China Cabinet Makeover

I have been looking for a piece of furniture for our dining room for a while now because our handmade table was just so lonely in there.  So when I saw this (potential) beauty on a resale website for $40, I immediately left the house to go pick it up.

I loved all of the detail and edges in the doors and moulding at the top - I knew that it would look great with some of my favorite antiquing glaze.

Step 1: Prepare the piece - take the doors off, remove the hardware, and tape around the glass.

Step 2: Sand everything to help the primer stick.

Step 3: PRIME.  I did some research on what to use because the cabinet was not solid wood, and this was my first time painting laminate furniture.  I had heard great things about Kilz primer, so I decided to use it and some foam rollers and brushes.

This was also my first time using Kilz, and now that my project is over, I can say that I am completely satisfied with this product and will probably continue to use it for future projects. However, I feel like someone should tell you this, since no one told me: Kilz does not smooth out easily and does not create a pretty finish.  This is what my cabinet looked like after one coat of Kilz:

I was really worried that I had done something wrong, but now I am pretty sure that this is just the way that Kilz works.  Maybe it would have looked better if I had done a second coat of primer, but I chose not to.  If I had been painting a dresser or something that I knew would receive a lot of wear and tear, then I probably would have used a second coat.  But let's be honest, china cabinets are mainly for looks and don't get opened and closed a lot - so I only used one coat.

Step 4: PAINT.  After letting the primer dry for 24 hours, I applied the first coat of paint.

If I had this to do over again, I don't think that I would have painted the inside of the cabinet.  It was really hard to paint the shelves without getting the paint on the glass, and I am not sure that all of that effort improved the look of the cabinet at all.  oh well.

Step 5: After 24 hours, I applied another coat of paint to the outside of the cabinet - I figured one coat was good enough for the inside.

Step 6: GLAZE! After another 24 hours, it was time for my favorite part: antique glazing!  This is my favorite product:

This glaze last forever!  I have had this one bottle for over a year and used it on at least 4 different projects.  The instructions say to wipe the glaze on with a damp cloth in a circular motion - this NEVER works for me.  So here are my instructions:  

(1) Use a dry brush to apply a thin coat of the glaze.  Make sure to get the glaze in all of the crevices and details.

(2) Use a damp cloth to wipe off the glaze.  I usually only leave the glaze on there or about 5 minutes before I wipe it off.  It is supposed to be workable for up to 15 minutes.  The longer you let the glaze sit, the more it sticks.  The wetter your cloth is, the more it wipes off.  This step is usually trial and error.  If you wipe too much off and there isn't enough glaze, you can always brush more on.
                                          
Here is the side by side of the ornament on the top before and after wiping off the glaze:

The glaze dries pretty fast, so after I finished all of the pieces and doors, it was time to reassemble.  I decided to line the back of the china cabinet with fabric, and I chose some light blue chevron material.

Here is the finished china cabinet: