either with mounted rods or tension rods.
A exterior mounted rod was going to leave screw marks. That was out.
A tension rod was going to need rings so it would open and close with ease. This was an option in theory...but not in reality.
I was afraid people would pull on it and it would fall down often.
More importantly, I didn't want to have to cut out the bars in order to make the tension rod fit.
Yes, with some work we could add them back, if we wanted to put the cabinet doors on again, but what if I got sick of the skirt in three months?
That would be a lot of work for a decor experiment.
Pssst...that didn't happen. I've actually made more skirts over the past three years.
Then I read the reviews that said they drooped in the middle...and again, they mounted from outside...and I didn't want holes in the cabinet frame.
Remove The Cabinet Doors And Turn Them Upside Down
Then it hit us.
What if I turned this our cabinet doors upside down?
We could screw the curtains into the bottom of the doors and if we wanted them again, we'd turn them right side up, and they'd be perfect once again.
Genius.
So literally, we removed the doors, flipped them upside down and swapped their places, so we didn't have to move the hinges, and screwed them back into the existing holes.
Now, it was time to make the skirt.
That part was simple.I basically made two rod pocket panels, using the exact same process as when I skirted my living room table.
Mount The Skirt on Wooden Dowels
Instead of curtain rods, I used wooden dowels and gathered the skirt panels on them.
I used 3/8' dowels and cut each rod about an inch longer than the door.
I chose that size wood because it matched the thickness of the cabinet and it filled the space between our new wood panel and the door.
Staple The Fabric In Place
Once I had the drape I liked, I used a staple gun to secure the skirt in place. I only used two staples, each one was about an inch from the end.
That allowed me to adjust the ruffle in between, keeping it loose and flowy-looking, and anchored on the dowel at the same time.
Update! On my latest skirt, I didn't use the staples. I just gathered the fabric on the rod between the two anchoring nails. Worked much better.
Fasten The Sink Skirt To The Cabinet Door
To attach the rod to the cabinet door, we used two tiny finishing nails.
They went right through the fabric, the wooden dowel and into the cabinet.
Hot Glue The Ends In Place
Since the skirt sits right next to drawers and a dishwasher, I did add a drop of hot glue in a few places to make sure it doesn't move too much and get caught in either.
I wish putting the sink in was that easy!
If I get tired of the look or we need to put the cabinets back, no problem.
We just remove the dowel, flip the cabinets right side up and screw them back in place.
No harm, no foul and no one will be any the wiser that there are two tiny holes in the bottom of each.
Would you?
Here are a few other fabric skirts I've made:
Happy Skirting, friends!
It looks so good!! This is a very clever DIY project. Great job to you and hubby. Can I hire you to do my kitchen sink skirt? :-) I want one now!
ReplyDeleteThanks AnnMarie! We do make a good creative team. We're both pretty stubborn once we get an idea in our heads...we need to make it work! Lucky for me, he enjoys a design challenge, too.
DeleteThis is genius Kim. What a great idea. Now you have me thinking about my cabinets under my sink! Hmmmmmm! I will have to find pre made skirt since I do not own a sewing machine and probably would have a hard time even sewing a straight line lol! Love that you used two coordinating fabrics too. Super sweet. You go girl this is fabulous.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday. Have a wonderful weekend.
xoxo
Kris
Thank you, Kris! This one was a tough one to figure out. The kitchen sat without cabinet doors for a couple of weeks while I pondered my options. I have to say I love it and it stands up to the kids, their friends and hubby. And thanks for noticing my two fabrics. That was not an easy job for this very mediocre seamstress!! Ha! xoxo
DeleteDitto the comment on that. I love this idea. But I don't own a sewing machine or know how to sew.
DeleteYou definitely could use a premade curtain. I would recommend you look for kitchen tiers since they usually come in shorter sizes. The other option is to use a fabric iron on hemming tape. You could totally create a rod pocket with that or even fabric glue. Lots of options without a stitch! I hope it works out for you and thanks for the comment!
DeleteClever, clever, clever!
ReplyDeleteI adore that fabric!
Thanks so much, Deanna...and me too. I just keep buying more of it!
DeleteVery.. Very clever!! Gorgeous ......
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Lisa! I have to say I really love looking at it...
DeleteYou always inspire me. I've been trying to figure this out as well - and I just love that fabric!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Betty! I wracked my brain with this one...and that fabric is my weakness. I think I need to buy stock in Waverly! Ha!
DeleteBrilliant!! And lovely. And so Kim!
