Easy DIY Skirted Cabinet

If you love the look of skirting around cabinetry, a sink, or a table, but aren’t sure if you’re ready for a full commitment, this DIY skirted cabinet idea is so easy and totally removable.

I’m so excited to share this little decorating project with you. This was one of those ideas that seemed like it could go either way, but I’m so happy to report that it worked out even better than I had planned. In fact, I already have plans to try another variation of this same idea if I can find a little extra time to put it together. Skirted cabinets, sinks, tables, and shelves bring so much charm and personality to a space, and it’s understandable why they seem to be turning up everywhere right now. I’m in the middle of a little refresh in our mudroom, and I wanted to see if I could bring the look to this space without actually renovating any of the cabinetry, and I love what I came up with. This idea takes about 2 minutes to complete, is completely damage-free, and totally removable if you ever feel the need to take it down. Here’s how I made my DIY skirted cabinet.

Pictured Above: Cafe Curtain (CREEKLINEHOUSE for 22% off) | Similar Vintage Stool | Rug | Pillows

Materials Needed for the DIY Skirted Cabinet

You’ll need:

• A small tension rod to fit the opening that you’re skirting
• A short cafe curtain that fits your opening or some fabric to make one yourself
• Rings and hooks if necessary for your type of curtain

I used these super affordable tension rods and they worked beautifully. Actually, I only used one, so I have an extra one leftover from the 2-pack to use on a future project. I just love these little things. So handy!

The curtain that I used is a beautiful cafe curtain from Two Pages. The fabric pattern/color I chose is called Vintage Linen and I went with a French pleat header for a polished look. FYI, if you can use my code CREEKLINEHOUSE for 22% off your entire Two Pages order.

I almost always do a French pleat header, but in the case of skirting like this, I do think a simple rod pocked panel works beautifully, too, especially for a more casual space. If you’re making your own curtain, a simple rod pocket will work just fine, so feel free to keep it nice and easy rather than attempting to sew pleats.

More decorative ideas for your next room refresh: How to Successfully Paint a Lampshade

Installing The Cabinet Skirting

My cabinet skirting was installed in a bit of a unique way because I happen to have a little cubby shelf tucked into the bank of cabinets that I wanted to skirt. For my installation, I simply threaded the cafe curtain rings over my rod, then twisted the tension rod into place at the bottom of my cubby shelf. This way, when I finally attached the curtain to the rings with my curtain hooks, the cafe curtain fell over the lower half of the cabinet, giving it the illusion of being an open skirted cabinet.

Pictured Above: Tiny Tension Rod | Cafe Curtain Rings | Water Hyacinth Tray

If you don’t happen to have this unusual configuration to your cabinet, you can just remove your cabinet door or drawers, then position the tension rod between the sides of your cabinet frame at the top of your opening. Put the doors and/or drawers away for safekeeping somewhere, just in case you decide to reinstall them again at some point in the future.

A Note on Curtain Hooks

Normally, you would install curtain hooks so that the curtain rings would peek out the top of the curtain header and be visible, along with the curtain rod. In this case, since I’m not using a decorative metal rod, I was hoping to hide it. This is when it’s important to remember that curtain rings are fully adjustable and can allow you to raise and lower your curtains by a few inches as needed.

Plastic curtain hooks are often adjustable by clicking their mechanism up and down a few notches, which is very convenient. If you’re using old-fashioned metal hooks, like I did here, simply attach the hooks near the bottom of the header instead of near the middle or the top to make sure that the header stands up over the rod once everything is fully installed.

Step-by-step decorating guidance: Everything You Need to Know to Order Your Custom Curtains Online

The Finished Skirted Cabinet

Pictured Above: Cafe Curtain (CREEKLINEHOUSE for 22% off) | Similar Vintage Stool | Rug | Pillows

Here’s how my skirted cabinet looks in my mudroom! I love how skirting cabinetry and cupboards can bring so much softness to a space that is otherwise full of so many hard surfaces. One of my favorite design tricks is using curves and rounded furnishings and fixtures in spaces that are very linear and full of rectangles like a bathroom, kitchen, pantry, or laundry room. The soft curves of the fabric are just another way to do that, and a particularly charming one, at that.

Would you add textiles to your space with a fabric cabinet skirt? There are so many different ways to use this idea once you start looking around your house.

Pictured Above: Cafe Curtain (CREEKLINEHOUSE for 22% off) | Similar Vintage Stool | Rug | Pillows

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