Monday, June 27, 2011

Finally! The Dresser Is Done!

Finally!  You’d think I was doing a whole suite of furniture for the time it took me to get this little dresser done.  I posted about how I found it on the side of the road here and this is what it looked like.

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It was missing two of its three drawers, but I knew I could put wood there and use baskets.  Since I ordered a quart of the legendary chalk paint for my headboard, I thought I would use it on this piece, too.  Anything to not have to sand or prime!

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My hubby made me two shelves out of some luan that we already had in our garage for the drawerless areas.   We also had this decorative trim left over from our master bathroom redo. 

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I painted the whole thing in Annie Sloan’s Old White chalk paint, then rubbed on the Clear Wax.  {Edited to answer a comment: All products used are from the Annie Sloan line}.

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You recall I asked for your help on what color to paint the baskets for the two shelves.  I wanted to make a choice between gray or black.  Thank you so much for your input on that!  I wound up not going with either of those choices!

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The baskets got sprayed with Oil Rubbed Bronze; for two reasons.  First, I had it already and B. because I thought the brown would look good considering the dark wax is, basically, brown and the script writing on the scrapbook paper I used was brown. 

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I added tags to the baskets using shipping tags covered in a script scrapbook paper and numbers I got from The Graphics Fairy.  I tied them on to the baskets using two colors of seam binding.

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I was disliking the way the floral bit looked on the one and only drawer ~ even painted over.  Not quite the look I’m going for.

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So I got some script and music scrapbook paper to see which I liked better. 

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I liked the middle one best.  The background color went very well with the Old White chalk paint and the script was very soft.  The first one pictured to the left I used on the tags.

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I cut it to size and Mod Podged it onto the front of the drawer.  The 12x12 sheet allowed me to get the two pieces I needed.  The picture below is pre-wax.

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I also needed knobs because there were none on the drawer when I got the dresser.  I realized that I already had a couple of round wood knobs that I could use.   I dipped them in the chalk paint and stuck them upside down into styrofoam cups to dry {I put the screw in them when I did this}.

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I added the dark wax to the whole piece {except for the shelf areas since the baskets will be on them anyway}, but got a little heavy handed I think and had to go back in with the clear wax to lighten it up again.  Like magic that clear wax is!  I couldn’t believe how it lightened up the dark wax and I finally got it to where I liked the look.

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Finally, here she is in place in my entry foyer!  This will be her home for now.  Although, I do like the idea that because of the color, I could put this piece anywhere.  I love it!  I have some future posts planned featuring this piece.

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By the time I got someone to help me bring it in from the garage on Sunday, it had gotten cloudy.  If I can get a few better pictures in the morning before I leave for work, I will replace these, as they really don’t do it any justice.

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I decorated the top with stuff I already had.  The lamp I recently bought at TJ Maxx {$19.99} specifically for this chest.  The books and tray are in my etsy; the floral I’ve had for several years and is from Home Goods.

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EDITED:  Some day time shots from this morning.

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Now just a little bit about the paint and my take on it.  I would be a bit more careful when applying the dark wax although you can fix any area that looks too dark by reapplying clear wax.  The paint covered wonderfully and this piece is made up of plastic legs, MDF and a little bit of real wood.  Very high quality stuff here.  So it worked on three different surfaces beautifully.  I applied the paint with a good paint brush and applied the wax with rags. 

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Is it worth the $34.95 a quart, plus additional for the waxes?  Well, depending on how much I can get out of this can will determine whether I would buy it again.  I applied two coats to this dresser and still have 3/4 of a can of paint left.  The major plus was no sanding or priming and if you had to get primer and paint, you might be pretty close to that price anyway.

Linking up with:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Sizzle Into Summer at DIY by Design

Treasure Hunt Thursday at Blue Creek Home

Time Travel Thursday at Brambleberry Cottage

Kathy

76 comments:

Ycats said...

great job!

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Kathy!
I love how this turned out....you did a fantastic job. I especially like the decoupaged front because it really gives the piece an updated look. The color is wonderful too and the patina looks perfect.

