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Decorating and Home, Tutorials

Armoire Makeover – Whitewashing Tutorial

January 25, 2017

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Step inside this beautiful Indiana farmhouse entryway decorated with a mix of timeworn antiques and unique DIY projects!

This project/tutorial has been on my need-to-blog list for way too long, but starting the new year (and getting a pretty new blog planner) has finally motivated me to get it done! Last summer I transformed this antique armoire in our entryway from the original rustic wood finish to a soft, dusty white, and I’ve had a ton of questions on how I got this look. So I thought I’d put together a whitewashing tutorial for you guys and show you how I did it! I’ve painted quite a few pieces of furniture in our house, and this technique is one of my very favorites because it tones down the color of the wood but still allows the gorgeous wood grain to show through the paint. And it’s really easy to do!

See this antique armoire get a beautiful whitewashed makeover and learn the perfect technique for whitewashing furniture!

When I first brought the armoire home, this is what it looked like sitting in our living room…

A gorgeous antique armoire decorated for spring in a lovely, little farmhouse. See more photos at LoveGrowsWild.com

A gorgeous antique armoire decorated for spring in a lovely, little farmhouse. See more photos at LoveGrowsWild.com

A gorgeous antique armoire decorated for spring in a lovely, little farmhouse. See more photos at LoveGrowsWild.com

It is such a beautiful rustic piece, and originally I thought I would leave the wood untouched and let it stand out against the white walls. But as I lived with the armoire for a few months and played around with different ways of decorating it, I kept wishing it was white… what can I say? You guys know that light, bright, white farmhouses are my thing! I waited a few more months just to be ABSOLUTELY certain that I wanted to paint the armoire. With a huge antique piece like this once you start painting, it’s hard to go back! But I knew in my heart that I would love it even more if all that wood was brightened up, so I spent an afternoon with my paint brush and Chris Stapleton on the radio and whitewashed my armoire!

Supplies:

white paint (latex or chalk paint)
paint brush
drop cloth
rags

Step One:

Mix your paint with water in a 1:1 ratio, equal parts paint and water. The mixture will be pretty runny, so be sure to lay down drop cloths under and around your piece of furniture to protect your floors.

See this antique armoire get a beautiful whitewashed makeover and learn the perfect technique for whitewashing furniture!

Step Two:

Before you start painting, I would recommend doing a small application test either on a scrap piece of wood or somewhere unnoticeable on the piece of furniture, either on the back or the underside of a drawer like I did. Whitewashing is more of an art than a science, so it’s important to practice before you start. Apply an even layer of paint to the wood using a paintbrush in the direction of the wood grain, then use a clean rag to wipe away the excess paint. Work in small sections at a time (I would say no more than 1 or 2 feet at a time) so the paint doesn’t dry too much before you have a chance to wipe it.

In the photo below, you can see on the left side I started with a less watered down mixture and let the paint dry just slightly before wiping with a rag. The paint was a little too thick still and covered up too much of the wood grain for the look I wanted, and I also had to scrub reasonably hard when I wiped the paint to expose some of the wood. I do actually like this look, but it gave me more of a chipped paint finish than the whitewashed look I was going for.

On the right side of the photo, I added a little bit more water to the paint (using the 1:1 ratio I recommended in step one) and wiped the paint immediately after it was applied. This technique gave the wood that perfectly faded, whitewashed look and was so simple do!

See this antique armoire get a beautiful whitewashed makeover and learn the perfect technique for whitewashing furniture!

See this antique armoire get a beautiful whitewashed makeover and learn the perfect technique for whitewashing furniture!

Tips:

If you don’t want white hands like I ended up with, I’d recommend wearing a pair of gloves for this project.

Keep plenty of rags handy because you’ll go through a fair amount of them, depending on how large your piece of furniture is.

If you notice that the paint is looking splotchy after you wipe or if it isn’t wiping easily, wet the rag with water or spray the paint lightly with water using a spray bottle. Once the paint is wet again, you’ll be able to blend it in better. You may also need to add a little more water to your paint mixture if it is still too thick.

See this antique armoire get a beautiful whitewashed makeover and learn the perfect technique for whitewashing furniture!

Painting this whole armoire took just a few hours, and while it is a somewhat messy project, it is really easy to do! I only applied one coat of whitewash to the armoire so the wood grain would show through nicely and did not apply any topcoat. I wanted a faded look anyway, so I saved the extra time and effort and skipped a topcoat! If you are going to use a topcoat, I would recommend a clear wax like this one.

