Hutch Makeover With Chalk Paint

Pretty Distressed
by Pretty Distressed
5 Materials
$200
1 Week
Medium
This is a makeover of a dated, oak dining hutch using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey.
Here is the after. What a difference. Keep reading for details on how I completed this look.


This hutch had been in a storage unit for some time and smelled pretty funky, so I started off by sealing the entire piece in Zinsser Shellac. This product along with neutralizing smells helps seal water stains and bleed through. It is always a great idea to coat a piece in Shellac if you don't know its history. I took an old sock and applied it over the entire piece before painting.
Originally, I had decided to rip out the mirrors and replace them with beadboard like on my personal hutch makeover. Once I ripped out the mirror, I realized the paneling on the hutch was real wood! It was in such good condition, so I could not bring myself to replace it. In the end, I think the beadboard backing would have detracted from the simplicity of this piece. This was a huge win.
I used  Annie Sloan Paris Grey for this piece which is a great choice for staying neutral without doing white.


And for the top, I wanted a two toned look so I used my new go to stain  General Finishes Java Gel Stain. The veneer on this top was pretty thin, so I used the stain right on top of the finished wood. This is a technique exclusive to gel stain. It is so pigmented you can use it right on top of finished wood. It definitely has a learning curve, but it has a huge payoff. I'm going to make a video on this technique soon for my YouTube channel, so make sure to subscribe if you want to see it.


I had a shelf cut to replace the glass one in the hutch. You can see it in the pic above. I stained it with the Java Gel to match the top of the sideboard. I applied General Finishes Gel Topcoat to seal both pieces.
To add a touch of masculinity, I decided to replace the old hardware with antiqued cup pulls and knobs. This is more costly and in this case I had to drill new holes for the cup pulls, but it gives the piece a whole new look if you are up for the cost. I purchased the hardware from Menards for around $70, but you could also buy it on Amazon. The pulls are from Hickory Hardware, the Williamsburg Cub Cabinet Pull and the Cottage Cabinet Knob in dark antique copper.
I finished this piece off with some light distressing. Then I sealed the entire piece with Annie Sloan Clear Wax. Then I used a light application of Annie Sloan Dark Wax around my distressed areas.


I wanted to keep the glass in the cabinet doors, so I had to tape them off and spray paint the brass etching with some Rust-oleum Universal All Surface Spray Paint Metallic. This is my go to paint for getting a metal finish on hardware/metal. I used the color Burnished Amber.
If you want to see more pics and details how I created this piece, check out the full post on my blog. You can also visit my Youtube channel by searching for "Christina Muscari." I have lots of tutorials on my channel.
Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Pretty Distressed
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  1 question
Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 7 comments
Next