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Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer

Simple DIY tutorials and thrifty furniture and decor makeovers

Black Painted Antique China Cabinet

Welcome back, amazing friends! Today is one of my favorite days of the month! It’s Furniture Fixer Upper day, and my friends and I all have fantastic furniture makeovers for you. My piece is a black painted antique china cabinet, and it is easily my favorite piece from this huge haul!

Here is how this piece started:

I happened upon it at a yard sale a few weeks ago, and the seller was asking $50 for it. I was looking it over just to get an idea of what kind of damage it had, and whether or not it was something I could easily repair, when the owner told me to make me her an offer.

So, I offered $40, and she accepted!

I can’t tell you how nice it was to be able to purchase a gigantic piece of furniture without having to measure it, thanks to my new minivan lol.

I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.

Clean

When I tell you this piece was dusty, this piece had like 50 year old dust, y’all!

They must have wiped the outside of it down but forgot the inside.

I removed all the glass and Jack got to work cleaning this for me using White Lightning, which is a degreaser and deglosser, to give this piece the best prep possible!

Here it is all clean…lot’s of damage revealed:

Fill in Damaged Veneer

This beautiful cabinet also had several areas of missing veneer along the bottom edges:

Luckily, the rest was still adhered well, so I was able to just fill in those areas, but first, I removed what little bit of raised detail was still left along that bottom edge.

Then the missing veneer was filled in with Dixie Mud:

Use Dixie Mud to fill in missing veneer.

Sand

Once the mud was dry, I sanded those areas smooth using 220 grit sandpaper wrapped around an old sanding sponge:

A lot of that old stain was super flaky, so I ended up sanding all over to remove any loose, flaking stain.

I vacuumed up any sanding dust with my shop vac and wiped the surface down with a clean, soft cloth to prep for paint.

Paint

I usually reach for Chalk  Mineral paint for my furniture pieces as I love a distressed finish. However, for this piece, I chose silk Mineral Paint for its flawlessly, smooth finish. That is another reason I chose to sand the entire surface first as Silk Mineral paint does need something to grab onto. (An alternative to sanding would be to use a coat of Bonding Boss and wait 24 hours before painting.)

I went with Silk Anchor on this one, applying it with my favorite (and very well loved) brush for  painting furniture, the Mini Angle Brush…

Applying Silk Anchor

It took two coats for solid coverage and this piece was complete!

No sealer required

With Silk Mineral Paint, there is no sealer required as it has a built-in topcoat. If you like a an eggshell finish, then you are done! If you want more sheen, feel free to follow up with Clear Coat in Satin.

The dirtiest glass ever

I had to share this photo of one of the front, side panels of glass:

Just to show the age of this piece. That is many many years of build up! I used a combination of Windex and a glass scraper to get that clean before adding all the glass panels back.

The After of this Gorgeous Black Painted Antique China Cabinet

Here is how this absolute gem of a find turned out:

Black Painted Antique China Cabinet

I LOVE this one!

Black Painted Antique China Cabinet

I think the black helps to maintain the original character and elegance of this piece.

What do you think?

Here is a peek with the door open before:

Isn’t that door huge??

The shelves must have been replacements since they were unfinished wood.

And after…

Black Painted Antique China Cabinet

The glass is all original wavy glass, so I was super careful with it while it was out of the cabinet.

I love the fretwork. That got painted black as well…

Black Painted Antique China Cabinet

 

Of course I had to stage it with my white ironstone...

And of course I had to stage it with my white ironstone…

Of course I had to stage it with my white ironstone...

You can kind of see the movement in the glass in the door in this photo…

Of course I had to stage it with my white ironstone...

The bottom, interior was painted black as well. Black paint hides just about everything!

The hardware

The door originally had a keyhole that was pretty torn up. I opted to cover that right on up with the Josephine Mould made from Amazing Casting Resin:

Amazing casting resin and the Josephine Mould

It is so easy to use! Just mix equal parts of the two liquids and pour into the mould. In 15 minutes, it’s done!

