Bassett Mid Century Dresser Makeover

One of the best parts about thrift shopping, is that you never know what you might find. Not long ago, I was making my routine morning stop at my favorite Goodwill and I spotted this mid century beauty. Of course, I didn’t hesitate to buy this one.

It’s a 9 drawer midcentury walnut dresser made by Bassett. Bonus, it had all of its original hardware. The drawers had been taped shut, so I pulled off the tape to inspect all of the drawers. You can see the tape hanging off of it in the photo.  Before I purchase a piece, I always look inside each drawer to evaluate condition and make sure they slide well.  I also smell inside the drawers.  I know that sounds weird, but I like to make sure they smell okay before I buy.

This particular style of furniture is really popular right now and I can understand why. It’s modern, has clean lines, and the mid century style is particularly on trend. Because it is low and wide, it is also extremely versatile.  It could be used as a dresser, media console, buffet, nursery changing table, you name it.

The walnut veneer on the front was in really good shape, and just needed a refinish. The top had some missing veneer and the typical deep scratches and wear.  I decided to restyle this piece with a clean, bright white on the outside and leave the drawers and legs natural.

I started by sanding the entire piece.  The walnut on the drawers was looking so pretty.  I sealed the drawers and legs with 2 coats of (affiliate link) Watco Teak Oil which brought out the beautiful walnut color.  I then applied wax for protection and a subtle sheen.

The really amazing part about the veneer on the drawers is that is all lines up from a single piece.  Kind of like a puzzle.  If you look closely, you can see how the wood grain pattern continues from one drawer to the next.

I sanded the body of the dresser and used wood filler to patch the missing veneer and large scratches.  I then primed it with (affiliate link)  B-I-N Shellac Base Primer & Sealer.   I wanted to get a very smooth finish on this piece, so I used my (affiliate link)  HomeRight Finish Max Fine Finish Sprayer.  This sprayer is very user – and beginner – friendly.  And fast. It literally took about 5 minutes to paint each coat on this dresser.  The set up and  clean up took about an additional 5 to 10 minutes more. That’s it. It was so fun to paint with that I didn’t want to stop after only 5 minutes!

I used Benjamin Moore Advance paint in “Super White” in a satin finish, which is my favorite sheen to use.  I sprayed three coats total, waiting a day in between for drying time.

I refinished the chair in the photo several months ago.  It is part of a pair of mid century chairs that I found at my Goodwill.  I cleaned it up, sanded it and then also sealed it with a couple of coats of teak oil  The wood on this chair is so beautiful.  The original black upholstery was in excellent condition, so I just cleaned it and left it as is.

And, well, this apple photo is just me playing around with my camera.  I love taking close up photos.

Thanks for stopping by.

Susan