Dresser Makeover

Well, this was one of those projects that I thought would be so easy, and it absolutely kicked my butt and tested all my patience.

In fact it was a nightmare from painting all the way to the knobs.

This awesome dresser was David’s Grandma’s. When she passed away, no one claimed it so I said I’d love to take it. It’s been sitting in storage for over a year now and I finally got around to giving it an update now that I had a garage to work in.

For the first time ever I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I’d heard such wonderful things about this paint. Let’s just say I had very high expectations.

Supposedly the paint goes on like a breeze, dries like a breeze, waxes like a breeze, and you’re left with enough to do at least 3 or 4 more small projects.

Well, I hated it. It was so expensive, $75 bought the two items above. A quart of paint and an even smaller can of wax. I was sick to my stomach for spending that much money on paint, but it was supposedly “magic paint”!! And not to mention, I couldn’t buy the corresponding brushes. The paint brush you’re supposed to use is $28 and the wax brush is $35. There was no way I was spending that much money on paint brushes. I picked up a brush from the place I bought the paint that they said would be okay if I wasn’t buying the other brush. I got a wax brush from Lowes for $8.

 

I did pick up these nifty painting triangles from Lowes. I loved them.

Still smiling at this point because I just started.

Nude sports bras are not cute in pictures…

After one coat.

The thing about chalk paint is that you don’t have to prime or sand.

Well, this dresser took three…three coats of paint. I still didn’t have full coverage but I didn’t have enough paint to do a fourth coat. It’s okay as is, but it could have used one more coat. What I thought I would finish in a day, ended up taking several.

Then I had to wax it at the end. That thoroughly sucked too!

So besides the paint, I had big trouble with the knobs. The original knobs were just not my style, so I set off in search of new ones at Hobby Lobby. I spent literally an hour in the store staring at knobs. If I found something I remotely liked, they didn’t have enough. I needed 14 total.

Then I got an idea. I remembered seeing Teal and Lime’s Faux Malachite knobs and I knew what I was going to do. I bought up almost all the white knobs and was super excited about making this happen.

Well, after being gone for two hours and coming home with $30 worth of plain white knobs (?!)…that I’d have to color with a marker (?!) and bake(?!), let’s just say David was less than happy. Here I go, doing something weird again.

Why can’t you just buy NORMAL stuff???

I colored knobs and let them sit over night.

Then I baked them to set the color.

The tutorial I read said she tried to scratch them and everything and the color didn’t come off after baking.

Well, of course that was not the case with mine. The first one I picked up to screw onto a drawer, left blue ink all over my fingers and was completely wiped off of the knob.

#$^@#&%^*^%!!!

Seriously!! Can I catch a freaking break?!!

UGH.

I carefully put them all on, smudging each in the process. Got lots of “I told you so” looks from David. And proceeded to cry.

Because in addition to the color rubbing off, one of them broke in the process and is actually super glued right onto a drawer front, and the two on the big cabinets’ screws are too long and the doors wouldn’t shut.

I have temporarily removed the inside middle drawer until I can cut the screws down.

It really was ONE.THING.AFTER.ANOTHER

My original intent was to put it behind the couch with some lamps on top. But unfortunately we don’t have any floor outlets and it was kind of in the way without serving a purpose.

So now it’s currently living in our room.

Last complaint about the chalk paint - the color. I spent nearly an hour deciding on a color at the store. They had a few pieces painted in this Old White color. They were all crisp bright white and beautiful. And yet mine turned out ivory white which pretty much doesn’t match anything in the house one bit. Sad face. 

Now I really wish I’d gone with something else. I am absolutely crushing on Retro Ranch Reno’s blue buffet.

Maybe I can change it up again one day…

I do really love the dresser and I’m digging the extra storage space but I am mad at myself about the knobs and my color choice. Wish I’d have gone a “regular” route because it’s still not technically done. I am going to give them a coat of mod podge and hope for the best!