I haven't tried chalk paint as of yet but I'm thinking about it.

hugs

sissie

Red Door Home said...

Great makeover! I especailly like how you added the music - very clever.

LuLu Kellogg said...

You did a fantastic job Kathy! It looks amazing! I think I am going to order some of this paint for several projects I need to work on. Thank you so much for sharing your technique!

LuLu~*xoxo

Dogmom Diva said...

Kathy, WOW is all I can say, that turned out fabulous..love the baskets too..love that oil rubbed bronze!

thanks for sharing!
Barb

fran @ eleven-o-one said...

Isn't it great when roadkill furniture becomes such a prize? You had great vision in this piece. Love the extra touches of the tags & the modpodge. Yup, chalk paint is so expensive. There are other equally good options out there.

Gail said...

O'Kathy what an awesome makeover! I love how it turned out. You did a great job.

Have a wonderful day,
Gail

Dawn-Hydrangea Home said...

Kathy - the dresser looks beautiful! Love it!

Ali Rockwell said...

It looks great! I love the baskets in place of the drawers. Good job!!

Design Esquire said...

Kathy, it looks AMAZING! It may have taken a while, but it was worth it. The baskets were a perfect solution for the missing drawers, and what you did with the remaining drawer is just amazing. Great job!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

It turned out great! I love it. I have not tried the chalk paint yet. I keep waitingto try to win some -lol...
Hugs,
Penny

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Hi Kathy, we found a good roadside piece of furniture that turned out well. But your roadside piece is unbelievable! Wow! Love it! Linda

Jane said...

That is quite the transformation...I love it! The baskets are a perfect fit and look like they should have been there all along. Great idea for covering the drawer front. That is truly a trash to treasure!!
Jane

Maddie Kertay- The Domestic Anarchist said...

Very classy outcome!.. popping over from the graphis fairy! I did a wonderful bench with the Chalk paint and now my studio kitchen.. you are right that it is $$$ but so worth it for the time savings and what I really treasure is the very low odor..no toxic smell!

Maddie

Karen said...

The baskets are the perfect touch.

Marsha @ Tattered Chick said...

Kathy, I just absolutely love what you have done! I think the color you chose for the basket is perfect!!!

xxoo

Okio B Designs said...

I love it! The baskets are such a great touch!

J

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

What a splendid job you did ~ this piece of furniture looks fabulous! Looking forward to perusing more of your posts :)

Kindly, Lorraine

Midwest Cottage said...

Very creative makeover. Love it.

Crystal @ Ordinary Days said...

Kathy, it turned out great! Love the baskets, too. I bet it was worth every minute of the time involved!

Kristens Creations said...

Oh Wow! It turned out wonderful!!! Love the modge podge you added to the drawers...great transformation!!Kristen

Krista@RustikChic said...

Ooooh, I LOVE it! The baskets with the tags add so much & I really like the addition of the paper on the drawers...very well done. I want to try out this paint.

Katherines Corner said...

I love it my talented friend. The baskets are sheer perfection. Biggest Hugs!

Debra@CommonGround said...

Wow Kathy, this is fabulous!!!! what a save!

Ms. Bake-it said...

Great makeover Kathy! I looks fantastic and the baskets turned out great too! Come on down here and do that to Justice's cabinet! ;) I actually have a few pieces set aside which I plan on using the chalk paint. I am glad you shared your experience using it for the first time because it will certainly help me when I finally get around to my projects.

~ Tracy

Passionate for White said...

I knew it was gonna look great but....WOW!!!

Leslie {Goodbye, house. Hello, home!} said...

OH!
I am repinning the dresser to my Pinterest!
I JUST LOVE IT!!!
One of my favorites to-date!
You did a lot of work to it, but it turned out DIVINE!
Love,
~me

Suz said...

That is an amazing piece. I think the paint was well worth it.
Suz

Amy {The Red Chair Blog} said...

I love how this turned out, Kathy! Fabulous!!

Rosemary@villabarnes said...

