Furniture restoration is my greatest passion. This china cabinet needed a lot of love. When I purchased it, the legs were missing and the glass was heavily damaged. But despite its appearance which would surely have discouraged many, I fell in love when I saw it, my head was already full of ideas for this project!
In order to give it the rustic chic side that I had in mind, I opted for the beautiful colour, Volcano, from Colorantic. I was convinced that this soft warm gray would give it the chic style I wanted.
By reading the following, you will discover all the steps necessary to make a retro style solid wood cabinet into a farmhouse style china cabinet.
Happy reading !!!
List of Products Used:
- Colorantic Cleaner and Varnish Remover
- Colorantic Chalk Paint: Volcano
- Colorantic Chalk Paint: Cotton Ball
- Colorantic Wax: Bee Natural
- Colorantic Wax: Grey Storm
- Colorantic Oil Base Primer
- European style oval brush in beige bristle Colorantic
- Round brush with beige silk bristles 16 mm Colorantic (for wax)
- XLarge Colorantic Round Brush (for wax)
- Colorantic Sandblasting Block
- White chicken wire
- A stapler
- Blue workshop paper towel
- Cloth
Preparation
I chose Colorantic Cleaner and Varnish Remover to eliminate all traces of dirt. Spray the cleaner on all surfaces and leave it to act for 30 minutes. Once the time has elapsed, using hot water and a cloth, rinse well twice to remove all residue.
Since the old varnish was water-based, it was not necessary to apply the oil-based primer Colorantic Grip-all. It would have been better to apply if the previous varnish had been oil, as it would have helped transition from the oil to the new water-based chalk paint.
Although Colorantic chalk paint adheres very well, I used the sanding block to scratch the surfaces to allow the paint to adhere better. I took care to dust well using a damp cloth.
Since Colorantic chalk paint also adheres to metal, I decided to paint the handles and hinges. To paint metal, you apply a thin layer of oil primer.
Farmhouse Style Cabinet Transformation
Given the size of the surfaces, I chose the large European brush for applying the paint.
First of all, the colour Cotton Ball was used at the bottom of the cabinet as well as on the shelves in order to lighten the interior of the furniture. This pure white goes perfectly with the grey, Volcano, used for the exterior of the piece.
Two coats were enough to cover the entire piece of furniture. Once the paint was dry, the chicken wire was installed with the stapler in the edges of the doors to replace the original windows.
Finishing Touches
With the fine side of the sanding block, I gently sanded all the surfaces to soften any small brushstrokes that might have left marks. Once this step was completed, I made sure to dust very well before applying the wax.
For the application of the wax Bee Natural, I used the XLarge brush. In small sections at a time, I applied the wax randomly. Once the wax has been applied it is necessary to polish it well and to do this, I suggest you use paper towels. Continue this for all surfaces and remember to change paper towels for each section.
Before applying coloured wax, it is important to apply Natural Beeswax, as this will allow the coloured wax to spread better and will also allow you to make corrections if you are not not satisfied with the result. This involves taking a little natural wax on the end of a cloth and erasing the dark wax and allowing you to start again.
Next I applied the coloured wax Grey Storm, with the 16mm wax brush, to age the curves and corners of the dresser.
I am very happy with the result, it is exactly the style I had in mind when I purchased the dresser. Giving a second life to a piece of furniture is certainly a source of pride for oneself.
With its neutral shades, it will match all the decors of your home.
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Claire Gendron
Colorantic – Chalk paint manufacturer and supplierAbout Colorantic:Colorantic, a 100% Canadian and 100% Quebec company, offers you a wide range of chalk paints and accessories to enhance your furniture and accessories.Website
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