One Pattern, So Many Projects — How I Transformed a $25 Hutch Into a Coastal Showpiece
If you've been following along with the Teal Collection, you already know my sea turtle and coral design has shown up on oyster shell crosses, Easter bunnies, Christmas trees, and more. But this time? I took that same original pattern and went big — like, furniture big. And I am completely obsessed with how it turned out.
The “Teal Collection” started with just a few shells and turned in to an entire collection.
It all started when I spotted this vintage hutch on Facebook Marketplace for $25. What I didn't know at the time was that it belonged to a dear friend of mine — someone who has supported my business for years, and whose son plays in the school band right alongside my daughter. When she found out I was the one who bought it, she was excited to see what I would do with it!
Why this project felt different
I have been wanting to try Dixie Belle paint for years. Years! And this hutch was finally my excuse — and let me tell you, I am completely hooked. The Silk All-in-One Mineral Paint has a built-in primer and top coat, which means less prep work and a gorgeous finish. I did start out sanding this hutch the old-fashioned way... and then I realized I didn't even need to. (Classic DIY lesson — read the product instructions first! 😄)
One 16 oz jar of Tide Pool was just enough to cover the entire exterior of this piece, which I thought was impressive. The color is that perfect minty coastal teal that immediately says "beach house" without screaming it.
The decoupage backstory
The interior back walls are where the magic really lives. I painted them with a white trim enamel to give the artwork a crisp, bright backdrop — almost like a little gallery. (Next time I will use a Dixie Belle White but I didn’t realize I needed it when I bought the Tide Pool color.).
Then I printed my original sea turtle and coral design onto Japanese rice paper, enlarged to fill each shelf section, and decoupaged it directly onto the painted surface using Mod Podge.
This is the same artwork that lives on my Teal Collection shell pieces. Seeing it scaled up to this size, swimming across the back of a lit-up hutch, genuinely made me so excited. This is what "one design, endless possibilities" actually looks like in practice.
Note - I was very happy with how the rice paper blended into the back walls of the hutch - no outlines or evidence of paper. This week I will be experimenting with decoupaging the same materials onto a painted piece.
The finishing touches
Once the decoupage was dry and sealed with Mod Podge, I finished the entire piece with Dixie Belle Clear Coat in Satin. This sealed everything together — the paint, the decoupage, all of it — with a beautiful unified finish that feels smooth and durable.
The drawer knobs are one of my favorite details. I decoupaged fish onto simple round knobs to tie in the coastal theme, and they are just the sweetest little things.
And then there are the lights. I installed remote-controlled undermount puck lights inside each shelf — and honestly, they take this piece from lovely to absolutely dreamy. Seeing those shelves glow with the sea turtles swimming in the light? I could stare at it all day.
The whole project took me about three days from start to finish — not counting the unnecessary sanding session I gave myself at the beginning!
Total investment
The hutch itself was $25 from Facebook Marketplace. Total project cost including all supplies came in just over $100 — with most of that going toward the Dixie Belle paint. For a piece like this, that feels like an absolute steal.
Supply list
Dixie Belle Silk All-in-One Mineral Paint — Tide Pool (16 oz)
Best Look Kitchen, Bath & Trim Enamel — White Pastel (interior walls) - I bought this from our local Taylor’s Do-It Center
Original sea turtle & coral artwork (my own design!)
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Where is this hutch going?
This piece is headed to my shop as a display unit — I've just expanded my space a little, and I think it's going to look incredible in there. That said, if the right person falls in love with it, it may find a new home! Feel free to reach out if you're interested.
And if this project inspired you — whether you want to try Dixie Belle paint for the first time, experiment with rice paper decoupage, or just bring a little more coastal magic into your home — I would love to see what you create. Come share it with us inside The Coastal Creativeon Skool, where we're doing deep-dive projects just like this one together.
