Painting Techniques for Primitive Kitchen Cabinets | eHow

Give your cabinets a tint of age by color washing them. Color washing is achieved in one of two ways. If you're looking to create a thicker color wash, apply a single coat of base paint to your cabinet. Then, apply a second, thinner layer with a brush, rag, sponge or other object used for painting. Choose colors in the same family to create an authentic look. If your cabinets are natural wood, you can apply a simple, thin color wash another way. Simply apply a layer of paint, and then wipe it off with a rag as you go. This simple process causes some of the paint to stay behind and give the wood a slight tint.

If you're looking for a bit of classic, shabby chic style that makes your kitchen look like your grandmother's, try antiquing. After applying an oil-based primer and a coat of satin finish paint, use a glaze to give your cabinet the aged look. Before it's applied, glaze is typically mixed with a paint color, like brown or black, depending on the color of your satin finish paint, to add depth to the piece. Apply your glaze a little at a time and wipe as you go to get a smooth look.

For an aged, ramshackle look, distress your cabinets. To create a distressed look, apply multiple coats of paint to your cabinets in different colors. You usually want to use at least two different colors to draw out the distressing. Once you've applied your last coat and it's partially dry, use a screwdriver, sandpaper and other mediums to scrape away the surface coat, revealing the coat or coats of paint underneath the top layer.