Transformation Tuesday: Dresser goes Drab to Fab

Check out this transformation Tuesday post when this dresser goes from drab to fab. 

I know what exactly you’re thinking. That dresser is ghastly beautiful!! (actually the lighting in the garage actually made this look better than in real life b/c you can’t see the cheap laminate on top and all the dings and scratches) I know it’s not the best looking piece of furniture but when I laid my eyes on it, I saw the potential of what it could be! See how this dresser goes from drab to fab. 

Last year on Instagram, I posted the before and after picture of this transformation. I figured it would be great to showcase it here and share my limited knowledge on painting furniture. I actually bought this from a sweet old lady for $15 at a nearby garage sale. When I first saw it, I imagined it sitting in our kitchen/breakfast area. I’m assuming most people wouldn’t naturally put a dresser in the breakfast area, but I knew it had potential, especially with all that space to hide clutter. Our family lives in the kitchen. We eat, play, cook, do homework, talk, do everything in the kitchen area. Fortunately, our breakfast area is an open space next to the kitchen so it’s the natural spot for everyone to hang out.

I figured a dresser would be a great place to corral all the kids’ crafts, workbooks, crayons, markers, etc. I also wanted hidden storage for diapers, wipes and Emmy’s clothes. I needed to keep some clothes for her downstairs since she changes frequently from daily messes. Adding these simple changes allows my life to be more organized.

I painted this dresser using chalk paint. I have actually used 2 different brands including Annie Sloan and Americana Decor (sold at Michaels). I have also made my own chalk paint. I wanted to use all 3 to find out the differences in quality. Today’s post is using my own homemade chalk paint. If you make your own, it is significantly cheaper as 1 quart of Annie Sloan can cost almost $40. Btw, don’t confuse chalk paint with chalkboard paint. The great thing about painting furniture with chalk paint is that you don’t have to prime or sand it! This is great for lazy and impatient crafters like me! This paint is also great for distressing if you like that type of look. If you want more info on homemade chalk paint, check out these links here and here. Here is the recipe I used to make my own chalk paint.

• 3 parts latex paint
• 1 part plaster of paris (sold at home depot, lowes)
• water to mix

I painted the dresser using 2 coats of homemade chalk paint with a regular paint brush and foam roller. The gray paint was leftover paint from our dining room walls. Chalk paint dries pretty quickly so you’re able to do another coat after waiting about 10 minutes or so. I also distressed the edges gold with some rub-n-buff and spray painted the handles gold. Whatcha think?

Isn’t she lovely? The dresser just got a totally new life!! Wowza, no one wanted to buy this piece of treasure but I sure am glad I got a hold of it!  It holds a ton of our craft supplies, Emmy’s clothes, diapers, workbooks, etc. I love that the kids can both easily get to their supplies and we can quickly put away the mess after they’re done.  I also love having a dresser next to the kitchen because it gives me another tabletop to decorate! This system has worked really well for us. That’s the thing with organizing; you have to figure out what works best for your family. This saves us from a lot of random clutter which can drive me loca. Next Tuesday, I’ll share about the furniture I painted using the Annie Sloan and Americana Decor chalk paint. Think twice before you throw out a piece of old furniture. It may have the potential to have a completely different look that you absolutely love. Lmk if you have any questions! It’s a really inexpensive way to transform any piece of furniture.

Thanks for dropping by!

xoxo,

yuni

Let all that you do be done in Love. 1 Corinthians 16:14