How to Whitewash Cabinets and Doors: Bathroom Update Part III

Happy Monday, Friends! This month I've been featuring a series of DIY projects to complete a much needed bathroom update. First, I shared how to paint and stencil vinyl floors. Next, came my tutorial for thrifty painted countertops.  As promised, today I'm sharing the third segment of my bathroom update. This week I'll show you how to whitewash cabinets and doors... 

Here's how my master bathroom door looked before I whitewashed it. You may remember a few years ago when I gave my kitchen doors a vintage inspired upcycle. In an attempt to match the white stain on my custom cabinets, the builder used these hollow core doors throughout my home. They have darkened with age, which was even more obvious after the bedroom and bathroom walls were freshly painted. I have been wanting to whitewash the rest of the doors in my house, so the bathroom door was a good place to start.

I received product as part of the DecoArt Blogger Outreach program. See full disclosure here.

For a whitewash finish, combine two parts DecoArt Americana Decor chalky finish paint in Everlasting with one part water. {I've included links for the paint and other suggested supplies at the end of the post.}

Use one paint pad applicator to apply paint sparingly and another to wipe off excess. Less is more for this technique. You can always add more later if desired. 

Vintage hardware really completes the look. I found the vintage doorplate at Vintage Market Days during the holiday season. I upcycled it with fresh paint, then distressed it again. 

As I said before, my projects have a way of snowballing. Originally I was only going to whitewash the door. However, when I saw its contrast against the cabinets behind it, I was pretty sure I would be whitewashing the cabinets too. I finished the door before traveling to my youngest daughter's wedding, so I lived with my other updates for about a month before making a final decision on the cabinets. In the long run, I knew I would be happier with the completed look once I whitewashed the cabinets, too. Please tell me I'm not the only who does this! 

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To whitewash cabinets, clean them thoroughly by using a toothbrush to scrub the beveled panels. Remove knobs, and if desired, doors from the cabinets. {Whitewash dries quicker than regular paint, so by leaving the doors and drawers open and painting the framework first, I didn't find it necessary to remove mine.} Follow the same technique used for whitewashing the door. Be sure to keep the extra sponge applicator handy for wiping up excess. This technique works best on lighter colored wood. You can slightly lighten darker wood with a whitewash, but I'd test it first. Here's the finished linen cabinet. I've always loved how whitewash adds vintage charm to any room. If this seems like a lot of white, remember the floor and counters are gray. Plus, I've added some color with accents like the floral curtain peeking from the edge and others you'll be seeing in the final reveal ;) 

Next week, I'll be participating in a lovely Vintage Garden Tour with lots of home and garden blogger friends. Then in two weeks, I'll share the complete bathroom update reveal, so you'll be able to see how everything looks together!