ReplyDeleteI would love to figure out how to make it easily removeable so I could change out the skirt for different seasons, because you know I have to do that! I do envy people who stick to one color scheme all year. With your inspiration, I'm getting closer to that goal,
Hey Nancy! Thank you so much! I think if you cut the tiniest slits in the top of the fabric you could use small screws to secure it instead of nails and then you could easily take it on and off to swap out the fabric. Of course, you know me...red...red...red, so mine aren't going anywhere! 😉
DeleteGenius, indeed! I agree with you, Mr. Handy Dandy and you make a good creative team. Cute skirt! Hugs.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Nancy! I'm really happy with the way it turned out and the family is thrilled that they can still get to the garbage pail! 😉 Win, win! Hugs to you and your own Mr. Handy Dandy.
DeleteWow How cute. Never would have thought of that solution.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. This one was a brain teaser for sure. I'm glad we didn't give up though. I love it now.
DeleteThat is the smartest idea I’ve seen. I love how it turned out.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! I really did want it to work out, so I didn't give up. It changes the whole look of the kitchen for sure.
DeleteHow genius is that. I love it. You outdid your self on this one.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Marty! I really wanted that skirt to work.
DeleteGreat!!! You did a wonderful job! Of course I LOVE the fabric and you two did some genius
ReplyDeletemanipulations! Beautiful kitchen for sure!
Blessings,
J
Thanks so much, J! We had fun with this one. We really had to work together to make this all come together. Two heads are better than one.
DeleteThis is so cute and clever---glad you gave us a close up of the skirt, I thought it was simple cotton but its a lot more durable. I love the whole look. I have one question. I never wanted to keep the trash can under the sink because I knew it would be hit or miss and I'd constantly be on my hands and knees cleaning up a mess in a dark cabinet. Do you have this problem?
ReplyDeleteJane
Thanks Jane! I'm so happy with the way it turned out, and yes, it's upholstery fabric. Very sturdy. It's also a busy pattern to hide messy spots...but so far there aren't any! 🤞 Our garbage pail has always been under the sink because in these tiny cottages floor space is valuable real estate! Occasionally, there's a miss, but more often than not, they make it. And it's great right under the sink...pulls out and everything!
DeleteWhat a clever solution, Kim and it looks perfectly cottage chic!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Cecilia! That's just what I was going for...
DeleteThe way you kept your cabinet doors is genius . . . I took the doors off and added a curtain rod. Same look, but having the doors still there is much nicer for keeping the storage more secure and safe from curious small children.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing . . . your kitchen is lovely and your curtain is very pretty.
Happy weekend.
Connie :)
Connie, thank you so much for the kind visit and the sweet comments. I really needed those door to stay, so I am glad we were able to make it happen. Kids...
DeleteOh my . . .
ReplyDeleteThe ideas you come up with amaze me.
The kitchen sink skirting looks fab-u-lous . . .
Thanks so much, Lynne! This one took a lot of thought. I really had to let this one steep...
DeleteHi, Kim. well aren't you just a "sneaky pete"! What a fun post. Have a wonderful weekend. Cheryl
ReplyDeleteThanks Cheryl!! I am happy that the secret's out now!
DeleteOh, Kim, I love it and darn, that Kris, she is so smart to spot the different fabrics. I had to go back and look because I didn't see that at first. I love that fabric too. We removed our doors and I used a tension rod so didn't have to make any holes. Only problem was I made my sleeve so it just barely fit around the rod so was too tight to move to adjust, which I always had to do. Also we stashed the cupboard doors under our bed and when the dog gets scared that is where he always heads so I didn't want to get them scratched, so down came the skirt and back went the cupboard doors. I may make another as I really do love that look and your's is so pretty and does your cottage proud..xxoJudy
ReplyDeleteJudy, you are so sweet! When I conceptualized this, I thought for sure it would be on a tension rod. Of course, once I dug in, I realized it wasn't practical for our situation, but I'm super happy with the way it turned out. It's functional and pretty to look at. And thanks for noticing my mixed fabrics. I couldn't make up my mind so I went with both! xoxo
DeleteOnce again you've solved a situation beautifully! You and your hubby are a creative/smart team. Your curtain looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Stacey! He is so good to me, always indulging my crazy DIY dreams.
DeleteKim this is adorable. It really adds to the overall farmhouse look. I really like how you went about it with those panels on the inside.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary! It has quelled my desire for an apron front sink. For now...
DeleteKim, you are so smart. One smart cookie I say. :-) It looks great and thank you for the tutorial. Well done.
ReplyDeleteCarla
Thanks so much, Carla!! I love cookies...😉
DeleteThat is so clever, Kim, and looks very sweet with your pretty lace valance!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol! It really transforms the whole room.
DeleteThat is so clever of you !! Yes you are a genius :) In a million years who would guess it wasn't an ordinary 'curtain' or skirt !!
