# What color should I paint this china cabinet?



## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

I'm working on fixing up this china cabinet. There were a lot of scrapes in the wood, so I've had to sand it down a lot. Now I'm trying to figure out what color to paint it. We'll be buying new furniture for the dining room, so there isn't a pre-existing decor to go by. However, the walls are cream, the molding is white, the floors are bamboo, and the lighting is a silver color with white frosted glass. I do plan on getting new silver type hardware, to match the light fixture.

Some different ideas I've had thusfar:

Paint it white, accenting it with another color (what color, I'm not sure).

Paint it espresso color.

Paint it sage green

Antique crackle finish

Wallpaper the inside

Stained glass

So, what would you ladies suggest?


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## limette (Feb 25, 2008)

Blue!

Lol I just painted a pine writing desk a dark blue and it is such a lovely colour (minwax deep ocean).

Here's a pic.

What colours do you like? Do you have any plan for colour in that room?


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## coyotemist (Aug 23, 2007)

No wallpaper, no crackle, those both make for hard work to repaint later.

Otherwise, personally, I'd go for the white/cream accented with another color. Easy to paint over, can add a pop of color to your home, and bright.


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## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

Limette, I'm so glad I got a response from you! I love visiting your blog.

I tend to prefer autumn colors. The living room has a lot of browns, deep reds, yellows, oranges, tan, etc. The dining room is visible from the living room, through a large open doorway.

The dining room will actually be turned into a kids art/playroom. I've noticed the kids furniture I like tends to be espresso, but I'm worried that a large piece in espresso would be too heavy. I'm kind of tempted (okay, REALLY tempted) to do something artsy/funky to the china cabinet. I'm just not sure what.


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## limette (Feb 25, 2008)

Thanks! I'm always amazed that people read my blog...lol.

I'm all about painting with colour, so you could pick one of the colours you mentioned and have nice loud statement piece.

You could also paint it one colour, paint over with another and sand the edges or dry brush it with the second colour for something a little more subtle.

Have you checked out Paint Me White? She paints furniture (not always white) so it's a good inspiration site.

I'm not sure how funky you'd want to get with this piece because it's a pretty traditional style but whatever you do will be fun.


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## odenata (Feb 1, 2005)

I did a hutch in a kind of shabby shic/antique finish that turned out really neat. I painted the inside a sage green, did a sage green base coat on the outside, and then white over it, with the green showing through in some places, and then distressed it. Something like that might work nicely for this piece.


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## rere (Apr 21, 2005)

How about a rusty orange with dark yellow accents?That would be a bit funky but would go with the espresso furniture you like.


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## jimblejamble (May 18, 2007)

It's beautiful! What about white with wallpaper?


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## dbsam (Mar 3, 2007)

What about espresso with a deep orange interior? (too Halloween-ish??)

Might be too dark for you, but...we recently painted a piece black and added brushed silver hardware and I love it. We have fall-ish colors in the room and the only other black piece is the piano.


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## hibana (Jun 9, 2006)

Paint it orange! Or rather, that red-orange-brown color that Frank Lloyd Wright was enamored of. It looks very nice with espresso colored furniture.


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## philomom (Sep 12, 2004)

I've used the expresso color for some distressed wooden pieces in my home and they blend better with my bits of new furniture now.


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## Denvergirlie (Oct 22, 2005)

I'm getting ready to paint mine a tealish color with a glaze come spring, so no help to you on this.

However mine serves as a craft/ sewing hutch and is in the home office, so I wanted playful and stimulating (get those creative juices flowing..).

But I did goggle "painted china hutch" and looked thru some internet sites/ blog postings and did a search on flickr.

here are a few links I have saved:

http://thecraftingchicks.com/2010/09/dining-room-hutch-makeover.html

She glazes to give depth, really like that. Also, she uses fabric backing inside with spray adhesive glue, instead of what I think you would use wallpaper for.

