Try This Easy Hutch Makeover

Are you’re looking for an affordable, well-made piece of furniture with a big wow factor, but don’t want to dole out a lot of money to make it happen?

Why not try what I did and take an old hutch, personalize it by painting it, and you’ve got yourself a versatile beauty you can put just about anywhere, from the kitchen to the craft area?

Plus, you’ll gain tons of storage and your own unique piece that showcases your particular style, at a fraction of the cost of a brand new unit.

That’s how the tale of this spacious chalk-painted hutch began.

I needed something to fill a recess in our kitchen nook area, a space measuring roughly five-feet wide by two-feet deep.

We’ve wondered why the builder of our spec home didn’t incorporate this alcove into the adjacent pantry to make it bigger. But I digress!

So this little sweetie filled that nook for a couple of years, until we recently moved it to the office/craft room.

The Hunt For A Hidden Gem

Enter Craigslist! I looked at loads of old brown, mostly ‘70s- and ‘80s-era hutches, that could be transformed into modern farmhouse with a couple of coats of my trusty go-to: chalk paint.

Think about how you’ll use the hutch. Will it be strictly for storage, to display dishes, as a buffet table or a combination of all?

Do you want an open or closed top, along with closed cabinets below?

As you’ll see when you start searching, these hutches come in many designs. Some are open, some are closed on top, and some have a serving area, which I wanted.

Many have tops that are not attached to the bottom of the unit.

I was looking for a model with open shelves on top, with drawers and cabinets below.

So there I was on a Friday night looking through furniture on Craigslist (an exciting night for a serial-DIYer!), when I spotted the hutch!

It actually reminded me of the cream-colored hutch at my grandparents’ farm in Ireland.

For years, it stood in what was known as “the back kitchen,” drawers stuffed with important papers, good china peeking out from behind glass doors and a Farmers’ Almanac pinned to the side.

That was a true farmhouse hutch. In my memory, it seems so tall and imposing.

So anyway, back to the story of the American hutch! After finding it that Friday night, we headed out to take a look the following morning. It didn’t disappoint.

We bought it for $75 from a seller who said it had originally come from New England. I love hearing the stories behind furniture and houses.

Somehow I feel more connected to them when I hear about their pasts.

It had all the design elements I’d wanted: open shelves, a serving area in the middle, drawers and spacious cabinets underneath. It’s two separate pieces with the open shelves sitting on the base.

And all the handles were intact, except for a missing pull on the wide drawer. I’ve left it that way and the drawer opens fine using the other handle.

So we got the hutch home and placed it in that kitchen recess, where it stayed for a few weeks until I had time to give this girl a makeover.

The Chalk Paint Makeover

Here’s how I transformed the hutch:

• First, I cleaned the hutch with soap and water. It was more dusty than anything else.
• Then I jumped right in and started painting, using Rust-Oleum’s chalked ultra matte paint in the Linen White color. I bought it at Home Depot and it cost under $20 for a 30 oz can. This was my first time using this brand of chalk paint and I was so happy with the results.One of the biggest reasons I love using chalk paint on wood surfaces is that I generally don’t have to sand or prime before painting. In this case, I just made sure the surface was clean. I’ve used chalk paint on so many projects, including my kitchen cabinets and even a couch, and it hasn’t disappointed.
• I applied a second coat after the first coat dried, about an hour later, and I still had leftover paint in the can. That’s another thing I love about chalk paint — a little goes a long way and it doesn’t take a long time to dry.
• After the second coat dried, I lightly distressed the cabinet doors, drawers and the front of the serving area, using 400-grit sandpaper. I sanded areas that would typically age with use, such as handles and the raised areas in the front. You can skip this step if the worn look doesn’t appeal to you. I like to lightly sand furniture so it doesn’t look too distressed. Go with what you prefer since you’re personalizing it for your space.
• Lastly, I applied Varathane’s polyurethane matte interior to seal in the chalk paint. Over time, that sealer has yellowed a little, which doesn’t bother me since it gives the hutch an aged look; however, you might want to use another clear sealer if the slight yellowing wouldn’t appeal to you.

Still Going Strong

The transformation took me about two days to complete, working at night when the kids were in bed.

Now, that was three years ago this summer and I still love this little hutch!

And importantly, the paint held up. It has oodles of storage, not to mention charm and it’s been decorated according to the season.

I strung a set of Christmas fairy lights across the top for some added charm. I like them so much they stay up through the year.

Before this beauty was moved to my office, the cabinets were full of Christmas dishes, while the open top showed off dishes that had been out of sight in kitchen cabinets. It’s a great way to see favorite dishes every day.

Now that it’s carrying on life in my office/craft room, it stores everything from printing paper, office and craft supplies to a secret hiding place for gifts.

As for the empty recessed nook in the kitchen, that’s another post. We’re plotting a pantry makeover … so stay tuned.