ReplyDeleteDeb, you are always so nice to me. Thank you for your kind comments. I just come up with ideas that make my design dreams work in my real life circumstances. It's a sickness...maybe I'm more of mad scientist! 😉
DeleteWell aren't you the clever one? Love the results!! I wanted a skirt in our basement kitchen, but decided to put them on two small bottom cabinets instead of the sink for all the reasons you mentioned. I'm just not as ingenious as you!! :)
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Jann, you most certainly are, I have seen your blog. I was very determined on this one. I hope it helps someone else who wants to do the same thing.
DeleteI don't think you'll get tired of it. I absolutely love it! In my opinion, you now have the most "cottage-y" home in Blogland. And I still like cottage better than farmhouse style.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Brenda, you always have such sweet things to say about my home...and I hold your decorating opinion in high regard. So thank you my friend. ☺️
DeleteH! So how do you open the doors? Do you grab the end of the dowel rod? The curtain? Will the curtain soil from dirty hands?
ReplyDeleteHi Liberty, thanks for the question. We've always all used our foot to open the door when our hands are wet and dirty, so we just do the same. The wood on the cabinets wears poorly when in contact with water and no one ever grabbed the knob, so it's habit at this point. However, a lot of the time we do just grab the top of the door and swing it open. It's stayed very clean, but I would assume that eventually it will need to be washed and I'll just pop the dowels off and send it to the cleaners in one piece. Thanks for comment! ☺️
DeletePure genius! Mind you, I don’t know how you pulled it off (slow on the uptake) but wow, it looks so pretty and the fabric s couldn’t be more perfect for your kitchen.
ReplyDeleteYou’re the most resourceful person I know Kim!
Thanks so much, Doreen. It took me awhile to figure out exactly how to make it work, but I couldn't be happier. And most resourceful? Maybe. Probably more like most insane! But I'll take the compliment. xo
DeleteWowzers Kim!!! I LOVE your kitchen sink to bits!! I also adore the fabric that you chose for underneath!! I bet this makes you want to and enjoy doing the dishes!! Beautiful job!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Sam! I really do love the sink now...and yes, I am telling everyone to leave the dishes. I'll do them!!
DeleteI had to come over from IG & read how you did this. You're a genius! I love it and the whole stubborn Sicilian girl comment made me laugh out loud. That is something we share. :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes that stubborn gene comes in handy!!
DeleteIt is very cute and clever! Amazing! I can't imagine that you will want your sink skirt less again - it is so sweet.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ronda. I've been thinking the same thing!
DeleteSOO pretty and perfect, even for a rental home! Congrats on your feature at Sweet Inspiration!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for a rental, Julie! Never even thought of that!!
DeleteYou are one crafty girl, Kim! It looks beautiful and classy, and I adore the fabric you've chosen.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thanks Amalia!! I had fun with this one and I love the way it looks...that fabric is my weakness! xo
DeleteThis is so pretty an ingenious as well. I am working on updating an RV so perfect timing. Thank you for the inspiration. Pinning, I love it.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh...in an RV?? Another great idea. I am so glad I shared, I never even thought about these options.
Deletelove this, but I got the look by taking off the front and putting a tension rod across to hang my slide curtain ..only need a screw-driver ....I have to go with the easiest since I had no man to help me...and I'm not that handy anymore at 65.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're pretty handy to me! Lots of folks wouldn't have even attempted that. I bet your skirt is lovely and honestly, if I didn't have a houseful of teens who would pull on the rod, I would've gone your route, too. Simple is always best. Thanks so much for the visit and the comment!
DeleteWe just refinanced our home and with the cash back I told my husband to buy a new lawn mower and put a concrete drive in. Our driveway is about 1000 feet so it will cost a lot. It’s gravel now, which I hate. In the meantime the kitchen faucet started spewing water and the plumber said it needed replacing. Ok so to save some expense, hubby changed it out himself after learning what the problem was, but before he did he said to me why don’t we just get a cheap one for now and you can take the cash and remodel the kitchen like you want to. DID ANY WIFE EVER SAY NO TO THAT SUGGESTION? LOL
ReplyDeleteANYWHO...I have always had the curtained sink in my plan and am so excited to finally get what I want. I love yours so very much! It’s just timeless. Would you mind sharing the name of the fabrics used? I also love how you put them on because to be honest I love the look that you have because I’m really not all that fond of the farmhouse sinks of today. If I ever did get a farmhouse sink it would be a true antique. I also love your home very much!
You just totally made my day with your sweet, sweet comment. Thank you for the kindness. Sounds like you are in the middle of a lot of renovations. The never-ending story of home ownership. Sounds like you have a handy hubby yourself. That's awesome! The fabrics I used were both from Waverly....Norfolk Rose and Fairhaven Rose. I patched them together and I should probably do a post about that...someday! I picked them up at JoAnn Crafts, they were 50% off. I know they also sell them online. And I agree, the antique farmhouse sinks are fabulous. I wish you luck with your projects and if you do remodel your kitchen, I hope you'll share it with us!! Have a great afternoon!!