I also found these blog enteries helpful:

http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2010/04/painting-furniture-101.html

http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2010/03/glazing-furniture-101.html


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## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denvergirlie*
> 
> I'm getting ready to paint mine a tealish color with a glaze come spring, so no help to you on this.
> 
> ...


Wow! The hutch from The Crafting Chicks website is the exact same one that I'm redoing! I like that she used fabric on the inside, and I think I'm going to do that. I also like the idea of glazing it to help the details pop. The red color, as seen on my screen, seems a bit too bright for me. Tonight I'm going to go to the store, pick out some fabric, then go get some primer, paint & glaze that I think would go with it.


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## Denvergirlie (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AtYourCervices*
> 
> Wow! The hutch from The Crafting Chicks website is the exact same one that I'm redoing! I like that she used fabric on the inside, and I think I'm going to do that. I also like the idea of glazing it to help the details pop. The red color, as seen on my screen, seems a bit too bright for me. Tonight I'm going to go to the store, pick out some fabric, then go get some primer, paint & glaze that I think would go with it.


Yeah, i thought it looked extacly like the one you have as well. I agree that the red might be too strong, but would consider more of a burgandy/ maroon color myself, but the glazing seems to really tone the colors down as the same time.

I think fabric is the way to go as well, I like that it would easily be changed by just pulling it down and way easier to clean off than wallpaper.

Have fun on the project, post pics when you get it done!


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## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

I started priming it, and I bought some new hardware. Unfortunately I couldn't find hardware that fit a few of the drawers so I'm spray painting the existing hardware chrome to match the new hardware I did manage to purchase.

I decided to go with white but I will be lining the inside with some funky fabric. I haven't gone on a mission to find the perfect fabric, yet. I figure I'll do that on Saturday, after I finish painting the hutch. Right now the primer is drying. I should be painting it tomorrow.

Does anybody have any fabric suggestions?


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## thriftyqueen (Mar 2, 2006)

What about fabrics like this? Either one on the link would look nice with white and with the autumn colors in your living room.


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## mkksmom (Mar 24, 2008)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thriftyqueen*
> 
> What about fabrics like this? Either one on the link would look nice with white and with the autumn colors in your living room.


I love that first fabric!


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## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thriftyqueen*
> 
> What about fabrics like this? Either one on the link would look nice with white and with the autumn colors in your living room.


That fabric is fantastic! I'll be checking out the fabric store tomorrow. I have a lot of it painted already, I just have to do another coat. So far, so good. I'm still afraid I'm going to mess it up somehow.


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## bluebackpacks (Nov 5, 2010)

sage green!!!


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## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

I think I have another day or so of work ahead and then it'll be done. I don't think the fabric I picked would actually work for the back of the cabinet. It's too funky for this big old piece. However, I'm thinking of making little curtains for in the windows of the china cabinet. I'm not crazy about the fabric, but it brings together all the other colors in the room.


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## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

I'm still not crazy about the fabric, but like I said, it does go with the other colors in the room (it's a playroom). Here's some pics:







I can change out the fabric in the future, since I just made little curtains with them. I'm just happy to be done fixing it up for the most part. There's a few little fixes I have to do, but it's MOSTLY done.


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## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

And here''s a picture of it in the playroom.



The playroom isn't done yet. But, it's a start.


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## thriftyqueen (Mar 2, 2006)

It looks awesome! Way to go!!!!


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## AtYourCervices (Feb 22, 2009)

Thank you!


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## homemademom (Sep 25, 2009)

So cute!!


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## mkksmom (Mar 24, 2008)

That looks awesome! Thanks for sharing the pics. I like the curtain idea for a playroom because it will hide the stuff.


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## limette (Feb 25, 2008)

I'm not feeling the fabric but I love the paint job. It's a beautiful piece!


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## Aeress (Jan 25, 2005)

I like the fabric, it adds whimsy to the playroom.


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## coyotemist (Aug 23, 2007)

I like the fabric, too. Great job!


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