My hutch is a beast to paint by hand.
Between sick days for the kids, sick days for me, travel days for Matt, and well, normal life, I’ve been painting it in bits and pieces for the last few weeks. A day here, a day there.
This is no paint-a-dresser-in-the-afternoon kind of project.
After one coat of Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint in French Linen (one of my VERY favorite chalk paint colors), here’s how she was looking.
I’m trying to work through my hoarder piles furniture collection and take some things to Troy Antiques to sell–it’s been fun getting my hands painty again & filling my days shooting videos and stills for you guys.
While I break on the final stage of the hutch, I thought you could help me with the “what color do I paint the inside dilemma??”
My gut choice is white. I love a white inside…it’s bright, and everything looks great against it.
This color gray is almost identical to French Linen–and I’m still deciding if I’ll be sealing it clear or tinting some wax to layer the look a little.
See what I mean? A white inside would be lovely.
It could even be dreamy.
P.S. Maria, your cabinet gives me the best kind of goosebumps.
We could also go same color–seamless, classic. Plus, all of my white dishes would look great against the french linen.
P.S. Nester, your hutch and bookpage garland give me the best kind of goosebumps.
And while I don’t know that I’ll distress the piece, I know I can’t go wrong matching the insides with the “outs.”
P.S. Jennifer, your distressed, layered gorgeousness gives me the best kind of goosebumps, too.
I can totally see a color in there, too, though. Maybe not tangerine, but it sure is POW-erful, if you know what I’m sayin’.
I totally see a lovely blue/green peeking out from behind the subtle gray (and I do have a whole lotta white in my house).
OR….we can call it a day and keep the inside black.
Oh dear.
I love COLOR…pick something exciting and that you love and says WOW everytime you walk by
Just my thoughts
French linen is one of my favorite colors. I thought orange as soon as I started reading the post
Then I saw the tangerine picture. Although, that is one of those colors that would come and go for me. I would love it for a couple months, then it would be time for a change. Although, who am I kidding, I would change it in a couple months regardless of the color! 
Go for the orange!!!
so funny that when I started to read the post I thought Tangerine. I love it. Get wild and go for it!
White would love great! So fresh, clean, and goes with anything at anytime! =)
I vote white…maybe ASCP old white??? I’ve got a cupboard with a lovely peacock blue interior that I LOVE, as well….so…I vote for that, too!
Going to go with white. The two just go hand-in-hand and look so very beautiful!
Can I ask where you got your hinges? I am getting ready to repaint a hutch as well and need to replace the hinges and for some reason have not been able to find ones I want:-(
I can’t wait to see your finished hutch!
My first instinct was blue.. or green or some variation in between. Or what about keep it gray, only slightly darker, and maybe with some violet undertones???
Love this color scheme- go slightly darker gray and let the items pop against the color.
I absolutely love it!! So classy and fits with everything!
-Anna
asweetsouthernmess.blogspot.com
Same color! If your dishes are white and you want a punch of color simply cover poster board with fabric or wallpaper and tack it up behind the beautiful white dishes. Simply take it down, if you are not in love.
I like this idea….keep it or it’s much easier to change if you decide you don’t like. This would also work well if you wanted to incorporate a pattern with a wall paper or fabric. Cant wait to see what you do.
I love either doing the whole thing in french linen or doing a pop of color- like teal, mustard, or pink. That way, your beautiful white dishes would be shown off well.
As much as I love different oranges..I’m totally in love with the blues and greens right now. Whatever you do…enjoy it
Always go with your gut. You’ll be less tempted to repaint if you paint it white! Looking at photo no. 2, how could you tire of that beauty? Love your blog.
Sara, Ohio
I’d do the shelves a crisp white and the backings to each self a different fabric print… I’ll post examples on your facebook status!!
I vote for the blue/green or black! You can always repaint if you don’t like it!
I vote white! I love the crispness of white, and imagine it at Christmas with pretty evergreens!!
i love the black and coral. can’t wait to see what you choose!
At one of the earlier pictures, I was looking at the baskets on top, thinking how nicely they pop – and that that would made a fantastic color inside. The dishes inside would really stand out nicely against that charcoal-ish color.
I really loving the orange tones as well and I am a blue and white girl! I really love contrast so looking at your goodies inside the hutch, a color called Cinabar comes to mind. I used it on a ceiling in a designer showcase house I did. It is very rich and cozy. I think it was an old Sherwin Williams color.
My immediate thought with the grey was, Tiffany Blue for the inside back and sides…and maybe white on the shelves. Whatever you do, it will be lovely!
I have been dying to try some Annie Sloan paint! (I know, I’m really late to jump on the chalk paint train) I think a creamy white would be beautiful, but I do love that bright tangerine.
I love the white! Stunning! Or maybe Graphite to go the complete opposite direction?
If you are selling it….go white. It will be gone before you know it! Sarah
I love French Linen too…which has a lot of green tones…you could do a soft green…or leave it black…White ware looks great next to black or….dry brush a soft coat of the french linen over the black ….
Just a thought or two…
Nancy
Go with lime green, it will look smashing with the turquoise pieces!
