I am so excited to share with you one of my absolute favorite pieces of furniture to repurpose: Old hutch top! People tend to get rid of these, and either set them on the roadside or sell them for cheap. I found this one on Facebook Marketplace for $20.00. Read on to see how I repurposed this hutch top.
Y’all know I am not going to let a hutch top getaway! Nope, can’t do it. It’s kind of like my obsession with thrift store trays (haha). Hutch tops are so versatile. They can be used for beautiful shelving, bookcases, displaying old quilts, just about anything! Like this one, I repurposed into a beautiful farmhouse cabinet.
My first hutch top was this piece. A friend found it dumped on her property and called me. This is the one that got me hooked. See the after HERE.
Table of Contents
How Do I Decide How To Repurpose ?
I get this question a lot. This is what I do.
Yep. Just sit, stare and brainstorm. I take notes on colors, ideas, what haven’t I done before, etc.
Although sometimes I do not follow accurately my repurposing plan as I mapped it out, it’s usually pretty close. I know some artists can just look at a piece of furniture or an old item and automatically know what they want to create. I, on the other hand, am not. Sometimes I have ideas that go off in my head late at night. Sometimes it takes me days before I’m able to know what I’m going to do with a particular piece.
This hutch top was missing a glass shelf and the glass on one of the slender faux doors on the side. That had to be taken into consideration when planning how to repurpose this old hutch top.
Supply List for the Repurposed Hutch Top
Note: These are affiliate links. I included products that I use or similar products. You can see my Disclosure here.
Prep the Repurposed Hutch Top
Before I started, I called my local glass company. The glass shelves were not expensive at all, so I ordered two for the shelves right away. $20.00 bucks for two pieces.
Part of my plan was to change the back. It was damaged and needed to be replaced. The Hubs to the rescue! He had a few pieces of scrap rough pine board in his workshop. He measured the back and cut them to size and sanded for me.
While he was cutting the boards, I removed the back. Unfortunately, it was stapled and not screwed, which sometimes is a pain! Every single staple had to be removed. I used a flat-headed screwdriver to raise the staple and then used a small pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the staple.
How to Deal With the Old Hutch Top Doors
I also removed the middle door and prepped it for paint. I used regular xerox paper to protect the paint from getting on the glass. It slides right under the glass edge, keeping any paint from getting on the glass. Of course, this was before we decide to remove the glass and use poultry wire. We decided after the door was painted to add the poultry wire to replace the glass.
Pin it for Later !
The two slender side doors were actually not real doors. I was not feeling the wood panels and one was damaged, so I removed them. We were going to be adding poultry wire.
The last thing that had to be removed was the particle board piece on the top. It was damaged in a few areas. It was stapled as well, but not as many staples as the back panel, thank goodness. The Hubs did not have any birch wood pieces in his stash, so we improvised! I had purchased a wood dresser a few weeks back, and it had a wood back that was in great shape! He removed the back from the dresser. Then, he cut me a piece to fit on top of the cabinet in place of the old particleboard. (Note: The dresser was missing all the drawers except for two. I know I would be adding a new back to the dresser once I started the repurpose job).
Add Height to the Repurposed Hutch Top
The last problem we had to solve was lifting the cabinet off the floor. I always like to add feet to my hutch top repurpose projects. I feel they look like, well, hutch tops, when they are left as is and not lifted off the floor. Luckily, the Hubs and I found an old leather ottoman on the side of the road and picked it up. The leather had been damaged, but the bun feet were GORGEOUS! Sometimes the feet on a piece of old furniture can be salvaged when nothing else cannot.
The feet had large screws that I wanted to be removed. My plan was to have the smaller part of the bun foot to be at the top once attached to the hutch. My husband tried to remove the screw with a pair of pliers.
Finally, the Hubs attached the feet using drywall screws. We had to use drywall screws because the piece of wood on the bottom of the hutch top was THICK. He also added wood glue for extra adhesion.
The Paint Process
My paint color choice was Dixie Belle’s Farmhouse Green. I just love the color! It would be perfect for my repurposed hutch top.
Before I started painting I applied one coat of Special Walnut Stain by Minwax to the wood strips for the back. I set them aside to dry.
I painted the inside, outside, the bun feet and the new top piece. It all took two coats of paint.
