Stepback Cupboards

Many Stepback Cupboards are actually married pieces and this one is no exception. Often made at different...... Read More 

Dark into Light

Sometimes you will find a vintage piece of furniture that has great structure and lines but the finish is very dark. It used to be a very long, messy and difficult process of stripping, sanding, bleaching and liming. Even then, the results could be disappointing.

Dark Walnut Finish

Here is one way to get that light, whitewashed, limed, Restoration Hardware look, that I used on my

old Stepback Cupboard shown in the above photo. Although Graphite is included, it was only used on the hardware to create a rustic zinc color and not on the wood. My first coat was Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White. French Linen and Coco were lightly brushed on in long strokes following the direction of the wood grain. It takes a little practice, but you can always add a little more of any of the colors to create the look of wood grain. After a coat of clear wax, you can also use the dark wax for a grain effect. Just remember to continue to brush in one direction. The old pulls were were painted with Graphite and Old White.

This is a very easy finish to create with Chalk Paint. I used French Linen and Coco because I like the depth created by adding additional colors.  But really you could easily create a similar look with just Old White and a second color, or Old White plus the clear and dark wax. 

Painting the inside is a matter of personal preference. In this cupboard I used Provence mixed with water, for a wash effect. 

Take One Stepback

Called Stepback Cupboards because the top shelving piece sits "back" from the front edge of the separate lower cabinet, they are most often made of pine or oak. It is not unusual to find one where the top and bottom were not made at the same time as one complete piece, but have been put together, sometimes referred to as "married".

This one has wonderful age and patina in its deep blues and greens. If you are lucky enough to have a stepback cupboard, layering the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors shown above, would give you a similar finish.

In Kentucky, antique step backs are easy to find and reasonably priced. To see more of these delicious cupboards check out my posts, Another Stepback,  Dark into Light, and Colorful Storage.

I like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  for my craft and furniture projects, but for walls nothing compares to Pure & Original Fresco Lime Paint. I love the natural variations of shades and tones the lime creates within one paint color. You have to see how gorgeous it is! Checkout my most recent interior design make overs with Fresco. It can be purchased online at www.502paint.com

P.S  Pure and Original also makes a chalk based paint called Classico in 140 colors! Its amazing too!