Vintage Painting turned Chalkboard with Milk Paint

Modernized Solid Pine Hand Crafted Heart Wall Shelf

Bringing New Life to a Country Classic. We’ve all seen them: those solid, well-built pine shelves from the 80s and 90s that have a lot of heart (literally) but are stuck in that unmistakable "orange" stain era. While the craftsmanship is top-tier (this one was hand crafted by my father in law), the color can often feel a bit too retro for a contemporary home. In this tutorial, I’m showing you how to take a vintage 9-cubby wall shelf and transform it from a dated relic into a bolder, fresher, and more current statement piece. By applying a rich chestnut brown stain , we’ve traded that brassy orange hue for a deep, sophisticated tone that highlights the wood grain. Follow along as I walk you through the prep, the staining process, and how this simple color shift completely changes the vibe of the piece—making those iconic heart cutouts feel intentional and chic rather than just "country."

I purchased this huge print painting for the size and the ornate solid wood frame with the intent to repurpose it into a chalkboard. I had not decided on the color to paint the frame yet but knew it would be a neutral to go in more homes when complete.

First step was to tape off the frame with painters tape and apply 3 coats of Rustoleum's black chalkboard paint.

Seeing I was painting a dining table in a dark grey I decided this frame would be done in the same color. It is Homestead House Milk Paint in Confederate grey. Two coats using my new angled sash Zibra brush, which cut easily into the original gold inner trim perfectly, gave the frame new life.