Let’s face it, when renovating a whole room, costs can add up quickly. Obviously when doing projects yourself vs paying a professional you save money, but materials aren’t cheap! So, I make it my goal whenever renovating a space to cut costs as much as possible. I normally do this by trying to use leftover material, shopping for the best deals and looking at places like Facebook market for any of my furniture needs. I found a perfect China cabinet off Facebook market for $100. The only issue was that it looked a little beat up and dated, but nothing some new hardware and chalk paint couldn’t fix. So let me walk you through how I easily changed this China cabinet from blah to beautiful.
Supplies needed:
- Find a cheap China cabinet
- Chalk paint (I love Jolie and I used the color Noir)
- Paint brush
- Chalk paint wax (clear)
- Cheese cloth
- Wax brush
- New hardware
- TSP
- Sponge
- Towel
- Gloves
The first thing I did was clean off the china cabinet. It had some built up dust, so I just used some hot water and a paper towel to remove any dirt and grime. After that, I mixed about a 1/2 cup of TSP into a bucket of warm water and used gloves and a sponge to clean the cabinet again. The TSP is great for getting away any grease or dirt that warm water wouldn’t have removed. However, it is a chemical so make sure you are wearing gloves when using it.
After cleaning the cabinet, I waited for it to dry before applying my first coat of chalk paint. I personally love Jolie’s chalk paint. I have tried a few different brands in the past and find this to be my favorite. The best part about this chalk paint is that you do not have to sand before painting which is amazing. You can use a paint brush or foam roller to apply. With this cabinet I found a paint brush to be the easiest. The cabinet took 2 coats of paint to cover completely. I let it dry for a full 24 hours before applying my clear wax finish. Jolie sells a clear wax that gives your furniture a great finish. Applying is super easy. You can buy a wax brush from Jolie or you can use a cheese cloth towel. I find using both works best for me. I get a little bit of wax onto my brush and then apply it onto the furniture in a circular motion. I then take my towel and wipe off any access wax. Then let your wax dry for another 24 hours before adding any hardware.
This process is super easy and I love that you can transform any furniture piece in 48 hours!
