If thereβs one look that we know our Fusion community loves, itβs the distressed, farmhouse-inspired look. Whether you call it farmhouse or shabby chic, thereβs something that both are reminiscent of a cozy, comfy home. That feeling of looking like an item has been with your family for years. The caveat with that is that sometimes real antiques cost a lot more than the average person can afford. Today weβre going to show you how we (and YOU!) can get Shabby Chic kitchen cabinets.
Farmhouse Inspired Kitchen Cabinets
Step 1 β PREP YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS FOR PAINTING
To find out how to properly prep cabinets for painting, read our handy post on theΒ basics of painting kitchen cabinetsΒ to get you started.
Step 2 β HAVE A DARK BASECOAT ON YOUR CABINETS (likeΒ Chocolate).Β
Now, if your cabinets are dark brown or dark wood, then youβre good to go.Β But if yours arenβt, the first thing you need to do is paint a base coat of brown paint inΒ Chocolate.
This is so that when you sand down the top colour, if it wasnβt brown underneath, now it will be! So paint your cabinet frontΒ brownΒ and allow that to dry.
Step 3 β GET READY TO DISTRESS YOUR CABINETS
The first step to getting shabby chic kitchen cabinets is to applyΒ waxΒ to your first colour (in our case, to theΒ chocolateΒ base). Using ourΒ Hemp Oil Beeswax Finish, we rubbed theΒ beeswaxΒ along the areas on theΒ chocolateΒ cabinets that we wanted to distress using a small cloth and the tips of our fingers. A good rule of thumb for this is to apply it to areas that naturally wear down with regular use β think edges, certain spots near handles and crevices. This will help it look naturally aged. Depending on how distressed youβd like your cabinets to look, you can even apply it across the fronts in spots.
Just in case youβre wondering how this helps to create a distressed look, you cannot paint over wax. Therefore the wax acts like a barrier to the paint, allowing it to be removed easily.
Step 4Β βΒ LAYER IN YOUR CHOSEN CABINET COLOR
After we put the wax where we wanted it to go on our base colour, we are ready to add our next colourΒ Raw Silk.
You can see after just one coat, that theΒ Raw SilkΒ looks a little patchy and needs a second coat. It is best to use an angled brush to get into theΒ edges.
After one coat ofΒ Raw Silk:
We painted two coats ofΒ Raw SilkΒ over the entire cabinet and then let that dry. Make sure the paint has been drying for at least 30 minutes before you begin to distress.
Step 5Β βΒ DISTRESS YOUR KITCHEN CABINETSΒ
Distressing time! Using an ultra fine sanding sponge, we went over the area on the cabinet where we applied theΒ beeswax finishΒ and sprayed the areas with water. This is called wet distressing and itβs far less messy than regular distressing (plus we have a great post all aboutΒ how to wet distressΒ that you should read).
We wiped off any excess water and began to sand until we achieve the shabby chic distressed look we desired. Basically, itβs spray water, lightly wipe, sand and then wipe again. This helps keep everything contained without the mess of sanding dust going everywhere.
Step 6Β βΒ ASSESS AND UPDATE FOR DESIRED LOOK (MORE OR LESS DISTRESSING)
This is where you step back and take a look at your overall surface and decide if there are any other areas youβd like to darken or lighten. Are there spots that you want to distress more or add more paint. Use your own discretion as everyoneβs cabinets will be different, so go with what works for you. We decided to touch up some spots.
Step 7Β β OPTIONAL STEP β ADD A LAYER OF EXTRA PROTECTION WITH TOUGH COAT
Using ourΒ Tough CoatΒ is not necessary but we find that many of our customers love adding this additional layer of protection to their cabinets if they are going to get a lot of wear and tear.Β Fusion Mineral Paint has a built-in top coat so usingΒ Tough CoatΒ is not usually necessary. Read our post aboutΒ when to use a top coatΒ over Fusion Mineral Paint to help you decide.
Please note:Β we do not recommend using ourΒ Stain and Finishing OilΒ (SFOΒ as it is affectionately known in ourΒ Paint it Beautiful Facebook group) over this and other light colors, as it may cause the color to yellow.
And after that, you are done! If youβve ever distressed your kitchen cabinets, weβd love to see them so feel free to share them in ourΒ Paint it BeautifulΒ group on Facebook.
PIN IT FOR LATER