What an incredible job you did. I love the finish and the decoupaged fronts. The numbered tags on the baskets are a nice touch. Love it!

Sue@creativetryals.blogspot.com said...

Love everything about it! I have got to find something to put those tags on. Thanks for sharing.
Found you on Graphics Fairy.

Unknown said...

i love what you did with the chest! So awesome!

xo,
amanda

Rhonda said...

You knocked this one out of the park!!! It is amazing - love the script touches, the tags, and the ORB baskets are perfet.
Rhonda

Sanghamitra Bhattacherjee(Mukherjee) said...

What a great job! It looks superb now! Love the tags and the baskets. Lovely space here.
Hope to see you on my blog:)

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

An amazing transformation and what a great idea to use baskets! i would never have known there were supposed to be drawers. I keep seeing chalk paint around blogland and can see that the results are superb! Maybe I will try a very small can. Linda

Unknown said...

My absolute favorite: french provincial . LOVE your makeover!!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

I love it. It turned out wonderful and I really like the paper on the drawer front as well as the baskets being sprayed ORB. Great piece. Your vignette is perfect. Great piece for that area. Thanks so much for linking to TTT. Hugs, Marty

Anonymous said...

Oh, Kathy! You're the most creative one! I love those baskets in the place of the drawers. The cabinet looks so pretty! I haven't used the chalk paint yet and it's great to know it works on plasticky surfaces too. You did so good!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Holly Loves Art said...

Hi Kathy!
I LOVED seeing all the steps! You did an amazing job and I just love your creative mind. Great work! Thanks so much for sharing and inspiring all of us.
Cheers!
Holly

Patti @ Pandoras Box said...

just perfect!! you did a fabulous job...I love it!

Sonny G said...

love how it turned out.. it was worth all your hard work..

xoxoxo
Sonny

Donna, The Decorated House said...

It looks great Kathy!
I agree, the big plus so far is that the chalk paint seems to do a great job on lots of different surfaces and with not sanding or priming.

Unknown said...

Kathy, I adore hearing from you! My mouth is hanging wide open after reading this post carefully. I have my daughter's childhood dressers just like this. I had no idea you can paint on the shiny surfaces! Oh my gosh! Without the extra drawers, it looks so sophisticated! Thinking of pulling them out of the closets now! Inspirational as always! E

Miss Kitty said...

You and I had the SAME problem with dark wax on Old White chalk paint! Yes, the clear wax is just like an eraser (or thinner) of the dark wax when it is TOO dark. I have several undercoats of paint on my dresser so I may sand down the dark wax a bit and see what colors emerge.

Patty Marker said...

I've just found your blog and your projects are beautiful. I love how the peice turned out and the tutorial was great.

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Kathy, how cute is that. Love the baskets with the tags and the mod podged drawer front!

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

This dresser is gorgeous! I love that you have given an old worn out, drawer missing piece a new beautiful life! I would have passed it up. No vision. But seeing how you transformed this piece, I'll have a better eye for things! I love the modge podge paper on the remaining drawer... so soft! And the spray painted baskets with those darling tags! INSPIRING!
And thank you so much for the tutorial. I have been debating if I should buy chalk paint. Your tips and instructions were perfect!
Kathy, you never cease to impress!
Yvonne

K&B by the Sea said...

Wow - you definitely worked some magic on this dresser! It looks great! Love the script paper on the drawer front, and good call painting the baskets oil rubbed bronze. It really took some vision to see what could be done with that old dresser - and you nailed it! :-)

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hi Kathy...

Oohhh...your dresser turned out beautifully, my friend! I love the finish...the white with the dark wax over the top...perfect! I also like the script paper that you added to the drawer front...it looks fabulous! What a great idea...to use pretty wicker baskets on the shelves! It's all sooo beautiful! And...you created the perfect vignette to top it all off! BRAVO, my friend!!! You did GOOD!

Thanks for sharing your newly refinished dresser with us today...I love it!

Warmest summery wishes,
Chari

ℳartina @ Northern Nesting said...

