Curio Cabinet Makeover DIY and Holiday Sneak Peek

*For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links to some products mentioned. All opinions are my own. *
So I have been super busy this weekend making over this curio cabinet, decorating my home for the holidays and building barn doors for my kitchen pantry all while growing another human being inside of me and chasing after a 2 year old. Cannot wait to share with you my barn door DIY tutorial, but until then I would like to share with you how I made over my curio cabinet. And because I happened to finish the curio cabinet while also prepping for the holidays… you get a little sneak peek of my Holiday dining room decor.
My mother gave me this antique curio cabinet years ago. She used to be a shabby chic fantatic, but she decided to branch out to more modern decor. And, as always, I adopted this poor little piece of orphan furniture . Here is how it looked before I got my hands on it.
There was nothing wrong with it, but it did not really go with the vibes of my decor. It just wasn’t my style. So. I thought if I painted it grey, it would give it more of a contemporary look.
It still wasn’t working for me. Then, I got some inspiration from a photo I found on Pinterest. The piece was a transitional hutch painted blue with mirrored doors.
Materials Used
- General Finishes Milk Paint in Persian Blue
- Sherwin Williams “Riverway” – diluted with water for “whitewash” effect applied on top of Milk Paint layer
- Rust-Oleum “Mirror Effect” Spray Paint- for glass piece
- 1 piece of lattice- to create wood work over glass piece/mirror
- Miter Box- to make proper cuts for lattice
- Paint Brush
- Painter’s Tape- to tape off glass when spray painting
So, first I painted the curio cabinet in “Persian Blue” from General Finishes
milk paint line. To give it more depth and character, I then decided to paint it in Sheriwn Williams “Riverway” using the whitewash technique. I diluted the “riverway” with some water and applied one coat of the mixture.
I had a mis-hap while trying to shove newspaper behind the detail work covering the front of the glass…a portion of the wood detail broke and I said to hell with it! I started ripping the rest of it off and went about my business. It was kind of gratifying, and I never liked it anyhow.
To get the mirrored effect, I had the brilliant idea of using “mirror effect” spray paint from Rust-Oleum shown below.
I thought the paint would actually allow for a finish identical to that of real mirror. I was sadly mistaken. Once it dried, I realized it was not a literal solution but, as it is labeled, a mirrored type of “effect”…. more of an abstract concept, to my disappointment.
See what I mean? It doesn’t bother me too horribly, but one day I will replace it with a custom cut of mirror. Until then, I will look at it from only the best angle and pretend it is a mirror.
For the wood detail over the glass/mirror type surface, I glued some thin would pieces I got from Home Depot. My sweet husband made the cuts for me with his saw. Power tools freak me out! Of course, before I placed it on the cabinet, I painted it with the blue combo I refered to (“Persian Blue” Milk Paint from General Finishes and Sherwin Williams “Riverway” applied in a whitewash technique. )
And voila! You now have a coastal-contemporary curio cabinet.
And here is a sneak peek of my dining room being prepped for the holidays.
To see the full holiday tour, you will have to come back . Now get out there and design some good vibes!!
Your cabinet looks amazing Erica! I like the mirror look on the doors so you don’t have to worry about what you store inside of it. Sounds like you really have the nesting bug being pregnant. I remember those days of trying to get as much as possible done before the next little came along:). So much fun seeing your dining room sneak peak as well! I can’t wait to see the rest of your house decked out for the holidays. Take care, Tara
Ha ha! Yes, Tara. I am trying to get as much done as possible before baby #2 comes. I have no idea where I get the energy. Thank you so much for the feedback. And yes…I needed extra storage and thought if a mirror replaced the glass, I could hide whatever I stored in there without having to worry if it looked pretty.
Looks wonderful Erica! I love the color and the mirror effect spray paint finish. Great job. Pinned it!
Thank you so much, Stephanie. I cant wait to check our your site (once I get this little one put to bed) ha ha
Erika I think it looks great! Such a big improvement from before. You have brought it into the 21st century.
Thank you so much, Mary. I am sure antique loyalists would want to kill me if they saw this. haha!
Erica your cabinet is amazing! I am inspired by all of your work. Good luck with the little ones, and have a Blessed and Happy Holiday’s! I look forward to your next post,
Thank you so much, Brenda. That means so much to me. So glad you found my site. Wishing you and your family a happy Thanksgiving!
I love your drapes – can you tell me where you got them or where to purchase the fabric?
Thank you so much! I got them at Homegoods a few months back.
Visiting from Just a Girl and Her Blog! I love this makeover – it’s really beautiful!
Thank you so much, Chelsea!
It looks fresh and cozy. Great job!
Thank you so much, Aimee!