Distressed Kitchen Cabinets for An Attractive, Vintage Look
Want to make distressed kitchen cabinets?
In decorative arts, distressing is the art of making pieces look very old and worn.
Distressed cabinets are used to give a kitchen a vintage, antique style.
There are many ways to age wooden furniture. Mostly these involve removing layers of paint in uneven patches, leaving remnants of layers that show different colors, or even bare wood beneath.
The aim is to have a 'look' that is rustic, imperfect and aged.
Sandpaper and paint stripper are used. The finished piece can be refinished with glaze (thinned paint) or varnish, if wanted.
Can I distress kitchen cabinets myself?
Yes! This is an easy technique for beginners and as long as you are accepting of how your piece will turn out, you can have a lot of fun creating a set of antique-looking cabinetry in your kitchen. You'll need sandpaper of differing grades of coarseness, brushes and some light colored paints.
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These techniques can be applied to many surfaces and materials such as wood, glass, metal, stone, concrete, plaster and paint.
The Shabby-Chic style has made antiquing techniques very popular.
Techniques
Deliberately sand, dent, scrape and gauge out little dents and holes in the cabninet faces and tops. To distress the wood, you can use a chain to throw against the wood, a screwdriver to gauge, a hammer to implement dents and stain and varnish to darken the wood.
You can buy antiquing paints and varnishes to apply on the top in layers or patches, one layer above the last. To add to the aging look, water down the colors with thinners or water. This will look like a color wash. As the paint dries, keep sanding little areas to give a worn finish.
If you like, you can add a crackle varnish as the last layer - this will give an antique appearance. Take some off again to show how the cabinet has been worn.
Add some lovely knobs or handles in wrought iron to finish the cabinets.
Following these techniques, you'll have beautiful distressed kitchen cabinets for your vintage style kitchen.
Every piece is of unique interest and once you add some accessories such as open shelving displays of china, you'll be very pleased with the look you have achieved!
Lots more about how to distress your kitchen cabinets in a professional way
How to reface and paint or stain your kitchen cabinets to look wonderful!
How to recreate the charm and beauty of a french country kitchen in your home
Learn about how to choose hardware (handles, knobs and hinges) for your new or refaced cabinets
How to create the warmth and drama of a Spanish style kitchen by using the right colors and accessories. It's easy!
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