Kathy I love it and I love the way you accessorized it!! Martina

Karena said...

Kathy you worked magic on that piece, it is gorgeous!!

About the paint, I have wondered about the cost as well, and from you and others it does sound like a little goes a long way!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

I have a New, very fashionable Giveaway from the Shabby Apple on my site! Come and enter!

Sweet Tea said...

Magic!
Wish I knew what type of wax you were referring to.Great job!

Gloria (Potentially Beautiful) said...

I love it! May I ask where did you get that scrapbook paper? I've been looking for some like that.

Decor & Harmony said...

Awesome job of reinventing an old piece I also like the staging!

Anonymous said...

This is FABULOUS!! I love the basket inserts too instead of drawers. I am working on a small antique bedside table and a small plant stand and you gave me two ideas to use. I was stumped as to what to do and now I know. Thank you. Happy Wednesday. :)

Laura Beth said...

What a fabulous transformation! I love the idea of using the baskets in place of the drawers.

Thanks for stopping by astepinghtjourney!

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Kathy, You took a piece headed to the dump and made it fabulous! I bet if the previous owner could see it now they would want the dresser back. Great job and I love the transformation.
xo,
Sherry

The Polka Dot Closet said...

You did a fabulous job!! The baskets are the perfect finishing touch!!

Carol

Kim said...

Holy Cow Kathy! That is freakin' amazing!!! Girl I think this just may be my fave furniture makeover of all time. You totally rocked that dresser.
xoxo,
Kim

Nita Stacy said...

Oh...this is adorable. I love the baskets. Love the paint treatment. Love all of it.

Pamela said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE this Kathy!! It looks fabulous!!

Nancy's Daily Dish said...

Oh Kathy, This is one of my favorite re-makes of a piece of furniture I've seen. I just LOVE it. I love the lower drawer with the writing applied. The baskets with the numbered tags are fantastic. Everything you did is perfect!!!

Nancy

p/s Love the new profile pic...your hair looks great!

JudyBug said...

You did a wonderful job on the dresser! You can certainly be proud of the finished product...love it!

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Kathy! I LOVE THIS DRESSER! You did an absolutely amazing job. All the extra details you put into it really paid off! I am very impressed. And I love the ORB on the baskets. (I going to have to get some of that!) Perfect choice! It looks great in your entry. Pat yourself on the back, girl, you deserve it!

Melissa said...

Wow! I love it, Kathy! I love the baskets and the touch of the paper. I hope you have a wonderful 4th!!

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful Kathy! Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog. If the lamp on this dresser is the shade you are going to decorate like my lamp it will look fab! PS: I only practised on one scrap of fabric, one tea towel and 4 place mats before being impatient and jumping to the lamp!! :)

Alison said...

I loved your new dresser but have a couple of question. What kind of wax did you use? Where do you get it?

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Hi Alison ~ I used the Annie Sloan Clear Wax and Dark Wax. I got them through Robyn Story Designs. This is her blog: http://robynstorydesigns.blogspot.com/
and there is a link to her website for the paint and wax. Kathy

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

A beautiful piece -- great idea using the music on the drawers and I LOVE the stack of covered books on top too!

Junky Vagabond said...

This is such a stunning piece - I love all the details...the ORB, the wax, the tags, the mod podged script...all of it is beautiful. Newest follower of your creativity :)

Jamie @ Domestically Vintage said...

Just a beautiful project! I love your style...I have that exact same lamp too! :)

~ Jamie Asper

Angie@slipcoveredgrey said...

This is beautiful! Love, love, love it!

Sandra said...

OMG....soooo beautiful.

THE FARMHOUSE PORCH said...

This turned out SO cute!! I love the baskets and tags too.
♥Linsey

Brandy~GreyLaneHome said...

Love, Love, Love this idea. I think dark brown baskets was the way to go. Amzing turnout.

Unknown said...

FREAKING love this!!!! Love the covered books! My husband collects old books and now I know I am going to incorporate them into my decorating! Praise God! A solution!!!

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