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Red Toile Sink Skirt DIY

May 19, 2021

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I've came up with a way to mount a sink skirt onto my cabinet doors and I love the way it adds vintage charm to my modern kitchen. 

My latest skirt is red toile with ball fringe and you can make one of your very own in minutes with this quick and easy DIY.

Hot Pink Roses In Sink

Believe it or not, I wasn't always a cottage style decor lover.

Shocking. I know.

As a child in the 70's, I was drawn to modern furniture, full of sparkle and light.

When I decorated our first apartment, I went for a more transitional look. I basically bought entire rooms right off the showroom floor.

It wasn't until we moved into our first home, a tiny two bedroom beach bungalow, that I fell in love with floral fabrics, decorative nooks and cozy spaces. 

And I've been a devotee ever since.

When we moved to this house, literally across the street from the old one, I had big dreams for my less tiny cottage.

Especially for my kitchen.

Unfortunately it took me years to get the one thing I always really wanted in that room...a full and flouncy sink skirt that would coordinate with the new checked ring clip curtain panels in the nook.



You see, sink skirts are lovely, they look great and soften the hard edges in a kitchen, but truth be told, they're not very functional with a busy family.

First, you have to remove your cabinet doors.

Then you have to slide fabric to one side on a tight tension rod - without it popping out of place - to access the space under the sink and then put it back to make it look pretty.

Our garbage pail is under the sink.

So are the dishwashing tabs, the hand soap, the sponges.

Do you know how many times a day that cabinet gets opened?

And by kids, their friends and my husband?

Yeah. So some precarious rod was never going to cut it.

Then a few years ago, not one to give up, I came up with an idea and engineered a way to make it work with my existing cabinet doors.

And my kitchen has been this cottage style, fabric lover's dream room ever since.

Red Toile Fabric

Of course, just like every other space in this house, change is always happening. So new season, new sink skirt.

This one is red toile with a white ball fringe. You know, for fun.

And I whipped it up in one night, while Rita Hayworth kept me company on tv.

Making The Sink Skirt


To make the sink skirt, I used my original pattern and swapped out that modern fabric for the red Waverly toile.

You can peek back for the full instructions, I have a lot of fabric DIYs.

And remember you don't need to sew anything. Just use fabric tape wherever I used thread. 
 
It's basically a rod pocket curtain, made to size, to cover the area under the sink. Then I added white ball fringe. I have a slight pom pom fringe addiction. 

Here's How To Hang A Sink Skirt Over Cabinet Doors

You can go the traditional route or use my way. It will depend on the look you want and how sturdy you need the skirt to be.

1. Use A Tension Rod


You can use a tension rod and slide the pocket on it.

If you go this route, make your rod pocket a little larger to make sliding it open and closed easier.

2. Use Velcro


To do this mount sticky velcro tape behind the fabric. Then add the other side of the velcro to the cabinet base. I've used a similar technique to add fabric behind glass cabinet doors.

I didn't do this, because I wanted the space between the top of the door and the trim piece under the sink to be filled. The dowel will take up that space.

It also truly looks like it's mounted on a curtain rod.

3. Use Wooden Dowels


However, if you want the cabinet doors to open and close here's my method.

I mounted it on wooden dowels and attached them to the cabinet doors.

When I first came up with the idea, years ago, I explained that to attach the skirt to the doors, we flipped them upside down, so we didn't damage them in case we ever wanted to ditch this look.

Never gonna happen, but....also, in case we ever decide to sell and the new owners wanted the old boring doors back. 

We also replaced the stock cabinet panel over the doors with a custom moulding to make the sink base look more like furniture. 

Attaching Sink Skirt To Dowel

To mount the dowels, we drilled a few pilot holes in both the cabinet doors and dowel rods.

I slipped the skirt panel onto the dowel and we gently pushed the nail through the predrilled holes.

Nailing Into Fabric

Finally, the rod was hammered into the cabinet.

I just shirred the fabric in between the first nail and the second to get that pleated effect.

Now before you ask, this is my third skirt in three years and the fabric never rips or tears from the nails and when I want to replace the skirts.

I'm a big fan of decorating with fabric:


We just gently pry the dowel away from the cabinet. 

Then we pop on a new skirt and hammer the nails back in the holes. Simple. 

Hammering Nail Into Fabric

When we were all done, I had a brand new look in my kitchen for the warmer months.

Red Toile Sink Skirt In the Kitchen

One that opens and closes easily, so we can get to everything I have hidden under the sink.

There's no tension rod to mess with, no sliding or fluffing every time I want to toss an apple core.

And no family frustration.

Plus, since the door is there and sturdy, we usually open it with our foot.

The fabric barely gets touched.

Sink Skirt that opens like a cabinet door

It's no different than anything we did with wet, gloppy hands before the skirt was there.

Only now the view is much prettier.


And definitely cottage style.

Don't you agree?
Easy To Open Sink Skirt cottagecore

Happy Sewing!
Kim Signature


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  1. This is genius and it looks so cute in your kitchen. I was thinking about doing a skirt on my sink cabinet too. Now you have me thinking. Happy Wednesday. xoxo

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    1. Terry could whip this up in a second, Kris. And the skirt takes less than a yard of fabric and you can use an iron tape to make it. Or there’s always Etsy! xo

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  2. Agree with Kris. A brilliant idea!
    Brenda

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    1. Thanks Brenda. I have to say this is probably my all time favorite DIY.

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  3. What a great idea! I never would have know the doors were still there!

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    1. Thanks Penny! It’s worked out remarkable well. The kitchen feels odd without a skirt now.

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  4. I absolutely love this! Really want this look on my new home when we get it. Makes it just so cozy!

