Dresser project

Well, I'll just say it. A dresser refinish is a lot more exciting if you have a before picture... But I just wanted to share this anyway. You know I love a project, and if I've never done it before it's even better. This dresser has lived in our garage since I was pregnant with Milo, and before then, it lived in Gary and Amanda's garage. It's not that it was awful. It was just outdated - olive green with dainty flowers painted in random places. And some child had gone at a few of the drawers with a marker, so there was no helping it except to start over.

So I did! I primed the heck out of this with Kilz, which makes me feel better because I think it also protects the piece (or do I just want to think that?). I've been itching to try some ChauxBelle chalk paint because it's made by a local vendor, who also happened to be one of the best teachers Conner ever had. This project was the perfect chance, and I actually really loved it. The chalk paint covered over the marker drawing that even two coats of Kilz didn't.

I went through two rounds of knobs, because the first ones were flat against the drawers and completely pointless. This is an old dresser and the drawers tend to stick, so I needed something that people could actually grab ahold of. It worked out, because these were my favorite knobs in the first place, and they were on sale when I went back to return the first set.

The dresser hung out for a bit before I decided that it needed more, so I mixed up a faux glaze with a dark brown paint and wiped it on with an old cloth diaper. It was my first attempt at that, and I think it turned out well. I definitely learned a lot and am excited to try it again...

So, without further ado, here is Gary and Amanda's new dresser!!!!!!