Hey SNP Friends,
I’ve got a roadside rescue before and after makeover to share with you today. A couple of months ago, Julie, one of my sweet blog readers, sent me an email letting me know about a dresser that had been posted for free. She thought I might be able to do something with it. I could see from the photo that the style is one that I am particularly fond of, but it did look like it was in rough shape. I grabbed my son Eli to help, we hopped in my van (aka the furniture ambulance), and drove over to rescue the old gal.
Before
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It’s hard to tell from the photo above, but it had the craziest paint finish on it. When Eli saw it, he shook his head and just said, “Mom, no.” Ha! The nurse in me wasn’t ready to call time of death on this one.
You can see a little bit of the blue paint peeking out, then a layer of pink paint, and finally a layer of glaze that looked like red wine had been spilled all over it. I’m guessing this was a DIY gone wrong, which is why it ended up at the curb.
Here’s a closer look at the finish. This is one of the drawers after I removed the hardware.
And this is a close up of the side of the dresser. See what I mean, it looks like red wine dripping down.
So, I obviously could not just paint over this crazy finish. That was pretty much a given. I decided to go ahead and strip off the existing paint. I wanted to see what the wood looked like underneath, and thought perhaps I could stain some of it or leave it natural. It took me two days to strip off all that paint from the dresser and mirror. If you have ever stripped multiple layers of paint, you know it is not a task to be undertaken lightly. It is tedious and messy. But if I wanted a smooth finish that would last, I had to do it. Citristip is my favorite paint stripper.
Side Note: After spending two days stripping this piece, my husband commented that I should have included “stripper” in the name of my blog. No, just no.
After
I was able to strip about 99% of the paint from the dresser and mirror. The original blue layer of paint had penetrated and stained the wood, making it really difficult to sand out. There were also some dark stains on the top that I could not sand out. So, I decided to go with a simple, but pretty painted finish for the entire piece. After the crazy finish that had been on this piece, I felt like toned down was the way to go. Simple, quiet elegance is the look I was after.
After a good cleaning inside and out, and a day of airing out in the sun, I sanded it with 120 grit and then wiped the entire piece down. I primed with 2 coats of BIN Zinsser shellac based primer. I then painted the entire piece with 3 coats of General Finishes milk paint in Antique White. I sealed it with 3 coats of General Finishes High Performance topcoat in flat. I did not distress this piece at all.
The original stamped brass pulls were in bad shape, and unfortunately could not be salvaged. They were very thin and delicate, broken in several places, and quite bent and misshapen. I added new period appropriate brass bail pulls that I ordered from D Lawless Hardware. Luckily, I was able to use the original brass keyhole covers. I carefully removed them from the drawers and then used a bit of Bar Keeper’s Friend to shine them up.
The original casters were missing, so I added some new wood casters. You know I love those little wood wheels!
This piece was definitely a lot of work, but I am so pleased with the result. It is quite gratifying to save an old piece of furniture like this. Thank you Julie for letting me know about this wonderful vintage dresser!
If any of you have a favorite roadside rescue, I would love to hear about it in the comments.
Susan
This turned out beautifully, and I think you achieved the quiet elegance you said you were after. Such a pretty piece! I’m new to your blog, so maybe you have answered this before, but may I ask what brush you use for your furniture painting?
I see in a previous post that you spray paint. I love the smooth finish.
Hi! Yes, I do spray some of my pieces, especially when I want to achieve a perfect, brushstroke-free finish. It’s definitely a timesaver, too.
Thank you so much for you sweet comments. My favorite brush for painting is a 2 inch angled Purdy. Susan
Such a beautiful makeover!!
Beautiful!
I am amazed at how fabulous this came up…I mean WOW, what a beautiful job, did your son take back his words…haha….I bet…I love it..
OMG!!! I love this! It’s stunning! I have a dresser just like it but the wood is in great shape, so original finish. My granddaughter has one in her room painted very pale pink. I love these adorable dressers!!!
Thank you, Linda! How wonderful that you have one of these old dressers with the original finish. You are so lucky! I am sure it is gorgeous. I’ll bet the pale pink is stunning, too. Thanks so much for stopping by! Susan
Stunning….what a beautiful piece
Thank you, Pam.
You did a remarkable transformation! You should be extremely proud of this piece of furniture. It is so beautiful!
Thank you so much, Laura! I really do love the way this one turned out. It’s a special piece, indeed.
I found a child-sized chiffoneer (sp?) on their trash pile and out in all kind of weather. My husband fixed it up and I painted it. It’s one of my favorite pieces! It is posted on my IG under apartment12. This piece you did is amazing! The feeling of saving one more piece from a landfill is satisfying! And I love your blog! ☺️
Hi Esther! Taking something from a trash pile and making it beautiful again is simply the best. Even better that your husband did it for you! I love your IG account, and your raised beds and garden are wonderful, by the way.
What an awful F A N T A S T I C job you have done!!!
It is amazing how well it turned out. Great Job!!!!!! Beautiful!
What a beautiful make over; I really like citristrip also. The brass and wooden wheels really make it shine. Keep up the good work.
Hi Mary! Thanks so much for your sweet comments and the words of encouragement. I really appreciate it!
Wow, this turned out gorgeous!!! Love reading about your furniture makeovers. Thanks for inspiring us!!
Thank you so much, Louise! I am so happy to hear that you enjoy my furniture makeovers, and that I am able to inspire you in some way. That means so much to me! Susan
Oh Susan, it looks beautiful!! I had no idea from the picture that the finish was so bad and that it would be so much work, you did a wonderful job. You must be so pleased at how you have totally transformed this dresser and mirror.
Thank you, Julie! It is really hard to tell from the before photo what the finish was. It really did look like it was just stained wood in the photo. These vintage pieces are my absolute favorite to rescue, so the work was worth it in my mind. I am so happy you told me about this great piece! Susan
This is stunning! I love to refinish furniture but I hate stripping paint! Bravo on your perseverance. It certainly paid off! Simply beautiful!
Hi Vicki! Stripping paint from furniture is my least favorite part of refinishing furniture, too. I really only take it on with pieces that I absolutely love, like this one. Thanks for stopping by! Susan
What a fantastic makeover! So glad you rescued this piece.
Thank you, Virginia! I am so glad I was able to save this one, too.
Absolutely stunning! Such a great transformation!
Thanks so much, Carol! Roadside rescues are my favorite pieces to transform.
This is gorgeous. I love, love the shape too. It has such good bones. Hopping over from Savvy Southern Style.
Thanks so much, Katie. I just love all the sweet details on these vintage dressers. So happy you are stopping by from Savvy Southern Style.