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Painting A Dresser And Planning A Pocket

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Remember that $40, oh-so-cute, but badly-water-damaged dresser we got at a flea market a while back?

If so, then you probably also remember that we initially took the top part of it off, painted it white, sanded back the drawer fronts for a super-distressed effect and added cute little blue-painted knobs and pulls…

Welllllllll…I saw a really cool $998 dresser on Anthropologie.com the other day and was immediately inspired to give our little flea market find another facelift.

I started by sanding the drawer fronts completely down…

But because they were a bit too “orangey” for our room, I picked up some Monterey Gray-colored stain (Olympic) from Lowes…

…and mixed a half of a foam brush full of it with a little bit of water in a Frog painters tape container….

Then I brushed the stain/water mix onto each drawer front in the direction of the grain…

…and let it sit for about 20 seconds. Then I wiped it off with a paper towel (also with the grain)…

Once the stain was completely dry, I used the largest drill bit I had to route out the drawer pull holes a little more…

(You can really see how much better the gray-stained drawer fronts match the bedroom floor in this shot!)

The reason I needed them to be bigger is because I used rope (from Lowes) to create new drawer pulls on the two big drawers…

I used plain wood knobs (Lowes), also stained Monterey Gray, on the two smaller drawers up top.
After that, I used Photoshop and a font called Gunplay to print out some numbers for us to choose from…

We tried out a few different combinations, and finally settled on our wedding date. Kev used a pencil and the “rub-lead-on-one-side, then rub-lead-onto-the other-side” method to transfer the numbers onto the left side of three of the drawer fronts. Next, I mixed up a little bit of left-over Rice Grain-colored sample paint (Sherwin Williams) with a little bit of left-over mocha-colored Valspar Translucent Color Glaze to create the color I filled the numbers in with…

Last but not least, I gave all four drawers a quick coating of Deft Clear Wood Sealer (Lowes) and ta da!

I’m not super confident about arts-n-craftsy kinds of things, so these types of projects tend to really intimidate me. But we’re lovin’ the way it turned out, and since it sits against the wall that’s opposite our bed, it’s been fun to wake up to each morning too.

Hi. I’m Layla and I’m mushy.

Next up, a wall pocket project on the wall space above the dresser. And by “wall pocket”, I mean “niche” (for our TV). But because Kevin gets the willies when I say the word “neesh“, I’m gonna try go with “wall pocket” from now on.

PS-
I can’t wait to show you what came inside that little box back there…

Stay tuned!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  8. Mindi

    I have a photo in my “wish book” of a dresser like this with numbers! Yours is too cute! You’ve inspired me to get goin’ on my project!

  12. Allison A.

    Love the new look. You guys are so talented in what you do and can I just say…

    Every time I see in my inbox a new thing from y’all I get so dang excited! I come and read and see the awesom-ness that is you and Kev and just smile. SO much of what y’all have done inspires me, as well as others, to pick up that dang recipricating saw and tackle that job we’ve been to afraid of.

    Also, I’m a bit older then 2-3 yrs old but I’m up for adoption. lol I just want to sit in that reading nook of yours and well, read!

  16. Dana @ Cooking At Cafe D

    Can I be honest?
    I didn’t know there even was grey stain.
    There, I said it.

    I really liked how it toned down those drawers.
    Hmm. There must be something I can stain…
    🙂

  17. Terrica Joy

    Oh, you should NOT be intimidated! It’s perfect. Anthropology owes you an APOLOGY! (for trying to charge out the wazoo for something you created at a fraction of the cost) Ok. That was dumb. And I know it. 😉

  21. Kathleen

    Love it ….I have to try this. The numbers are adorable….good job as usual Pamers!

  22. Yaya

    Hi Layla,

    I am so happy that you are more regular with your posts , I love them. I know that you guys have a lot of things going on but you got me used to the daily posts.

    By the way I love the dresser makeover.. 😀

  24. carla raney

    I love your dresser , it is sooo much better then the $998 one! You did a great job. I love it when i see on my reader that you have a new post, its like getting a new mag in the mail . A good day. 🙂 Thanks keep up the great work.

  26. Cheryl

    love the dresser redo.
    It’s uniuqe and so you and Kevin.
    Those tulips are so pretty and making me thing of how ready i am for spring.

  28. paige renee

    This looks so great. The dresser just keeps getting better and better. I especially love that it is your wedding date – I am totally mushy like that too! 🙂

  29. Lori B

    Love this, I am always remaking things like this. Great to get other ideas and be inspired.

  30. Katherine

    I am about to get married next June 25th! What a great day 🙂 I loooove this idea.

  32. Kim in MD

    Your blog is amazing!

    What a brave/creative thing to do to your dresser! I love that you used your anniversary for the numbers…I am mushy like that, too! I wish I had that kind of decorating confidence! Hopefully I will get it from reading your blog! 🙂

  34. elz

    Awesome project. When I saw the first picture, I thought, “That looks just like an Anthropologie dresser. I have to see how she did it!”

  35. Angela (Cottage Magpie)

    I love how that stain knocks back the orange! It makes it look just like old scrubbed wood. I love that. I am guessing that because you said you mixed the stain with water it was a water-based stain, but just to make sure (before I go buy some), can you confirm? Is it water based stain? Transparent, not opaque, right?

    And I think everyone should get to enjoy a pretty manicure from time to time, just to feel special.

    ~Angela~

  37. diane

    That is the cutest diy I have seen in a long while. Love, love, love those stenciled numbers. As I was reading I was expecting to come down to a painted dresser with white architectural features like you see in blogland all the time but this was a delightful surprise. Job well done!!

  39. Wendy

    I just love your dresser too! Did you just tie the rope together inside the drawer? Was it hard to get it tight enough?

  41. Joselyn @The DIY Spot

    Found you through Twice Lovely. Wow, this turned out so beautiful! Love to find two toned finishes that inspire me. This is such a wonderful alternative I want to try when I find the right piece. Thanks so much!

  44. marty

    Do you have a favorite color of white and finish that you use when you paint your furniture?