DIY Glass Cabinet Fabric Panels

We have a beautiful built-in with glass cabinet doors right off our kitchen, which we use as a pantry. While I love the look of glass cabinetry, I’ve struggled to keep everything behind the doors organized and the area ends up feeling cluttered. So I decided to add fabric panels to cover the glass doors - this not only hides the clutter but also keeps the charm of the original cabinet doors. It turned out so cute!

The sewing involved is minimal, requiring just a few straight lines and some supplies from Home Depot. If you don’t have a sewing machine, don’t worry! You can adjust the instructions and use sewer’s tape and an iron for a no-sew option.

The method I used to create these panels makes them easily removable, allowing you to swap out the fabric and wash them with ease!

Supplies Needed

Fabric & thread of your choice (Choose fabric that is 2-2.5 times wider than the cabinet door for optimal pleating.)
Wooden dowel (I used a ½” x 48” dowel and cut four pieces to size)
Conduit Straps

Tools Required

Sewing machine (or sewer’s tape for a no-sew option)
Scissors
Tape measure
Drill
Hand saw
Short screws (Make sure they’re small enough not to go through the other side of the cabinet door.)

Attach Brackets and Wooden Dowels

Start by measuring the width of the cabinet doors and cut the wooden dowels to size, making them a few inches shorter to ensure the doors close properly.

Position the brackets on the four corners inside of the cabinet doors and mark their placement. Drill pilot holes for the screws and attach the brackets, then insert the dowels through the brackets.

Create Your Fabric Panels

Now that the dowels are in place, measure the height and width needed for your fabric panels. Remember to double the width measurement for proper pleating and add about 4-6 inches to the height to create pockets for the dowels.

Once you’ve cut the fabric, fold over the side edges twice to create clean edges and sew along the sides of both panels.

Next, fold down the top and bottom edges about ½” and again about 2” to prevent fraying. This will create pockets large enough for the dowels along the top and bottom edges Sew along the edges.

Final Assembly

Feed the dowels through the fabric, then run the dowels through the cabinet brackets, ensuring the seams face away from the glass. Adjust the fabric to create even ruching.