Step inside this beautiful Indiana farmhouse entryway decorated with a mix of timeworn antiques and unique DIY projects!

Step inside this beautiful Indiana farmhouse entryway decorated with a mix of timeworn antiques and unique DIY projects!

Step inside this beautiful Indiana farmhouse entryway decorated with a mix of timeworn antiques and unique DIY projects!

Step inside this beautiful Indiana farmhouse entryway decorated with a mix of timeworn antiques and unique DIY projects!

Step inside this beautiful Indiana farmhouse entryway decorated with a mix of timeworn antiques and unique DIY projects!

See this antique armoire get a beautiful whitewashed makeover and learn the perfect technique for whitewashing furniture!

This armoire is probably one of my favorite things to decorate in the whole house, and I am so glad I went with my gut and decided to lighten it up. It feels much more “Liz” now! I hope this whitewash tutorial answers any questions you had, and if not, please let me know!

More paint tutorials:

How to Distress Paint with Vaseline
Hutch Makeover with Chalk Paint and a Paint Sprayer


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Furniture Makeovers
by Liz Fourez 
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Comments

  1. Betty says: January 26, 2017 at 2:29 pm

    I really really loved the before best. Sorry.

    Reply
  2. Gwen says: January 26, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    Did you wax it after you finished? I got a bit confused on that part. Thank you! This may be just what I need to do to the bookcase I have that had a bit of a wash but over the 30 years the pine has now turned too dark.

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: March 9, 2017 at 11:10 am

      Hi Gwen! I actually didn’t wax this piece (mostly out of sheer laziness, if I’m being totally honest!), but I would use either a clear wax or my favorite matte finish poly (found here) if I did! I hope this helps! xoxo

      Reply
  3. Katherine says: January 26, 2017 at 7:21 pm

    You did a great job!

    Reply
  4. Joanna says: January 26, 2017 at 11:32 pm

    I love it, but I wouldn’t have the guts to do this. I would have left it plain wood, which I also love. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Alex says: January 28, 2017 at 10:42 pm

    Awesome and useful post! I’m actually thinking about doing something like that to our unfinished wooden chairs. I may opt for black or gray smoke instead, but still, great food for thought!

    Reply
  6. Ivory says: January 29, 2017 at 11:45 am

    Wow, this is amazing! I love what you did her. I want to do something with my cabinets in our lundry room, thanks to you, I know wat to do now.

    Reply
  7. Eliane murar says: February 2, 2017 at 1:20 am

    I love ❤️ every thank you do : ) you are such inspiration! It is stunning ! Did you used any thing too seal after you apply the wash ? Thank you

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: March 9, 2017 at 11:08 am

      Hi Eliane! I actually didn’t seal this piece (mostly out of sheer laziness, if I’m being totally honest!), but I would use either a clear wax or my favorite matte finish poly (found here) if I did! I hope this helps! xoxo

      Reply
  8. Carmen T. says: February 6, 2017 at 6:51 pm

    Do you think this method would work on oak kitchen cabinets (slightly on the orangey side)? And if so what other prep steps would be needed? Floors Are dark wood laminate.
    Love the outcome of your armoire!

    Reply
  9. Patty says: February 9, 2017 at 11:57 am

    Liz I just found your blog through another and I absolutely love the whitewashing. I bought a huge cabinet that I thought would fit in our hallway – well it didn’t so I put it in the corner of our living room. I love the storage it affords but it is like a big brown hole in the living room. I love color – heck our living room is painted pumpkin but I could NOT bring myself to do anything with this cabinet. I will now! We live in Connecticut and are in the middle of a blizzard at the moment so it will have to wait a day or two but I am going to do this. Thank you so much for sharing. Incidentally I just signed up to get your blog.

    Reply
  10. Julie O'Brien says: February 21, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    How much would you sell one of those vertical hanging planters for?

    Reply
  11. Danielle @ Delightful Mom Food says: February 23, 2017 at 1:28 pm

    This is so beautiful and your house is gorgeous and so soft and and cozy. I have so many pieces of furniture that I want to white wash! Thank you- pinning!

