DIY Furniture Makeover with Chalk Paint for a Farmhouse Look

Hi there Sweet Friends,

I’ve got a furniture makeover project for you today. For a few years now I’ve been wanting to give my little corner kitchen cabinet a new look. Really, it’s more of a curio cabinet. We don’t really have room (wall space) in the house for a proper china cabinet or hutch so we bought this narrow curio cabinet to fit in the awkward corner of the dining room. It has worked really well over the years, but lately I’ve just felt it was too dark and was in desperate need of a facelift. Chalk paint to the rescue!! I’ve been working with chalk paint for a few years now and I knew it would be perfect for this project. As many know, chalk paint requires minimal prep for the surface being painted; no sanding, just cleaning.

After removing everything from the cabinet, I removed the door pulls and the panes of glass, then gave it a good cleaning. (I had to get help with removing the glass) Instead of removing the mirror back, I covered with newspaper. I also placed newspaper under the cabinet to catch any paint drips.

It was time to paint. I chose Waverly Nimbus chalk paint; it’s a very pale gray color, almost white. It took a little longer than I realized but I stayed with it.

Here’s what it looked like after one coat. At this point, I knew it would still be at least another two coats to give it nice full coverage.

I think this was after three coats. I still added an additional coat in a few places that needed it. After the paint was dry, I removed the newspaper from the mirror. I then applied a thin coat of Waverly clear wax to all the painted surfaces, working on small areas at a time, then buffing with a clean cloth.

Not too shabby!! I’m really liking the updated look. Sort of a farmhouse vibe! Now, time to replace the glass panes and add the new knobs.

I’m loving the finished look!

This is not a quick project that can be completed in one day, but it is so worthwhile in the end. I hope I’ve inspired you to work with some chalk paint on your next project.

Happy Crafting!

Pamela