Painted Furniture – Antique Cabinet Makeover

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Hi everyone! Today I’m sharing the unbelievable makeover of an antique cabinet I picked up at a garage sale for just $40. It was tired and old and in major need of some TLC. It was also one of those things where I didn’t need a cabinet in this shape or size but it just spoke to me and said “Colleen, please take me home and make me pretty again”. Fortunately, I love painted furniture so I listened.

 

Painted Furniture - Antique cabinet makeover with Country Chic Paint - Life on Kaydeross Creek

This post contains affiliate links and is a review of Country Chic Paint. All opinions are 100% my own, as always, pinkie swear. 

I fell in love…

with the curves of the legs and the glass doors and side panels. Unfortunately, the doors were falling off a bit and the trim at the top was broken and needed to be replaced. We removed the doors (to be saved for another project) and the broken trim, gave it a good cleaning and sanded it down.  I kind of liked the rustic/industrial feel of it so we used it like that for a awhile just to see if it was  a good fit.

 

 

This picture is from a post I did on making a simple sign from scrap wood and you can see that here.  I liked it but recently decided that it needed a good coat of paint.

It’s amazing what a good coat of paint can do, am I right? If I had a dollar for every time I said that 🙂

I had seen Country Chic Paint on some of my favorite blogs and on line (I love their tutorials on paint techniques) so I decided to give it a try along with their wax. I’m so glad I did. 🙂

 

Painted Furniture - Country Chic Paint - Antique-ing an old cabinet with wax - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

Since we had already sanded the cabinet down a bit, I didn’t really have much prep work to do other than to give it a good cleaning.

 

Painted Furniture - create an antique or aged look with Country Chic Paint and Wax - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

This was my first time using the Country Chic Paint so I wasn’t familiar with how it would cover, (plus, I wasn’t sure how the dark stain left on the piece would darken the paint color) so I primed it first. Call me old school.

 

Painted Furniture - priming the surface for paint - how to create an antique or aged look with Country Chic Paint and Wax - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

So different already! Then I gave it a coat of the Country Chic Paint in the color Cobblestone. They have a ton of colors to choose from which you can see here.

 

Painted Furniture - How to create an aged or antique look with Country Chic Paint and Wax - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

The paint went on really easily and dried so quickly in a nice soft finish. I left the back white initially because I had thought about applying shelf liner or wall paper for a different look. Then I decided that the antique look I was going for didn’t really go with that so I painted the whole thing. I had to touch up here and there but I was really surprised that the container covered the entire piece.

After it had dried completely, I broke out the palm sander and went over the edges to “rough it up” a bit.

 

Painted Furniture - Distressing the edges with a sander - How to create an aged or antique look with Country Chic Paint and Wax - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

You can see where the sander opened up the wood and brought the white paint out a bit too .

Now to apply the wax…

I love this part! This is one of the drawers before wax with the Cobblestone.

 

Painted Furniture - Farmhouse Antique Cabinet Makeover - Country Chic Paint - Cobblestone - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

I used an old paint brush to apply the wax. I dipped it into the container and swirled it around a bit to work it into the brush.

 

 

 

Painted Furniture - furniture - Antique Cabinet Makeover - Country Chic Paint - Antiquing Wax with brush - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

I like to do an “X” pattern and circle motion with the brush so there are no lines and it’s more random.

 

Painted Furniture - farmhouse - Antique Cabinet Makeover - Country Chic Paint - Antiquing Wax applied - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

And then wipe/rub it in really well with a cotton rag.  See the difference in the color from the top to the bottom?

 

Painted Furniture - farmhouse - Antique Cabinet Makeover - Country Chic Paint - Antiquing Wax worked in - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

Painted Furniture - farmhouse - Antique Cabinet Makeover - Country Chic Paint - Antiquing Wax application - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

By sanding the piece, the wax gets worked into the grooves of the raw wood on the painted furniture, brings out the dark tone and “ages” the piece.  It’s really noticeable in the details and the trim. Yummy, rustic, farmhouse, aged goodness. 🙂

 

Painted Furniture - distressing details with Country Chic Paint Antique Cabinet makeover - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

The wax was really easy to use and had no odor at all. I absolutely love the color it gave the piece and the antiqued look.