Distress the Repurposed hutch Top
Once the paint dried for 24 hours, I distressed around the edges of the hutch top and the door with a piece of 120-grit sandpaper. I wanted it to look old and worn.
Once I was finished distressing, I applied one coat of Dixie Belle’s Best Dang Wax to the entire cabinet. We also added the glass shelves while the back was off. This made it easier to work with the glass.
Add Chicken Wire
Before adding the back, the poultry wire was attached to the two faux doors. The poultry wire was stapled to the backside of the doors. (NOTE: Be sure to wear gloves!).
The Hubs also added the poultry wire to the middle door before we fastened it to the cabinet after he removed the glass.
We added the wood strips to the back using an air staple gun (well the Hubs did).
Lastly, we attached the door. I purchased new hardware from Hobby Lobby.
In conclusion, I was thrilled to be able to save this hutch top! Number 5, to be exact! Yep, I am keeping a tally. I want to save as many of these as I can and keep them out of our landfills.
Look at those amazing bun feet!
The Dixie Belle Farmhouse Green was a perfect choice for this piece of furniture. It’s not too light or too dark. The new cabinet can be used in any room of the home. An entryway, a living room, or even a master bedroom. It could be used as a china cabinet or an entryway cabinet!
Remember, “It’s not about what is it, it’s about what it will be.”
Save this project for later!
I just “inherited” a gigantic two-piece hutch that I have no idea what I’m going to do with. It has to be 6’ wide. Thanks for giving me inspiration! Your piece turned out beautiful!
Thank you Mandy! I am glad this has inspired you 🙂
Christina, you have done it again! I love how you salvage from other things to make one beautiful rescue!!
Aww thank you Kim!
This turned out amazing! I love how you brainstorm. 😀 I was at the Goodwill the other day and they had a large tv stand that was in decent shape for $4!!! I had to leave it there because my basement is full and I had no room to put it. I would love to have refinished it and used it as a small pantry. The color you used on this is gorgeous!!
Thank you! Wow 4 bucks that’s a steal! But I know what it’s like to have pieces stacked up haha 🙂
As always “Queen Midas”, everything you touch turns into something fantastic!
You have a great eye and a very creative spirit (I’m envious)!!
Very Beautiful Job!
Thank you so much Donna! Love the “Queen Midas” may have to use it ❤️❤️
That is gorgeous! Love the chicken wire. Very creative.
Thank you!
Beautiful!
Thank you! 🙂
My neighbor is a magician, what she did to her hutch was pure magic, She removed the back of the hutch added supportive framework to it and replaced the back with bird wire, she also replaced the glass on the front doors with bird wire she hung a mirrors inside on the side walls then installed some branches and tiny clear lights and then added live Birds, finches , she plays lovely sweet music with bird sounds mixed. Amazing, Her entire home is like a museum, her art is everywhere, Such a talented woman.
Hi Gloria! Wow that sounds absolutely beautiful. It amazes me the talent women. I wish I could see her creation 🙂 Thank you for stopping by the blog.
You are so inspiring Christina and your attention to detail is just WOW. Everything from your vision, to your notes to how you listen to an unloved piece and make it shine all over again. Sorry, for repeating myself, but just WOW!!!
Thank you so much Michelle! I do talk to my furniture like people talk to their plants ??
Beautiful piece! Yall make a great team. I love all yalls makeovers. Very clever idea using a hutch top and adding feet to make a whole new cabinet. Love the chicken wire.
Thank you Linda! We love working together 🙂
awesome job!
Thank you! 🙂
This takes my breath away. Oh my, how I would love to own this! Great job. Keep up the super work!
Thank you so much Linda for your kind words! 🙂 And for your support! It is one of my favorite projects as well!
Stunning, just stunning!! Would love to have your talent, you’re amazing!!❤️
Thank you very much Jean! 🙂
Love to see creative people turn ideas into reality. You are awesome.. Glad I found your site.
Awww thank you Mary! Your kind words mean so much! So glad you are here 🙂
You did a fantastic job! I love it. Wow!
Tell hubs that those are great overalls 🙂
Thank you so much Bonnie! And the Hubs said thank you as well. He lives in those things haha
This is so cool.
Thank you!
Great job turning these ” has beens” into amazing pieces. Your explanation and photos are wonderful. Keep up the good work!