Woman Turns A Broken Hutch Top Into A Sophisticated Statement Piece: 'I Love The Paint Colors!'

Think all hutches are outdated? They were a staple in the 1980s and 1990s, but they don't have to stay stuck in the past. Snagging a sturdy wooden hutch with good lines is a major score, especially if you're willing to do a little work on it to modernize the piece. That's just what Shayna from The Flipped Piece did — she turned the top portion of a broken hutch into a gorgeous sage green display cabinet.

The colors were a hit with viewers. One person commented, "Gorgeous! I love the paint colors!" You can achieve an equally stunning furniture piece, whether you already own a hutch or find one at the thrift. And since this project only requires the top of the original unit, it opens up your options to salvage yards or flea markets where a vendor has just the top available. (But you can also use the bottom for other projects — turn a dated hutch into a gorgeous entryway storage solution, for example.) Even if the piece isn't in perfect condition or doesn't have the exact profile you love, you can do some upgrades to customize it — that's what Shayna did with the top and bottom, which were in poor condition.

To complete this project, you may need wood trim pieces, MDF, and wood boards, depending on the current condition and the modifications you want to make. Along with those materials, you may need wood glue, screws, a drill, wood filler, and sandpaper. You'll also want paint — you get the matte finish found in the original when you use chalk paint on furniture, but you can choose latex paint or even stain the piece if you want to keep the wood grain visible. 

This project is flexible, and the amount of work you put into it can vary significantly. In this case, the creator removed the trim around the top and the damaged bottom piece. She cut new wood for those areas and added decorative trim along the top edge. The bottom leg system was built from scrap wood and stained to give a little contrast to the painted top.

Speaking of the paint, Shayna used a light beige called Sandbar for the interior and a light sage color called Cactus for the outside. For even more contrast, the wood shelves and new wood feet remain unpainted. But the great part about DIYing is that you can coordinate the colors with your interior or to match your overall style.

@theflippedpiece

Broken Hutch Makeover! 🤯 This turned out SO good!!!! I'm using @Dixie Belle Paint Co products for this makeover! AD #dbpbrandambassador . . . : #furnitureflip #diyproject #diyprojects #diyideas #easydiy #displaycabinet

♬ original sound – THE FLIPPED PIECE

You can also change details about the cabinet. Add new hardware to dress up the look, or install LED lights to shine down on the shelves and highlight what you're displaying. If you don't like the existing shelves, remove them and build new ones. Hutches often have glass-front doors, but you can change the inserts on the doors or construct new doors if the current design is outdated and can't be fixed easily with a coat of paint and new trim. Then, display it where you want to show off your decor or increase storage. It could work as a home office bookcase idea, an entryway storage solution, or a living room display.