I am in love with those adorable french provincial dressers. The flourishy handles are what really get my heart pounding.When I saw this dresser on Craig’s List for $35 dollars, I pounced!

 Disclaimer: I stole this picture from the previous owner’s Craig’s List Ad.

Oooo baby, don’t you just love that faux gold outlined accents and off white laminate top. Yes, I said laminate. But I wasn’t afraid of it. For $35 who cares if it gets messed up. If you never take the risk, you’ll never learn anything new, right?!

The drawers were still in good shape, but a little loose around the joints, so I squirted my new favorite Gorilla Glue into the joints and clamped lassoed them up!

Then I used newspaper to protect any of the areas I didn’t want sprayed.

After sanding all the surfaces to rough them up, I put a coat of primer on everything. Loving that crisp clean white, but the dresser told me to “Keep Calm and Carry On.”  So, I cooperated and continued on to another color.

Next, I sprayed Rustoleum Heirloom White and distressed the surface with a wood stain.

The drawer pulls got their own treatment of automotive primer followed by Oil Rubbed Bronze paint. Thank goodness they were happy with their new color because – I’m telling you – that dresser was certainly acting like a diva! She was still demanding a new color.

I have seen many Nantucket Fog makeovers and decided to make a run to Ace Hardware to pick up a small sample of that blue gray color. And I grabbed a can of artistic glaze.

After two coats of the Nantucket Fog glaze, that little dresser still wanted something else. Sheesh! So I pulled out some leftover blue paint from my dormer window shutters.

Finally, she shut up! It’s a good thing too, because I LOVE this color. I love it so much that I hauled my tired hiney back over to Ace to match the color just for you.

Does anyone else get starry eyed and entranced by all these fabulous colors?

The closest match is Buxom Blue from Benjamin Moore. Not too far off from Nantucket Fog, but you know those divas they want what they want!

Now, all important divas need something to wear that gets them noticed. Thus, I decoupaged some wrapping paper on the side (tutorial is here.)

And then because I liked the pattern so much, I blew it up and added it to two corners of the dresser top (tutorial for adding a sharpie stencil.)

I added some beachy blue glaze over the wrapping paper and the top graphic.

And I have to tell you that – halleluiah – I finally figured out the proper technique when using the valspar glazes (the tutorial is here.)

I finished up with three coats of a semi-gloss polyurethane.

And here is that stunningly beautiful diva of a dresser. Transformed from Cinderella to the Belle of the ball!

Isn’t it amazing what a little oil rubbed bronze can do!
 
 Hard to believe this was wrapping paper in a previous life!
 Peek-a-boo I see a cute stencil.

Now, I have to convince Pretty Handsome Guy that our master bedroom furniture doesn’t have to be all matchy matchy!

 Because I LOVE our Pottery Barn Sleigh Bed. 
But not the matching dresser.
 I love the new-old dresser! What do you think?

Any helpful hints on using Jedi mind tricks on unsuspecting Pretty Handsome Guy?

Update: Thank you to my readers that pointed out that I installed the handles upside down. They have been fixed now ;-).
64 replies
« Older CommentsNewer Comments »
  1. Katie
    Katie says:

    Is anyone who said they have a set like this willing to part with it? I’ve been trying to find a whole bedroom set but can only find pieces from different sellers. I want them all to be the painted the same and many sellers ahave already refurbished them, which tacks on a big price tag. Thanks for the help and ideas!

    Reply
  2. Hannah Olson
    Hannah Olson says:

    Oh my gosh i own a whole set that matches this dresser including this dresser. My set is still in the off white and gold but also the dresser above has an attached mirror. The set also has a tall dresser and a twin sized bed frame all in the off white and gold. I must say i am blown away to see my dresser which i thought was pretty chic, possibly expensive antique and one of a kind was sold for only $35. Anywho i like the way you fixed this one up looks very nice and perhaps you should scour the web for the rest of the set since there is obviously more than one set.

    Reply
  3. Grace
    Grace says:

    I have a dresser,chest and a nightstand just like this one but I really don’t know how to make this transformation do you have a video to walk me through the steps.

    Reply
  4. Carol
    Carol says:

    I have a nightstand just like this dresser (yep!) that came to me free as someone else’s cast-off. I’ve been wondering what to do with it, and your transformation has given me inspiration. Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Candy
    Candy says:

    In the process of repainting an antique dresser of mine, which is about the same size as this one. Can I ask how many cans of spray paint you used for the primer? We live out in the boonies and I don’t want to not have enough.

    Reply
  6. paige fuentes
    paige fuentes says:

    i’m not sure how you blog opened up to this tutorial but im soooo glad and grateful that it did!! I just got a new dresser (it’s actually a chest of drawers like your pottery barn one) for our soon-to-be-renovated bedroom and had NO CLUE how i was going to make it match and be pretty, but i know now!! Thanks so much! You made it look awesome and this is a fantastic tutorial!! <3 it!

    paige

    Reply
  7. hamiltonohio
    hamiltonohio says:

    Where is the mirror? It suppose to have a mirror. I had the same exact dresser. It was bought for me in the late 1970's when I was 12. I only have one photo of me standing in front of it. Your dresser looks nice. I wish I still had mine. I through it away in 1995. I regret it now.

    Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] This tutorial will be fairly brief, if you need more photos and explanation, you can view my previous dresser painting adventure. […]

  2. […] @ Primitive & Proper And this Beautiful Dresser with wallpaper decoupaged on the sides @ Pretty Handy Girl    The details on this Carmel Metallic Dresser are exquisite @ LoveLeigh Again […]

« Older CommentsNewer Comments »

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.