Faux Painting - China Cabinet

Well, as some of you are aware, I have been working off and on trying to get this china cabinet to have a look I am happy with in the dining room. My honey bought it for me off of CraigsList for $25 so we didn't have too high of hopes for it!!

I don't have a before picture but just imagine early american dark pine finish. It had some water damage and needed a good cleaning.

I had originally painted it an off white as I was going for a lighter french country look in my home. My honey helped me put the chicken wire in the doors and then the glass behind it.

I thought it would look good with my Currier and Ives dishes from my grandma but to me it was just too plain. In addition, I changed the walls from a pale yellow to the dark red and tan so it stood out terribly!

I started with painting on an umber color glaze I made up and took a plastic bag to scrunch up the finish. Once that dried, I put a dark brown glaze on it and did the criss cross movement with a soft bristle brush to soften the glaze. I liked it but it still needed more. I had been thinking about painting or putting wallpaper on the inside to give it more character. Kim over at Savvy Southern Style gave me the nudge to do the toile wallpaper. I was much happier with it then.


However, the more I looked at it in the room, it just seemed to "honey" colored to match the table top. So I decided to make a darker glaze with the brown and did another coat on it.

Here is a close up of the finish and the wallpaper. I think it looks much better.


I can't say I am thrilled with it but I think for now it will be just fine. The darker color does look much better and maybe once I do the paint treatment on the lower half of the walls, I will like it even more. I hope to get that done next week so I can post the tour of this dining room. It sure has been a work in progress.



How about you, do you have projects that you have completed and everyone seems to like it alot but YOU just aren't satisfied????

I am linking to the following parties:

Between Naps on the Porch for

Thrifty Treasures over at

The DIY Show Off Project Parade at

Reinvented for

Hooking up with House of Hepworths

Frugalicious Friday over at