Vintage Hutch Make-over

My hutch before and after its renovation.

My great-step-grandma was the previous owner of my apartment and when she handed it down to me she left a few treasures behind. This little hutch was intended to hold kitchen appliances and act as a kitchen counter because the kitchen space in the apartment is limited. I decided to keep it, but thus far have only used it as a place to throw all of my junk after I walk in the door. It's an adorable hutch, so I cleaned it up, gave it a new paint job and incorporated it into my new home.

This project was very inexpensive, I spent only $14 total. Kitchen hutches cost any where from $150 to $600 at major department stores(here is a similar one from Target). I highly recommend restoring old furniture, by updating this hutch I saved hundreds of dollars.

My supplies:

My supplies labeled one through four.

1. Hutch: Free!

2. Valspar "Natural Sheepskin" Paint 12 ounces: $10

3. 12' x 12' Scrapbooking Cardstock x 3: $1 each

4. Purple/Magenta Paint 2 ounces: Two for $1

(Another money saver: I didn't use all of the paint, but I love all of the colors I chose. I plan to use them on other projects in the future.)

Before, during, and after the painting the hutch.

Since there were several damages to the original paint job, I began by painting the entire outside of the hutch with the "Natural Sheepskin" paint. I chose "Natural Sheepskin" because I didn't want to paint the hutch white like my walls, this color is actually a very pale yellow. With one coat, the paint looked uneven (as it does in the "during" photo), so I ended up doing two coats on all the surfaces, when I finished it looked new.

The old wallpaper lining, me gluing the new paper and the drawer after.

There was this terrible wallpaper glued to the bottom of the hutch's drawer. It was dirty, crusty, and peeling off. I decided just to rip it out completely and apply my own paper. All of my kitchen ware (plates, cups, tupperware, etc.) are blue, purple, and pink, I stayed with this theme and chose the purple and blue scrapbooking cardstock. All I did was measure the space, cut the cardstock and glue it in. This is my favorite part of the new hutch, it adds some personality to the design.

A chronicle of the stencil painting process.

The hutch was looking great, but still a little dull. I wanted to add a design to the front of the drawer, so I created my own stencil using another scrapbooking cardstock. I cut out the portion I wanted, then placed the stencil where I wanted the design to be (I used stencil adhesive spray to keep the stencil in place, but tape could suffice). Last, keeping with my theme, I painted through the stencil with the magenta and purple paint and then peeled the stencil off. Creating your own stencil is a great way to create a nice design if you are not good at painting free-hand.

Me with the finished hutch.

This project was fun, fast and affordable. If you're a college student on a budget like me, restoring old furniture is a great way to save your money. While fixing up something old you can always find ways to incorporate your own style and personality. I recommend a kitchen hutch to anyone who doesn't have a lot of kitchen space. If you live in a studio or just have a small kitchenette like me, it provides more counter and storage space. I have a plug-in burner that sits on top and store pots, pans and utensils on the inside. I know I will get a lot of use out of this hutch. This piece of furniture has character and practicality.