How to Raise a Vintage Hutch

I've been talking a bit lately about the hutch makeover I've been working on for a friend (updates you might have missed can be found HERE and HERE) and today I'm showing you the finished piece and sharing how I raised the top hutch piece off the bottom sideboard.
I had a few issues along the way - this is almost always the case when you take on a new project - but other than those, which I'll tell you about below, the raising part of the project was pretty simple!

A little background on the piece to start - the hutch originally belonged to my friend's grandmother-in-law. The finish on most of it was a glossy medium stain and the hardware was dated - not is a good vintagey way. The details on the piece really got lost in all the shiny brownness, but the biggest problem for my friend was that it just wasn't working for her.

The top of the hutch posed another problem. The inside had been painted twice and my first issue working on it was the top coat of white paint started peeling off in biiiiiiiig messy chunks. I had to peel and sand it all off before starting the new paint job or it would have been a bumpy mess under the new paint.

My friend also really wanted some surface space in her dining room and I knew that raising the hutch off the bottom sideboard piece was a perfect solution.

Here are the materials I used to make it all happen. I'm not giving you exact measurements here because the amount needed will vary based on a hutch's size.

• select pine 1x12 - cut into three pieces for the back and two sides of the hutch (I had the pieces cut for me at Home Depot) - get the straightest piece you can
• select pine 1x4 - enough length to cut pieces for the back and sides of the hutch - check for straight pieces
• cove moulding - get about 1 1/2 times as much length as you do for the 1x4
• Kreg Jig
• Drill
• Wood screws (I used 3/4")
• 1" finishing nails or brad nails
• Light spackle
• Sandpaper
• Mineral spirits
• Denatured alcohol
• Clear shellac
• Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen
• Annie Sloan Soft Wax

To determine the sizes for the side 1x12 pieces, I measured the front-to-back depth of the hutch and had two pieces cut to that length. For the back piece, I measured the side-to-side width of the hutch and subtracted 1 1/2" from that measurement (the back piece sits inside the side pieces).
I lay the hutch flat on its back on the ground and propped my three 1x12 pieces up in place to check the sizes. I noticed some gaps along the sides and was a little worried about this at first, but the trim moulding that goes on later covers all of this up.

To attach the 1x12 pieces to the hutch and to each other, I used my Kreg Jig to drill pocket holes along the top and sides of the longer 1x12 piece.

Then I drilled pocket holes along the tops of the side pieces and drove wood screws into all the pocket holes to attach the 1x12s. Be careful to align the pieces exactly where you want them while you do this.

Next, I cut the 1x4s to size (straight cuts) and used a nail gun and 1" brad nails to attach along the top of the 1x12 pieces, over the pocket holes. A hammer and nails works fine but a nail gun sure makes quick work of it all!

The cove moulding was then cut with 45º mitered corners to sit inside the the 1x4s on the back of the piece.

I did the same for the sides.

I filled nail holes and small cracks with light spackle then sanded everything to smooth out any ridges or rough spots. I used an electric sander for this but regular sandpaper works fine as well.

For the painting part, I took the advice of my friend, Danielle, who is a vintage furniture painting master, and wiped the older parts of the piece down first with mineral spirits, then denatured alcohol, then warm water, and finally shellac. I applied 2-3 coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen and topped with Annie Sloan Soft Wax to protect the finish.

I attached the new hardware and a week or so of drying time later, I delivered the new hutch back to its home.

I love the new hardware - we used antique bronze cup pulls and a pendant pull with the same finish. Hardware is that finishing jewelry on a piece and I really love the dark antique bronze hardware against the soft gray of the hutch.

The pendant pull feels period-appropriate but with a contemporary finish and weight to it.

I'm so happy with how the whole thing came out and love that I was able to retrofit an old piece to make it work for a modern lifestyle.

* * * * * * *