I was thinking a pale yelow or a dull chartreuse., especially if you have all white dishes. It would be nice to have a little pop of color. If you are going to put other colored items in the case I would go with white
Good Luck and I’m sure you will make an excellent decsision! I love every project that you do!
I vote for grey on the outside, white on the inside! Classic:) I also think a bright color like aqua would be fabulous, but I’m just not personally brave enough to do it. Looking forward to seeing what you do!
I love them all. Just beautiful. I know whatever you decide will be perfect.
Hello Shaunna,
I think deep down you know what you want…go with what really gives you goosebumps!
Janet xox
The Empty Nest
I vote no on the black…unless you are filling the hutch with lots of colorful items or lots of white :0)
I think a blue/green would be lovely…not too bright, but still a nice shot of color. My personal favorite color with French Linen is Old Ochre…it looks so “old world” together…very elegant.
I’m sure whatever route you go, it’s will be gorgeous!
My vote is definitely for something colorful on the inside. Maybe not tangerine, or even a color quite that saturated. I mean, that tangerine is QUITE saturated! Maybe something a little more subtle, but still with good contrast from the neutral exterior in a color that’ll just make you smile.
I vote for a blue / green. Maybe a duck egg with old white or provence mixed with old white. I also just used Antoinette on my latest project and think that would look really nice inside too.
What about a Coco and Graphite mixture??
I don’t know!! I like all of the choices!! Sorry…I’m no help!! I’m sure whatever you choose, it will be gorgeous!
I just did a buffet in French Linen and I did the interior in Duck Egg. I think they make a great combo.
White, Graphite, or Provence. Trust your instincts, they’re fabulous
Boy, it’s going to be such a stunning statement piece! Good luck.
Hi, I am new to your blog and loved looking at your blog tonight. I like the French Linen with the white, But if you want to show off your lovley white dishes then I would go with the French Linen on the inside.
Mary
I just love grey and yellow…..great combo…..but whatever you decide will look fantastic
All the best,
Kathy
Well, it sounds like you’re leaning pretty heavily towards white which would be classic and beautiful. However, all other options you mention would be pretty terrific, too. For my money though, I’d probably go with a wonderful muted wallpaper for the interior, like those made by Farrow and Ball, or perhaps, antique wallpaper. Just sayin’…
We painted the dining and living room interiors of built ins Sedona Clay (BMoore), an earthy brick red plus an open shelf in the kitchen. (The trim and exterior is Swss coffee Behr) Our china, Lenox Autumn pops and books and Asian pottery pieces look fabulous. Before all these beautiful dishes and items faded into the pale interior. I have one more to do…all that full set of Baverian crystal will be a huge project to remove for the painting. It totally suit our style and farmhouse. Important I think in getting the right “feel” for your home. Have fun not only chosing but also painting!
I am loving the white for the inside.
I like the fabric idea, I’ve done that and it is so easy to change and the patterns are endless, I just used duck tape to tape the fabric on the back of the cardboard. If you were to clear seal over the chalk paint what would you use? Layla recently said that polycrylic turned yellow over paint for her. I also painted cabinets with French Linen and am at a loss how to seal it, wax just won’t do for their use.
I’ve been thinking about painting my hutch grey, too, and I’m leaning towards going with an aqua for the inside. I think that’ll pop my white dishes and glassware the best. So, I vote for blue/green!
I vote for white, but alas I’m partial to anything white, and gray! BTW I love your blog and love your home! When my house grows up, I want it to be just like yours…
Think of your hutch as your basic dress. What kind of scarf would make it feel special. Personally I can’t see a white scarf but perhaps a soft pink of ocean blue would compliment the style. Remember it is just paint and you can always redo if you’re not happy with it. Try something different for a change.
I’m loving the look of gray and yellow together. I just painted some knobs in gray and yellow and they look elegant but still somewhat shabby. I think white would be the classic choice but if you’re feeling daring, pick a light, creamy yellow.
I say white, with the back papered in a beautiful wallpaper, Nate Berkus style!!
Thanks for the shout out! I love contrasting inside and out! what ever you do will be gorgeous!!! I always say go with your gut and if you hate it… repaint
I am trying to decide what color to paint the inside of a new cabinet I got a couple of months ago too. It’s so hard, isn’t it? I am voting dark or white…. I am sure whatever you choose will look gorgeous. I can’t wait to see it!
My vote is for something that coordinates with your house and shows off what you want to display in the hutch. If it is white stuff going in the hutch then I think you need to do a color, but if it is colored stuff I think white is fine. Decisions, decisions, decisions! Good luck.
What about beadboard wallpaper? Thats the plan for mine
I think blue green would really make it AND your dishes stand out & look fantabulous:)
This is an old post I’m just now reading but I hope you kept the piece white:) It’s so beautiful with the exterior color. White is my vote.
Another great post! Did you sand any parts of the hutch before hand or just wait until after to sand? I have an ikea lament dresser I want to paint! Really looking forward to it!
Thanks for such a lovely inspired blog – some questions:
1- So what color did you finally decide for inside the hutch?
2- You gave one coat only of French Linen? Did you distressed/sand?
3- Do you have a final picture?
I have a china cabinet that I want to paint.
Thank you so much. Best regards.