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    1. Thanks so much! It was so easy to do and I agree, it's super cozy!

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  5. What a great idea! I love your red toile and really love the look of the cabinet doors hidden by this beautiful fabric.

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    1. Thanks Paula! I was never a toile fan, but when I saw this one in the store, I had to have it.

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  6. We had a sink skirt growing up and I have wanted one. Thanks for the idea.

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    1. Oh so glad you found some inspiration today, Debby!! And thanks for letting me know. It made me smile!

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  7. Kim, this is too, too cute! I love the fabric and pom poms.

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    1. Thanks so much! I’ve not traditionally been a fan of toile, but somehow now it just fits.

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  8. I love this idea...It matches beautifully and besides how you not love toile and pom poms!

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    1. Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it. This fabric does make me smile a lot. 🙂

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  9. Kim,

    Swooning here! Toile gets me every time and then you added the edging.

    Love how you figured out how to make this open easier. Thank goodness you don't have to fix every 5 minutes anymore

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    1. Thank you, Cindy! Would it be wrong for me to admit that I'm swooning over my own project a little, too? I just love this one. It's so pretty and feminine and the pom pom detail just makes me smile.

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  10. Such an ingenious idea. I love cottage design but I also find it a little too fussy for my need for surfaces to be clear, etc. I call my style costal cottage which I think covers both styles. I love your sink cupboard disguise and the little baubles on the bottom just finish it off so well. I love it.

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    1. Thanks so much! I do love that pom pom fringe. I've always thought the magic of design is in the details. And I'm with you when it comes to clutter, that's a no for me, too. Your idea of clean cottage style is right up my alley!!

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  11. Isn't it funny how our tastes change over the years? I've always leaned toward a country style, but even that changes. I love the new curtain, and that fringe just makes it!

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    1. Thanks Mari! This was a fun one. And yes, so funny. When I was young my aunt had braided rugs and rocking chairs and I thought her house was so awful and outdated. Now, what do I have? Braided rugs and rocking chairs and I realize how warm and cozy her house really was…I was just too young to recognize that.

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  12. I really love this! You solved the door issue!

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    1. Thanks Leslie! It really did solve the problem and it works like a charm.

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  13. Beautiful as always and the design using the existing doors was brilliant. I finished mine thanks to your help with the measurements you provided and will send you a picture. Thank you for the inspiration!

    Cindy

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    1. Oh, I'm so excited!! I really do hope you'll send me a photo, Cindy!! I'm so happy that you were able to use the design to make your own decorating dreams come true! 🥰

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  14. Oh my goodness! I have the rod problem!!! I never thought to do this. You once again come to a design rescue. :-)

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    1. Thanks Carla! This has worked out really well for me. If you ever decide to try it, let me know!

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  15. Kim, I love the toile fabric. I like how you did it with the dowel. I took mine down on the tension rod so maybe I'll give it a try your way..xxoJudy

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    1. It's worked out really well over the past few years, Judy. It takes a bit of construction, but it definitely works! Hope it's a great weekend! xo

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  16. This is very pretty and cottage-y. I do like the idea of gathered curtains to hide things behind! I did something similar under some folding tables using tension rods. Fabric for the win!

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  17. The kitchen cabinets look so pretty with the toile fabric Kim. You are so talented with decorating, sewing, and doing DIY projects with your husband. Thanks for showing us how to get the cottage look in the kitchen! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. Thanks Julie! I love the toile. It was a bargain, impulse purchase, but it's worked out really well. I hope you're having a great Saturday!!

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  18. Very clever idea leaving the cabinet door in tact! You know I'm loving that pretty "red" toile fabric.

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    1. Thanks!! I love the red tone in this toile, Marie. It's a bit lighter and more whimsical than my usual tone.

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  19. Very pretty, and definitely "cottage style". Kitchen sink skirts are somehing I've always enjoyed and plan on doing again as I redo my kitchen. The red and white in your kitchen is stunning, Kim. Love it! Hugs.

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    1. Thank you so much, Nancy. I adore this one. The colors are very bright and the skirt just makes me smile. Hugs!

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  20. What a wonderful idea! That skirt is of dreams! I wish I had one, hope I can do one on our new farm.

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    1. I say go for it! It's so easy to do and having doors that actually work makes all the difference!

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  21. What a pretty solution. That pattern is cottage core perfection. :)

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    1. Thanks so much, Libbie!! You just made my day. ☺️

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  22. This is so charming and the fabric you picked is really pretty.

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    1. Thank you so much. The fabric was under $15 a yard and I needed less than one to make the skirt!

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  23. What a great idea! I love the fabric you chose.

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    1. Thanks Jennifer!! I've made 3 of these skirts, but I think this one just may be my favorite. So far!

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  24. Love how this turned out! The toile is a favorite and with the ball fringe...perfect!

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    1. Linda, that ball fringe is my weakness! I would add it to everything if I could!! And thank you my friend!

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  25. That's the perfect solution! You can never go wrong with toile fabric! Pinned!

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    1. Thanks Cindy! It took me a while to figure out how to make it work with the doors. Now I just get to play with fabric.

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  26. What a great idea! Love it so much! And, pinning it for the future!

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    1. Thanks so much, Doreen! I’ve been doing this for about three years now, but this skirt is my favorite…so far! 😉

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  27. Now that is adorable! I think I may need to try this idea because I have always loved the idea of a sink skirt, but never wanted our pup to be able to easily access anything under the sink. Hmm... the wheels are turning... and I have left over material that matches our kitchen too! Thanks Kim!

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    1. Sounds like this might work out for you! It definitely was the perfect solution for us. You'll have to let me know if you do try it. I'd love to see it and your fabric!

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