No lie here, this bookcase has seen better days; however, it belonged to my grandmother, or as we call her “Grammy”. Saying that, it is very dear to my heart & giving it a new vibrant life was very important to me.
Here’s the items you’ll need to get started: (please note: I am not a professional & I’m sure there’s a different route this project could take but this is the way I did it. If you have any suggestions or comments please feel free!)
Gloss off, low grit sandpaper, face mask, gloves, paint brush, primer, flat finish paint, wood stain, terry cloth rag, scrapbook paper, Elmer’s spray glue, mod podge, and clear gloss finish spray paint.
1) To achieve more of a distressed/weathered look to the bookcase I used a hammer and a few nails. Keep in mind the natural look of aging over the years is about unbalanced, random damage. After you complete your damage, remove the cabinet doors and knobs. Clean all surfaces with a damp cloth.
2) If your furniture has a gloss finish, try using gloss-off. Sand down all areas keeping a slightly rough texture to the surface. Clean all surface areas before painting.
3) Paint one coat of primer on the furniture. If, after the first coat dries, you can still see the furniture’s bare surface, add another coat.
4) Once the primer is dry, apply your base layer of paint.
5) Allow to dry. Start lightly sanding the natural wear areas until the contrasting color shows through. Once you’ve created artificial wear, highlight the areas by applying darker stain and then wiping it off before you finish the project. (Use an old terry cloth rag for the stain & wear gloves.) The darker color will remain in the indentations and around holes you created during the “damage” process.
6) For the backing on the bookcase and the front of my cabinet doors I wanted to add more contrast. First I randomly ripped scrapbook paper into medium/large pieces (5 coordinating colors/designs), then applied the Elmer’s spray glue (in small working areas), alternate the different colors of paper throughout area, repeat until desired area is covered. Let dry. Apply Mod Podge over all areas that scrapbook paper was applied. Let dry and repeat Mod Podge.
7) After the Mod Podge is dry, simply spray entire bookcase for a gloss finish.
8) I applied two hooks on the side of the hutch for our dog leashes! Perfect…
I’m sure Grammy would love the outcome of the finished product! It currently holds a few of her old romance novels. 
“What you think determines what you do.” -Bruce & Stan