One more detail…

To finish off the top, we added a piece of moulding. I couldn’t really find exactly what I wanted, one with more detail, but this piece worked well. I’m not gonna lie, it was a bear to cut the angles because it had been so long and we had a bit of a problem with one of the corners. Nothing a little spackle can’t fix. 🙂

 

Painted Furniture - Antique cabinet makeover - adding trim to the top and spackle to fix it - distressing details with Country Chic Paint - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

Painted Furniture - adding trim to the top Antique cabinet makeover - distressing details with Country Chic Paint - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

I could only get the trim piece in white so I had to improvise when it came to the color. I wanted the new piece to blend in like it was always there. You’re gonna think I’m crazy but I used brown craft paint as a base for my Cobblestone color so that when I sanded it down a bit the brown would show through.

 

Painted Furniture - Antique cabinet makeover - distressing details with Country Chic Paint and antique wax - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

I even went back over after the paint and wax just to make it all look seamless. It worked like a charm. What do you think?

 

Painted Furniture - Antique Cabinet Makeover -adding trim detail - Farmhouse - Country Chic Paint -Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

Painted Furniture - farmhouse - Antique Cabinet Makeover - Farmhouse - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

 

 

Painted Furniture - Antique Cabinet Makeover - Country Chic Paint - distress details - Farmhouse - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

 

 

 

Painted Furniture - farmhouse - Antique Cabinet Makeover - Country Chic Paint - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

I love, love, love the way this piece came out!  I also loved working with the Country Chic Paint and the wax is just awesome sauce. A little goes such a long way and really brings out extra character in painted furniture. I have already used it again on another project which I will share with you soon. I’ll also share a quick new video on how to use the wax as well.

 

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Painted Furniture - Antique Cabinet -Country Chic Paint - farmhouse -Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

Antique Cabinet Makeover - Country Chic Paint - Farmhouse - Life on Kaydeross Creek

 

Do you have a piece that could use a little love? Keep your ears open next time you’re at a garage sale or flea market and you just might find one speaking to you.

Happy DIY’ing!

Col

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24 Comments

  1. Colleen, beautiful job. What is the expression, “one women’s junk is another women’s treasure.“ I’m curious, is that cobblestone more on the Green Gray color tone. I looked up the color chart, that’s why am asking. From the pictures it looks gray. I’m going to paint my cabinet and buffet. I wanted a gray but its seems to be the most popular color, I’m one who wants to not always run with the pack. LOL. So I might try this color. Thanks again for sharing. Stay safe.. Blessings, Patricia

    1. Thank you so much, Patricia! It’s actually more of a blue gray but is made a bit darker with the antique wax. I really like the Country Chic paint and their wax is my favorite. Health and happiness to you and your family!

  2. Love it! I think you were right to prime first. Better safe than sorry. The color, the distressing, and the piece of moulding — everything adds up to a fabulous finished look. I like how you’ve styled the cabinet with white ironstone and neutral/natural accessories.
    Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi

  3. I love everything about this piece Colleen, a wonderful transformation and its this weeks feature at #fridaysfurniturefix .

  4. Colleen…this piece is absolutely beautiful. You did an amazing job on your “find.” But then, you always do.
    B3

  5. OMG!!!! THIS IS SIMPLY STUNNING!! You are an amazingly talented Artist!! This has been breathed new life and will enhance any room it is in. I wonder what the previous owners would say…….They would more than likely want it back!! I just love coming to Your site, I always feel so inspired and can’t wait to find something similar…….Going garage sale -ing tomorrow!! I wish You good hunting!! Have a wonderful weekend!!
    So blessed, Michelle

    1. Thank you so much, Michelle! You are too kind! I’m so glad you find inspiration here and can’t wait to share more projects with you. Good hunting to you as well! 🙂