Fossette Allane
Fossette Allane has been writing about health, food and style since 1997. Her work has been published in newspapers and journals including "The Boston Phoenix" and "FENCE" and on various blogs. She is a licensed clinical social worker with a master's degree from Hunter College and a Bachelor of Arts in theater from Oberlin College. Allane teaches health and wellness to undergraduates.
By Fossette Allane, eHow Contributor
The best colors for antiquing your kitchen cabinets give them a weathered appeal while enhancing your kitchen's style. Choosing the best cabinet colors depends on your taste, the character of the room and the time you want to invest in the antiquing project. Layering colors simulates decades of weathering, evoking the European countryside. Distressing a rich shade of off-white results in a shabby chic look.
White on White
Bright white, off-white and shades of rich cream are good colors for antiquing when you want your kitchen to feel light, airy and romantic. Painting dark cabinets white may take several coats. Use multiple shades of white for an effect that mimics years of whitewashing. Wallpaper the insides of the cabinets with a pastel calico print to complete a sweet, 1930s-inspired look.
Sienna Brown
Use the techniques of dry brushing and dry ragging with sienna brown paint to add character and depth to the crevices and edges of cabinetry, mimicking the effects of age. Dip the corner of a dry rag or brush in sienna paint and rub it into parts of the cabinet that people touch frequently. Sienna looks as authentic on light-colored backgrounds as it does on bright and dark shades. Heavy application results in a masculine, rugged finish; a light application is more subtle. Wipe off excess sienna paint with a clean rag until you achieve the antique impression you want.
Multiple Colors
Paint cabinets in multiple contrasting colors, such as red, blue, green and yellow, for a bright, cheerful effect. Apply a coating of butcher's wax between layers and use sandpaper to reveal the different colors of paint, simulating layers of history. Play with the balance of colors until the look feels right and enhances your kitchen decor. This look is especially joyous in a farmhouse or in an apartment with a farmhouse feel.
Faux Finishing Kits
Faux finishing kits allow you to use two layers of paint and apply the chemical kit to achieve a crackled, leather or other decorative, antique effect. A bottom coat of red paint with a top coat of brown creates a woodsy two-toned leather look, suitable for a lodgelike kitchen; a bottom coat of buttercup with a top coat of cloud white looks charmingly country with a crackle finish. Faux finishing kits contain instructions as well as recommendations for color combinations that will not work well with the finish.
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