French Farmhouse-style Hutch

I was really excited about this piece when I was asked to transform it for a client.  It's a primitive, handmade piece that need a little attention, but still had good bones to it.

There is also a shelf to the top and a slanted one that was later made for the bottom since the piece is used to display jewelry and other items at a Spa Auburn here in town.

She received good sanding down and cleaning, a few repairs to improve the stability of the piece, and removing of various parts including the handmade knobs that had seen better days.  I then painted her with 2 good coats of ASCP in French Linen.  The wood was really soaking this stuff up!

The 2 columns on the front were just sanded down and would be painted in Old White later when I did the stenciling in that area.

Next, the inside top of the hutch got a coat of Louis Blue as a "distraction" color I was going for.  You know... "One of these things is not like the other", yet it fits?

I made a stencil using my Silhouette Cameo.  Since my client's last name is "Pettit", it was so bloody perfect in French!  Maison usually refers to an upscale cottage, or farmhouse, in the French countryside.  This match my client perfectly, so I couldn't resist.

I placed the stencil on top of the French Linen color then painted Old White on top.  The letters were lifted off once the paint was dry for the perfect contrast.

The slanted boards for the bottom part of the hutch were painted in Old White over the original white.

Then I applied a layer of Mod Podge and made collage on the boards using some printed paper with music sheets, butterflies, and newsprint on them.  After that dried, I added a few more coats of Mod Podge to seal it all in.

I added an applique to the top of the hutch to tie in with the Old White in the middle.  It was painted, then dark wax, then the excess wiped off.

Last came the clear and dark waxing which was a feat in itself considering all the little corners and odd places I had to get into.  It takes several processes in order to get it to this point as your putting dark wax on and wiping it off in a back and forth motion.  There is also additional sanding at the end to make some areas even lighter than others.  But in the end, it's all worth because of how it completely transforms your piece into a work of art!

I never painted the sideboard part of the hutch as I wanted to leave some parts *untouched*.  I enhanced it with a little matching stain and some dark wax so it still had a worn look to it.

Just as I wanted - a hint of blue in the piece!

The back got the same treatment as the front.  Some won't put as much effort in the back as they do the front because, generally, no one sees it.  Even though they don't see it, I will know and that's enough to keep me up at night.  So I do the back, like the front, so I can sleep better!

I am just LOVIN the rose drawer pulls on this piece!  The nearly three weeks of waiting for them to arrive from the UK was totally worth it.

More of that same printed paper I had was used to line the inside of the drawer, but left the original state of the wood alone.  It made the inside of the drawer more rustic-looking.  Too much "perfection" takes away from that old French look.

After a good buffing all over......

Here she is!  

Every aching muscle was worth it!!

My husband and I delivered it on Saturday, but my client won't see it till Monday morning.  Keeping fingers crossed that she likes it!

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