You guys!
I'm so excited to share my latest project. It's been so long since I've done something big like this and it felt great! I love transforming pieces into something new and refreshing. Since I acquired this china cabinet from my uncle I've been dreaming of the different ways update it to my style.
Originally I sought out to change this beauty into a farmhouse style but because of the hardware, I picked it totally changed the style to shabby chic. While not my favorite, shabby chic can be adorable every now and again. I think this turned out adorable!
Painting with Chalky paint
I used Valspar Chalky Paint finish for furniture in "Kids gloves" color paint. After removing all hardware and taking the doors off the bottom piece I applied three coats of paint. The paint is thick so you want to do thin layers otherwise you will see the goopy drippy dried paint... and that never looks good. It's better to apply multiple thin coats than slapping it on in one or two. I also noticed that the thicker I applied the paint the more likely it would have the crackle paint effect. This is great for a vintage effect but if you're not expecting or wanting this particular look it totally changes the style.
I had some left over sample paint we had played around with when we were renovating our powder room. I knew I wanted to paint the inside of the cabinet a different color to accent the piece but also not completely wash out my7 white china. I used the Valspar Gossamer sky for the accent color.
Distressing
After the paint was good and dry, I took a piece of fine sandpaper and gently distressed the edges of each piece. Basically anywhere that could be distressed I made distressed. There were certain lips and crevices that I wanted to make sure stood out to show the lines and beauty of the cabinet.
Sealing Wax
For this step, I used the Valspar Sealing Wax (step 2) to finish it off. You really want to apply a thin layer of this. A little goes a looong way. Make sure to give attention to the small details, cracks, and crevices. The thicker you apply the wax the more tinted it will dry. With a white paint, the wax turned it more of a cream. Use a white cloth to rub off any excess wax to avoid yellowing. I only applied one coat. Just as a precaution, the thicker you apply the sealing wax the more "aged" it will look. If you are not sure I recommend testing out a small area before sealing your entire piece.
Once it's dry... takes about 4 hours with the wax, I added the hardware and reattached the doors.