DeleteWhen we do remodel, I will definitely try to remember to send you an update. Actually I’m not sure that my husband has ever done plumbing before but after calling a plumber and finding out what the actual problem was he just took it upon himself to put it in. I’m glad he did because that saved us a good deal of money but he actually just wanted our warranty company to handle it, only to find out faucets aren’t covered under our plan. Long long story but we will be looking for a new warranty co. So anywho...thank you for letting me know what fabric this is. I am totally in love with both of them! Oh and about the “handy hubby”...he’s very handy at running the remote, anything else...no not so much! I generally do it all myself unless I can’t.
DeletePlease share for sure! And being handy yourself is awesome! I wish I was more handy myself. I have to wait on my own handy husband far too long for certain projects. He'd much prefer to run the remote sometimes, too!!
DeleteI love it!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!!
DeleteLove love love that curtain! I've been wanting a farmhouse sink and skirt for like FOREVER and was wracking my mind on just how to do it.... curtains on rings? Nope, we have a kitty who'd be inside the cabinet licking the Ajax! And what if my new grandbaby came to visit from out of state? He'd probably be licking Ajax along side Mr. Kitty! So then my next thought was how to attach it to the doors and bingo... I love your idea!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I also happen to live with someone with huge piggy (news print, etc.) hands, who also happens to slop coffee, coffee grounds, etc. all down the front of my cabinets (he also trips over his size 12s, so not really piggy, just BIG and clumsy). For this to work for me, I'd also need to be able to remove the curtains to wash at least every other week or so. So, I think I've come up with the perfect solution (for me). I think I'll put in small button holes and use little screws with washers for easy, no tear removal.
Thanks for the great idea, your whole sink area looks absolutely fabulous! I absolutely love your idea for the faux apron sink look and will be stealing that idea as well!
Hello!! Thanks so much for your wonderful comment. I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to respond. I don't know how your comment got so buried in my email. I have to say I love your button idea!! During the pandemic we've been so careful with washing everything that the sink skirt needed to be washed as well. I took it off and in the process ended up making a new one. It wasn't a terrible process, but your button hold idea is much better!! Thanks for sharing it!!
DeleteI never would have known your sink curtain was not free hanging. It drapes perfectly. This is a great idea to keep it sturdy yet looks so cute. I have teen boys and I have wondered about the likelihood of them ripping off the curtain as well. I plan to use this in my cabin kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI hope it works out for you, Laurie! It's worked out really well for us. I've even changed the fabric often. So sorry for the delay in response. Your email was in the other folder. Happy New Year!
DeleteThat is the loveliest under cabinet curtain I have seen. And perfect because I don't want to make new holes in the cabinetry either. Also, this will hide the hinges as mine are exposed. I have the same fabric curtains in my laundry. What diameter dowel did you use?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your super kind words! I'm glad you like it, it's worked out very well for us. I've swapped it out once and just bought fabric for yet another version. So you can customize it again and again. I used a 3/8 inch dowel, since it fit perfectly in the space between the cabinet and the upper board. It was also roughly the same thickness as the cabinet. Yours may vary. Hope that helps and good luck. If you make one I hope you'll share it. I'd love to see. ☺️
ReplyDeleteBeen years since this post but I came across this and love it. We heat with wood and I HATE that when winter arrives hubby always opens the cabinet doors be,ow the sink this method will allow heat to easily keep the pipes from freezing. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so glad that you found it helpful!! Warm pipes and a pretty skirt...I love that! It has been years since I made that first skirt. I'm on pattern number three now...red toile with pom poms. It's worked out so well, I don't think I'll ever have an unskirted sink again! Thanks for the comment and I just know your skirt will be lovely!
DeleteHello, what size dowl, did you try to match the thickness of the cupboard door? Great idea.Thank you for sharing ideas. Respectfully, Renee
ReplyDeleteSo glad you like the idea! I've changed the curtain pattern 3 times now with another on the horizon. We used a dowel rod that matched the thickness of the cupboard door and one that covered the space between the top of the door and the bottom of the wood panel above it. I wanted it to fill that gap. I hope that makes sense. ☺️
DeleteGreat idea! But what about the ability to wash the curtain frequently, I know I would need to. Ideas?
ReplyDeleteHi! Thanks, glad you like this one...and yes, I have been trying to come up with a way to attach that skirt in a less permanent manner so I can swap it and wash it easier. Right now, to be honest, I pull the nails out and wash the skirt and then put it all back together again. It's time consuming, but it does work.
DeleteLove the idea of an easy-to-open kitchen sink skirt! Practical and convenient solution for a neat and stylish kitchen.
ReplyDeleteYour blog on making an easy-to-open kitchen sink skirt is amazing! I've always loved the farmhouse design, and your DIY instructions make it look so easy. Thank you for sharing your creativity.
ReplyDelete