    Reply

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Welcome, sweet friends! My name is Liz, and I started Love Grows Wild in 2012 with a passion for interior design and homemaking and a dream to help others create a home they love.
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Liz Fourez started Love Grows Wild in 2012 with a passion for interior design and homemaking and a dream to help others create a home they love.  From simple project tutorials, to holiday and entertaining ideas, to her journey renovating a 1940’s farmhouse, Liz demonstrates how to create a beautiful and inviting home with a handmade touch. She turned her signature cozy, neutral style into a best-selling book in 2016 and continues to inspire readers with her captivating photography and easy decorating ideas. Read more about Liz > > > >

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Did you know that I started blogging almost 9 year Did you know that I started blogging almost 9 years ago? It’s crazy to think I started building this little brand of mine almost a decade ago, but in 2017 I began wanting to share more than just online inspiration and reach people in a more personal way. 

That summer I opened a small retail shop in my favorite antique store in my home state of Indiana and filled it with items that I love and decorate my own home with.  Opening this little shop has been a natural extension of what I create on my blog and in my home and allows people to find my favorite things and decorating ideas all in one place.

My hope is that one day I can offer online shopping & ship items to your door all over the country, but for now if you are ever in the Midwest, I would love for you to come visit this beautiful historic building and browse the many items I handpicked for your home.

We are open Monday-Saturday 10-5 pm & Sunday 12-5 pm inside @originaltreasuremart at 1201 E. Vaile Avenue in Kokomo, IN. You can call (765) 459-3148 for more information. 

I’d love to hear from you... have you visited @lovegrowswildmarket before, and what was your favorite purchase? Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting small businesses like mine. 🤍
We made it to Friday, friend 🙌🏻 I’m curio We made it to Friday, friend 🙌🏻

I’m curious... what’s your big cleaning/catch up day around the house? The day when you typically catch up on dishes and all those piles of laundry, grocery shop, etc? I like to get up on Saturday mornings and get it done so I can enjoy a clean house for the rest of the weekend because honestly... I literally CANNOT relax when the house is a mess. I physically can’t do it. What’s your cleaning day of the week and why? 🧼🧹

KITCHEN DETAILS: link in my profile 

https://lovegrowswild.com/2020/02/kitchen-curtains-counter-styling/
Who wants to go shopping with me?! Well, virtuall Who wants to go shopping with me?!

Well, virtually... but I promise it will still be fun! I took a trip to a store I've never been to before and found some of the prettiest decor for such a good deal at @tuesdaymorning. #ad After all the snow we've had the last few weeks, getting out of the house and putting real clothes on for a solo shopping trip felt like such a treat!

A few of my favorite finds were: an extra-long lumbar pillow for my sofa, beautiful black textured bowls that I can't decide if I want to actually use in my kitchen or decorate with, a bouquet of dried greenery, and a new dog bed for Remington. I will be sharing how I styled these items on the blog next week, so stay tuned!

Swipe to see video of my shopping trip and all that you can find at a Tuesday Morning near you! Do you have a store close to you? Have you been before? Let me know in the comments!

#TuesdayMorningFinds #TuesdayMorning #shopwithme #shoppinghaul
This photo feels like spring weather and sandals, This photo feels like spring weather and sandals, and I am here 👏🏻 for 👏🏻 it 👏🏻

16 more days, sweet friend. We’re so close... can you feel it??

ENTRYWAY DETAILS: link in my profile 

https://lovegrowswild.com/2019/07/creating-simple-entryway-in-small-space/
So many ideas... so little time 🙃 Later this w So many ideas... so little time 🙃

Later this week: sharing a home decor shopping trip to a store I’ve never been to before, photographing my office (just wait till you see how big of a difference adding some shelves in here made), unboxing tons of new spring items for @lovegrowswildmarket, and adding some artwork to this blank wall!

Which are you most excited to see? P.S. still absolutely obsessed with the new dining chairs 😍

DINING ROOM SOURCES: link in my profile 

https://lovegrowswild.com/2021/02/look-for-less-new-dining-room-chairs/
Yesterday I had a design meeting with one of my to Yesterday I had a design meeting with one of my toughest clients yet... my teenage son. 😂 Actually, he is probably the easiest person to please, and his requests for the upcoming bedroom makeover we are planning were pretty simple:

• blackout curtains so he can sleep in on weekends
• a new darker paint color
• somewhere to charge all his devices

I think I can handle that! This room is quite a challenge with the small size & layout, but I think we’ve come up with a game plan to make it more functional and much more “him”. 

Once I catch up on all my current projects and design work, I’m excited to dive into making this space perfect for him! P.S. where did my little boy go that wanted Thomas the Train as the theme in his bedroom? 🥺

BOYS BEDROOM: link in my profile

https://lovegrowswild.com/2018/11/boys-bedroom-makeover-part-1/
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