Dresser Redo

This is how I found the dresser in the cabin. Neglected and even had a mouse nest in one of the drawers. I was going to sell it on Craigslist, but my friend Sarah, whom I usually listen to because she has great counsel, said no, I should keep it and distress it. So I did.

Dark oak, it had a lot of detail that you could hardly see.

They had ruined the top by putting something on it that burned it. This is what it looked like after I sanded it down.

After painting it. I used a gallon of Oops paint I picked up for 5 dollars at Lowes. I really am not a pink girl, I don't know what got into me. I will say that the paint is Valspar, as was the paint for the red chair I did. Hate it! Not easy to work with, even though I added a paint extender, and it didn't cover well. Definitely could have used fewer coats if it had been Behr paint. That's the only comparison I have, however, since I have not had the luxury of actually using nice paint. I splurged on Benjamin Moore for my upcoming front door project, and we'll see how spoiled I get.

After. After I painted it, I distressed it. Look how you can see all that beautiful detail now! Pardon the flash photography and poor lighting. The garage door broke last week so I can't let in any sunlight to get a decent picture, and the lights are flourescent...

Then I rubbed Minwax Dark Walnut Stain on the distressed parts.

Then I glazed the whole thing with a glaze I made from Valspar tintable glaze (which I am a fan of) and Dark Walnut. I purposely left drag marks when I took off the glaze and I'm really pleased. Then I waxed the whole thing with paste wax.

This is how the two top drawers were. Well, actually this is after I pulled out the nasty old green felt that was lining them. I'm sure it was quite nice in the 50's when it was done...

For the drawers, since they were ruined, I mod podged craft paper into them and then put a polycrylic topcoat on them and the inside of the cabinets. I'm going to use this for my dresser up in the loft.