Update the look of your kitchen by giving your existing cabinets a new old look.
Antique Painted Cabinets: Tips and Techniques to Try at Home
Updated on Nov. 21, 2024
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How to Paint Cabinets to Look Antique
Give your current kitchen cabinets an antique look with paint without spending a fortune. “Although it’s not just a simple one-step job, the process can be very rewarding and cost-efficient,” Scheck says. To avoid brush marks, “invest in a sprayer, and make sure to study application tips to ensure that you’re creating an end product that you’ll love.”
Scheck says sanding painted cabinets can give them that weathered, old-world look, so once you apply your favorite color, try “lightly sanding the edges of the surfaces of the cabinetry to make it look more aged.”
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How To Distress Painted Cabinets with Milk Paint
You can also get the look of antique-painted cabinets with milk paint. Milk paint is made from simple ingredients—milk protein, lime and clay—and it can be used on nearly any surface without sanding or priming first, making it a great option for distressing painted cabinets.
Milk paint can be found at home improvement and specialty paint stores or online. After painting, apply a finishing cream with a rag, brush, damp sponge or even a spatula. These creams dry to a clear finish, giving your cabinets a distressed, antique look when applied over paint.
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Staining Cabinets to Look Antique
Depending on the look you’re going for, staining your kitchen cabinets can be a low-cost option for an antique look. Stain can either be applied to bare wood after stripping the existing paint off, or over the top of a new coat of paint to change the tone and depth. Consider giving your kitchen cabinets a quick makeover with a fresh coat of stain.
Similarly to painting, to stain cabinets you’ll need to remove cabinet hardware, doors and drawers. Clean the surfaces and remove the old finish, or sand the existing finish to accept the stain. To avoid blotches and dark spots when staining, check out our tips to stain wood evenly.
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How to Pick a Paint Color & Cabinet Style
Choosing the right color for your antique painted cabinets may be the hardest part of your project. Go with what you love, even if it’s not trendy. In fact, trendy is a good thing to avoid when getting that antique cabinet look!
Color isn’t your only option for getting that old-time feel. “For an antique look with painted cabinets, look for cabinet door styles [that] feel more old world,” Scheck says. “For example, an eyebrow curve instead of a traditional shaker panel will make the cabinet door feel more antique and reminiscent of cabinet styles from decades ago.”
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How to Use Antiquing Glaze and Hardware
Antique glaze will give your kitchen cabinets a unique, distressed-antique finish with minimal effort. Glazing is a technique that’s been around for centuries. Apply the transparent or semi-transparent glaze over your existing paint, then wipe it off in strategic areas to give the look of age and depth.
To round out your newly-antique glazed cabinets, “branch out with your hardware and style!” Scheck says. “You can always swap out knobs and decor that authentically reflects the vibe you are wanting to create.”
About the Expert
Audrey Scheck is the founder and principal designer at Audrey Scheck Design in Austin, Texas. After a lifetime of interest in interior design, Scheck started her own design firm after remodeling her own home. Now one of the top designers in Austin, Scheck’s designs can be found across the country in a range of styles, scope and budgets.
