What color/technique would you use to paint this dated hutch?

Kathleen
by Kathleen

This is obviously a very dated hutch but, made so well and so much sturdier than stuff you buy today. Suggestions please on color. Wall color and all can change but they are a tannish color. I have been back and forth so many time in mind. Should it be a blue gray, Annie Sloan old ochre, French linen. Please help. Thank you.

  11 answers
  • Kathleen Kathleen on Jan 13, 2019

    And the last of the Christmas stuff to get put away!!

  • Bill Gillis Bill Gillis on Jan 13, 2019

    I would go with a gray as the is a popular gray and many many shades to choose from. I would use black or brushed nickel

  • Karen Karen on Jan 13, 2019

    Think it would depend on the colors in your fabrics and/or other pieces of wood furniture in your room. Check out www.pinterest.com. There are over 400 examples of painted hutches.

  • Tony Johnson Tony Johnson on Jan 14, 2019

    IF IT WAS MINE, FIRST I WOULD TAKE ALL THE HARDWARE OFF AND GIVE IT A GOOD CLEANING, THEN I WOULD USE STRIPPER TO REMOVE AS MUCH VARNISH AS POSSIBLE, KEEP IN MIND, YOU WILL NEVER GET IT COMPLETELY NUDE AGAIN, AND I WOULDN'T TRY, THE CREVASES AND CRANNIES WILL STILL HAVE COLOR IN THEM. THEN USING THE COLOR OF CHOICE, APPLY A HEAVY COAT ON A SMALL AREA, USING A RAG, RUB IT IN NOT TRYING TO WIPE IT PLUMB OFF. GIVE IT A WHITE WASHED EFFECT, BUT NOT WHITE. REPEAT UNTILL SATISFIED WITH THE LOOK. THEN CLEAR COAT. THEN PAINT ALL THE HARDWARE GLOSS BLACK. BUT THATS JUST ME! HAVE FUN!

  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jan 14, 2019

    Kathleen,

    Good advice from Tony Johnson above for a rustic finish.


    If you are looking for something more traditional, I would sand it down a little to get rid of as much of the varnish as possible so paint will adhere better.


    Use 2 coats of water base Kilz and then at least 2 coats of latex paint. Do not try to get better coverage by overloading your brush with paint. And give each coat at least 24 to 48 hours to dry.


    I would use an Ivory and then a darker wax.


    Scrub the hardware well and paint a flat black. Then use a pretty black and white wallpaper on the inside back of the unit...maybe a patter of black limbs on a white background.


    Or heck...go bold with bright red and spray hardware bright gold! It depends on your color choices. (I would go for red!)

  • Barbara Barbara on Jan 14, 2019

    Dark Blue with gold hardware

  • Emily Emily on Jan 14, 2019

    I would try re-styling your hutch before doing anything else. The suggestions here are all labor intensive and if you are going to re-style as you have here, the effort would not be worth it. You have an important piece of furniture and (not inc the Xmas things) you have styled it as you could a plain wooden shelf. You should have some important and large pieces of china, or metal (silver, copper etc), glass etc. in other words the contents placed in and on this hutch should match it's grandeur in style and emphasis. IMHO styling, is the most significant of the decorating arts.

  • SharylP SharylP on Jan 14, 2019

    I would begin by making a couple of small structural changes in the piece. Specifically, removing the two scalloped insets/trim on the top of the piece. I'd also find some new hardware. Then I'd make a color decision based on colors in nearby spaces -- do you have a color there that you like? I'd go bold with color, if you're comfortable with that. If not, grays certainly do come in lots of colors, and if you get rid of the scallops and change out the hardware, could still look updated and terrific. I agree with you, older furniture is soooo much better-made than most new stuff -- well worth the effort to upstyle it rather than replace it.

  • Beth Foster Beth Foster on Jan 14, 2019

    Chalk paint doesnt require you to strip it first also i found this awesome prodcut at hobby lobby called rub n buff

    for hardware...it really is as easy as the instructions say

  • Dee Dee on Jan 14, 2019

    I have the same hutch. I painted mine a light gray and glazed it with black.

  • S S on Jan 14, 2019

    Personally I like my painted pieces to be the pop of color in a room. Jump over to Yiutube abc check out debi’s design diary and the turquoise iris for some real inspiration on blending colors instead of having just a solid color. Go for it you won’t regret it!