Vintage Aqua Bookcase Makeover

I cannot believe summer is coming to an end so soon! Especially with the new baby at the beginning of the summer, I feel like this one has just flown by… I did manage, however, to accomplish one of the things on my “to do” list: makeover a bookcase in the play room in a custom paint color that I’m calling “vintage aqua” 😉 .

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

This was a very simple job. I got a free (score!) bookcase from my neighbor. It was painted with semi-gloss trim paint (please forgive the blurry picture… I must have been really tired that day!).

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

So I gave it a light sanding and mixed up a custom paint color. In my mostly neutral playroom, I wanted a touch of that fun, vintage light turquoise/aqua color… So I mixed up Country Chic Paint’s vanilla frosting and tropical cocktail in a 1:2 ratio and stirred well.

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

After two coats and a clear wax to seal, I added dark wax over the entire piece to add more dimension and warm up the color a bit. A little tip for applying dark wax to an entire piece (rather than just accenting): I swipe the wax on against the grain like so:

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

And then quickly begin rubbing it in with the grain until it no longer looks streaky. Above the shelf has been given the antique wax treatment, while below the shelf is still just paint and clear wax.

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

The final result is just how I imagined…

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

And (bonus!) the toy bins I made for my kids a few months ago with their chalkboard labels fit perfectly.

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

I love how this bookcase makeover adds a pop of color and energy to an otherwise neutral space – complementing the armoire I updated last year.

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

And it makes me smile. 🙂  Conclusion: don’t be afraid to mix colors (Country Chic‘s chalk-based paint mixes beautifully!) to find exactly what you want.

Fabulous "vintage aqua" bookcase makeover for adorable and functional playroom storage at maisondepax.com #makeover #furniture #paint #diy #tutorial #chalkpaint

Disclaimer: As a part of the Country Chic Paint blogger squad, I do receive compensation in the form of goods and products from Country Chic Paint, but, as always, all opinions are 100% my own!

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4 Comments

  1. Such a pretty shelf makeover, Rachel! Love the antique look with the wax! It adds such a pretty pop of color in that room! Hope your week is great 🙂

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