Since Silk Mineral paint does need something to grip onto, I decided to do one coat of Caviar Chalk Mineral Paint first. It adheres well to most surfaces, and then I added a coat of the Silk Anchor over that.

The oval glass knobs came from Hobby Lobby…

Josephine Mould and Amazing Casting Resin

It covered right over the original keyhole. I used a bit of Tite bond Quick and Thick glue to adhere it. I’m liking that these days and it dries pretty quickly.

For the bottom cabinets, I just used the glass knobs alone since there is already this pretty, original detail on the doors:

https://amzn.to/40TYx4j

 

That detail isn’t quite intact on the right side:

But I chose to embrace those imperfections as they tell the story of this piece!

And what a wonderful piece it is!

The lady who was selling it was selling it for what looked like her in-laws. I know she was all too happy to see it go, but I wish her in-laws could see it now!

Black antique china cabinet

I like to save these dreamier pieces for the end of my haul to give y’all something to look forward to, but I really needed the space in my garage ha ha!

AND this Smoky Mountains dresser (also done in Silk Paint) that I contemplated painting black finally sold (without painting it Woohoo!!), so I needed to get something done to fill in that large space in my booth!

Black Painted Hutch in Silk Anchor

 

Black antique china cabinet

This will do that very nicely!

My friends have makeovers to share today as well!!

1. Salvaged Inspirations
2. My Repurposed Life
3. Petticoat Junktion
4. A Ray of Sunlight

My to-do list just got one huge piece smaller!

See what I’ve completed so far below:

Turn Old Frames into New Holiday Decor
How to Upholster a Louis XVI Armchair
How to Repurpose a Table Top
Dated Bar Stool Makeover
Update a Yard Sale Tote for the Holidays
Painting the Smalls #31 (the dollar edition)
IKEA Bookcase Makeover

I’ll be back with this little case on Tuesday:

UPDATE: See how pretty this little box is HERE now!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

XOXO,

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Oh it is perfect in black! I love how this turned out! It looks so elegant now! It looks so sharp with your white ironstone dishes in it! So beautiful!

    Reply

  5. Just lovely. If only I had the space! It still brings a smile to my face to scroll through your blog pages and also see one of my pieces like I did just now with my Grandmother’s dressing table. 2020 wasn’t all bad.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much, my friend! Your pieces taught me not to fear tackling these gems, and they were definitely a highlight of my 2020! XOXO

      Reply

  6. Christy, I so loved the black china cabinet! If I was in the states I’da scooped that up instantly! A beautiful choice!
    Have a super great Thsnksgiving!
    Dawn

    Reply

  8. That is fantastic. I believe that black was the perfect choice for this piece. It looks great!
    Just wondering….have you ever painted a golden oak hutch from the 70s/80s? I have a very expensive piece that weighs a TON. It has beautiful lines and I have thought about painting it many times but just dreading dealing with that old orangy/golden oak. I have painted lots of pieces over the years but just can’t seem to get started on this one.
    xo Diana

    Reply

  9. Good morning, Christy!!
    I have one word for the China Cabinet: GORGEOUS!!!!
    Every Tuesday and Thursday with every piece you do, I always think, “oh, my gosh, that piece is my favorite!!” LOL. Thank you for sharing your most amazing talent!! I will speak for myself, you are quite an inspiration to “this” beginner diyer.
    Kathy W

    Reply

    • Aww thank you so much, Kathy! This piece might be my favorite too ha ha! All that beauty was already there, I just brought it back. Thank you, my friend…that means so much to me!! XOXO

      Reply

  11. Christy, this one is pure, simple elegance! Real “Black Tie and Top Hat” gorgeous. It won’t last long in your beautiful shop.

    Reply

  13. Wow, that looks so elegant! I’m so glad you could bring it back to life. And yes, I was thinking “that door is huge!” What a beautiful old piece.
    ❤️Cecilia

    Reply

  14. Stunning!! Very elegant in black. Wouldn’t have thought of painting it black, but I love it! I have a similar antique cabinet – did it in white with teal inside. You do great work!

    Reply

    • Thank you, Kathy! Yours sounds right up my alley! I was thinking white for this one and keeping the legs, perhaps the top as well, stained in Espresso. But, in the end I went with black and I’m glad I did! XOXO

      Reply

  15. Stunning!! I would love to see the persons face that sold it after seeing the transformation. They would have to be amazed!!

    Reply

  17. WOW!! I love nearly every one of your transformations, but you really outdid yourself with this one. This piece is absolutely STUNNING! It was so sad before, with the damage, and the filth… but now, it’s GORGEOUS. The black was a perfect choice, and I’m glad you were able to preserve and use the original antique glass, it’s so special (and getting more and more rare these days). Bravo!!!

    Reply

    • Aww I appreciate that so much, Sheila! Thank you! This one had such good bones and that made my job super easy. And I was nervous about that glass lol…it is beautiful! XOXO

      Reply

  19. So beautiful and elegant looking! The white dishes are the perfect touch on the inside. Another amazing save for a sad looking piece!

    Reply

    • Thank you, my friend!! I only saw the Father-in-law there who was quite a bit older, so I assumed maybe the MIL had passed? There were a lot of items at the sale that gave me that impression. I imagined her excitement picking it out and decorating it. I really go all in with these older treasures lol. I think she would be happy to know it will go on to provide enjoyment for others for many years to come! XOXO

      Reply

  24. Absolutely stunning! The black is perfect for it. What a transformation! (And you’re right…the broken trim is part of the story, just as the wavy glass is. I love those things.)

    Reply

    • Thank you, Cyndi!! I know I could have easily made a mould to recreate the missing trim, but I like those details, and the wavy glass is really beautiful in person! XOXO

      Reply

  25. I always am in awe when you take on one of these big pieces, Christie. This may sound corny, but I feel like you almost have a responsibility to honor a piece of furniture that’s this old and survived so much. You did a great job!The color is perfect for it, and the knobs look like they could be original. I was sure you’d make a little molded piece to replace the applique on the bottom, but covering the keyhole was even better. BTW, I think the previous owners left the inside dusty so no one would see how much work it needed ???? You always make it look so easy, but I know how much effort you (and Jack!) put in so that someone else could enjoy it for another lifetime.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much, my friend! I feel the exact same way!! I imagine the original owner picking it out and being so excited to have it in their home, and enjoying it for decades. Then for whatever reason it ends up in someone’s garage collecting dust. I just want to love on them so much and as you put it perfectly, “honor” them. I will always repair broken drawers, loose veneer, etc, but I will often leave missing decorative details as is as it does tell the story of the piece. I think the original owner would be so happy to see it now, and I am so glad I (and Jack) got the chance to save it! XOXO

      Reply

  26. oh my goodness, this is gorgeous. The black was a perfect choice. It needed nothing else. You are the luckiest girl when it comes to finding bargains on outstanding pieces. Beautiful job Christy!

    Reply

  27. You are a very talented miracle worker! Gorgeous! Just wish I lived close enough to load it up and bring it home with me.

    Reply

  30. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!
    I love black pieces and this one is now a stunner, Christy. Wow. REALLY nicely done. Not going to last long in your shop. It’s awesome.

    Reply

  31. Amazing makeover Christy! I love how pretty the black color looks on the antique china cabinet. The mould makes such a huge difference. I may have to get one of those when it’s on sale next week. 🙂
    As always, your staging is top notch! Stunning!
    Pinned!
    Will be sharing on FB too.

    Reply

  34. Ohhh Black was the perfect choice for this beautiful piece. Gorgeous !!
    The details are amazing.
    I Love those knobs – esp on this piece.
    You do beautiful work. I love your tutorials – great for a novice (me)
    You have an enormous haul to do !! wow. I can’t wait to see what you do with the book ends.
    Thanks for sharing !!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much, P! This was a special piece for sure! And I am so thrilled that you find what I share helpful. Yes, this haul should keep me busy for a while lol! XOXO

      Reply

    • Thank you, Jeanne! It’s funny how black paint elevates just about everything. This was a special piece for sure though! XOXO

      Reply

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