I just did this beautiful antique cabinet makeover with chalk finish spray paint and it couldn’t have been easier! You guys know I’ve been making a lot of changes around here lately and this sweet little piece of furniture needed a pick me up. It happens to the best of us. 😉 Thanks to Rust-Oleum Imagine for introducing me to this awesome Chalk Finish Spray Paint and sponsoring this makeover.
When we moved in a few years back I was short on storage space. Our old house had tons of closets and built-ins, but this house had very limited space in that department. I ended up getting a few new pieces of furniture (like the big one you see in the green room!)and this antique cabinet was one of them. I like it because of its slim profile and ability to fit in small pass-through areas like the entryway or hallway.
Some people are original wood purists and don’t like to see a piece painted, but I think the piece has to let you know what it needs. This girl felt like a shrinking violet, a wallflower if you will. She just got lost in the mix and is way too special to go unnoticed. I thought a sweet subtle color would make her feel important and shine like the bright star she is. I decided to go with Blush Pink Chalk Finish Spray Paint from Rust-Oleum Imagine. I’m crushing on the soft sweet color this makeover turned out to be!!! Not only does it look good but this makeover was super simple. If you want to order this precious paint you can grab it here: Joann | Meijer
I’m really impressed with the matte finish I got from this paint I typically don’t use spray paint on furniture makeovers because I don’t care for a high gloss finish on most items so when I heard they had a chalk finish spray paint and you I had to try it and I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.
I started by sanding my piece just a little bit because it had kind of a high gloss finish and I wanted to rough it up just a little bit. The best news is with this chalk finish spray paint there’s very little to no prep necessary. It adheres to most surfaces with no prep necessary!!! WOOHOOO However, you do want to make sure your piece is nice and clean wipe it down from dust use some type of spray cleaner to get any dirt or grime off of the piece so the paint will stick directly to the wood.
To prep the piece for painting I covered the glass windows with painters tape and trash bags. It my favorite trick. It takes a minute to do, but it makes painting and clean up sooooo easy! Next I just went to town spraying the Rust-Oleum Imagine chalk finish spray paint. It went on like a breeze and my biggest tip for spray painting is to do very light coats and do multiple of them. Let your paint dry between coats and each pass will get better and better.
Luckily this chalk finish spray paint dries pretty fast so if you do light coats in a well ventilated area it dries quickly and by the time you spray the whole piece you can start over and spray it again. It sounds cumbersome, but it goes quickly! DO NOT be distressed if your first pass or two don’t look like even coverage and DON’T be tempted to over-spray. You will just get a globby runny mess! I promise, it evens out and looks amazing if you are patient.
If you do happen to over spray and the paint runs keep a nice paint brush with you and paint the drip out while it’s still wet. It will smooth out and cover up with the next coat of spray paint! You can seal this paint with the Rust-Oleum Imagine Matte Finish Clear Topcoat. This step is not necessary, but does add extra protection to your piece, especially if you are painting a high traffic piece. This topcoat goes on super easy and is more durable than many of the traditional wax finishes you may be familiar with. I love the fact that it is matte and keeps that chalk feel on your furniture!
It’s best to let your piece dry completely (possibly overnight to be sure!) before you move it or mess with it just so you don’t mess up your handiwork. BTW – having a sweet little sidekick while you paint and decorate never hurts. 😉
This antique cabinet now dresses up the entryway with a sweet pop of color that welcomes you when you walk in our door. I have big plans for the rest of this small space, so you’ll have to stay tuned to see what’s coming next in this area.
What a beautiful transformation! I adore the subtlety of the color and the way it works with the rest of the house. I hope you are doing well, I haven’t been on much this summer. As always though, your projects are wonderful.
That is a very nice cabinet. Great size, unusual shape. Love the leaded glass. What can you tell us about the bird print on top?
I love the pink. Can’t wait to see what you do next.
Kim the cabinet turn out beautiful. I love the color you chose. What color is it. I love both of your cabinets. The aqua one is so lovely. Thanks for sharing with us your talents.
Honestly, I am a wood purist, and when I saw the beautiful grain and the leaded glass, I thought, “Oh, no! There goes another antique down the paint road”. But the finished product turned out better than I thought. The pink is not overpowering. I went back and forth looking at the before and after thinking to myself that the re-do really looked good on that wall.
I realized the before shot did not display your contents as well as the after shot, partly because of the glare on the doors, partly the display was not as thoughtfully done as the after picture. I think, too, the lighter interior color emphasized your beautifully displayed pieces more effectively. The lesson here is sometimes we might experiment with lightening up the interior of a cabinet or display to see if that achieves the look we are after. Consider mini lights, a backdrop of wallpaper or scrapbook paper, even wrapping paper on a foamboard cut to fit. Since I am a doily maniac, I will lighten dark areas with a doily draped over the edge of a shelf. It’s feminine, temporary and can add color if needed.
Keep up the good work, Kim.
Your so lucky you can afford to buy such pretty things wish I could I can only dream of it
I buy very inexpensive stuff! You just have to look for it and wait for good deals!
Kim glad I saw your post I dont know I would be patient with all the coats of spray paint Id use a bruch and mini roller well done
Peg H
It really doesn’t take long at all! Sounds harder than it is – I promise!
My husband is a purest, I do what best for the piece. I love what you did, the color, paint type, and finish. I have several items in my house that need an update due to grandchildren spills and blistered wood. I have some lovely ideas with my rustoleum chalk paint and saved barn wood. I just need someone to go back to work first.
I love the color of your cabinet, but I also like the color of your wall behind it. Would you share the color please?
here are all the paint colors in my house! Interior Paint Colors From My Home
Where you find peices like that I’ll never know IF IM LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND A PEICE like that I can’t afford it being on SSI
you have to look a lot to find the treasures and I don’t pay alot for my finds! It is possible to find great things for a deal! Keep looking – you will!
Love the candlesticks. What do you have between the candlestick and the candle. Looks like an old pattern are a page out of a book.
Kim, the cabinet is absolutely beautiful! I would have never thought to paint it pink. Doesn’t bother me at all to paint wood. I love the bird picture above it also. You go girl! Thanks for sharing.
Lovely color. Curious to know. How many cans of spray for this one piece? I was thinking of doing two small side tables that equal about the size of your cabinet total.
Just hadn’t thought of how many I may need as opposed to a pint of paint…
that is a great question and I honestly don’t remember but want to say 4ish…. I hope that helps!!!!