If you need new cabinets but can’t afford them, you can try some DIY antique ones. Aging your kitchen cabinets can revitalize worn-out old cabinets and add warmth and character to the room. Antique cabinets match a wide range of decorating styles, from country to Victorian to Tuscan and French.
Antique cabinets will give your kitchen a warm and welcoming look and make the room feel more relaxed and comfortable. There are 2 basic methods you can use to age your kitchen cabinets: stain and age. You can use them on their own or combine them for a bit of old world charm in your kitchen.
Aging your cabinets with stains
This method of aging kitchen cabinets works best on cabinets that are painted a light color or have a light stain.
You will need a dark stain, a brush or sponge, and plenty of paper towels. Getting an old look is easy, but you may want to try it in an area that isn’t as noticeable, or practice on something else until you get the hang of it and develop a technique.
To antique your cabinets, simply apply a light coat of the stain to a section of the cabinet and wipe down to the desired level of “antique”. Repeat throughout the cabinet until you’re done! You’ll want it to look natural, so concentrate more stain on areas that would wear the most, like around the edges and handles.
Distressing Your Kitchen Cabinet
This method of aging kitchen cabinets only works on painted cabinets. It’s called distressing because it simulates the wear and tear an old piece of cabinetry would take after hundreds of years of use. Some people use chain and hammer to age furniture, but I find a little bit of sandpaper will do the trick for cabinets.
The goal is to sand down the finish on the edges and worn areas. So I would take a medium grit sandpaper and sand down the edges of the door and drawer to reveal just a thin layer of the wood underneath. It looks best when the color underneath is a little darker or if the cabinets are dark, it looks better if the revealed color is lighter. Personally, I prefer to stick to the edges, but you can sand down the middle a bit if you want an overall worn look.
Some other methods of aging kitchen cabinets include crackle paint and faux paint.
Crackle painting is done with 2 types of paint: the bottom layer is painted over and the crackle medium is brushed on top, causing the bottom layer to crackle. I have tried this method many times and have never been really satisfied with the results. If you really like this look, I suggest you practice and practice and practice on something else before trying to creak your cabinets.
Faux paint can be a very nice way to age your cabinets. You can probably find a local artist that does
this for a reasonable price – they can add depth to the cabinet and some nice art!
Other ways to add interest to your cabinets include changing the knobs and hardware and adding
molding, legs and moldings.