French Country Credenza

Elizabeth Helen
by Elizabeth Helen
2 Materials
$15
3 Hours
Easy

See how I updated this old fashioned small credenza with chalk paint and a newly stained top!

Update an old credenza with a little paint and stain!


Do you have an old piece of furniture that you just love, but maybe not that dark, dated finish? This credenza got in instant facelift with minimal effort and cost!

Great shape, but an outdated style
Prep work!


Remove all hardware and lightly sand the body. Although I am using chalk paint, which has a thick texture and adheres well, it doesn't take much effort to prepare properly. Sanding gives the wood some "teeth" to grab onto. Be sure to remove any dust and clean the wood before painting.

Psint is on, sanded top ready to stain
Paint the body


I used an inexpensive, easy to find chalk paint called "Folk Art" in "sheepskin" which can be found at most craft stores as well as Amazon. The body took two coats, which I rolled on the sides and drawer fronts with a small foam roller (this eliminates brush strokes). I used a brush for the legs and more detailed areas. Since the top will be stained, I used my hand held palm sander to remove all of the previous varnish.

Gel stain is so easy to use
Staining the top


I would normally use an oil to stain the top (such as walrus oil or danish oil), however this piece was made from two different woods. The center is a maple, the edges are pine and therefore two very different tones. Instead, I chose a gel stain by Minwax in "mahogany". Thankfully both woods took the stain evenly and you can no longer see the difference. To apply the gel stain, I used a lint free cloth to work it into the grain in small sections. One coat in the middle and two coats over the pine edges was all it needed to give a beautiful, uniform color. Since this piece won't be getting much use, I did not add any top coat to protect it.

Finished!
Replace hardware and admire your work!


I kept the original pulls for this piece- they are beautiful and compliment the style beautifully! This project took me only a few hours to complete and looks like a completely new piece!

Resources for this project:
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Frequently asked questions
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  2 questions
  • Teresa Teresa on Apr 19, 2020

    I’m interested in trying my hand at chalk painting. I have a dark brownish-black bedroom suite i bought about 14 yrs ago and would like to do most of it in an antique white with dark wax, and one piece in a teal with dark wax. How many ounces of this paint would you say it took to complete this piece?

  • GMS28 GMS28 on Apr 22, 2020

    do you put any type of finish over chalk paint? I am redoing a cabinet and want to put in my bathroom but not sure if I need to put some type of top coat over after painting with chalk paint. This is my first time

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2 of 24 comments
  • Debbie Debbie on Apr 21, 2021

    I love it, you did a beautiful job.

  • NanaWells NanaWells on May 03, 2021

    I have a bedroom set very similar that I am dying to paint antique white , so far everyone has talked me out of it , because it was an expensive set, but I have had it for 12 yrs and It needs a pick me up desperately now I know it will look fabulous as yours does !!

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