Dresser for the Newlyweds!

And back we go to the newlyweds. Turns out not only where they short a table but had no where to put their cloths! We started looking for a dresser to refinish online but didn't find anything we liked. After I did the chair, however, my mother-in-law suggested a trade. The chair for a dresser that she had in her home. The dresser belonged to my wife's grandmother but it may be much older - probably 1920's to 1930's - my best guess based on the hardware used to stop the drawers from closing to far.

 The dresser was in rough shape. Most of the drawers had separated at the joints and there were dings and pieces of laminate missing. The body was also coming in a few spots. I love the detail however and I could already see how cool it would end up looking.

 

 

The hardware appears to be brass. I love the wheat looking detail at the top of the piece and the flutes going down the sides (I need to learn the technical names).

 

 

I am sad that we lost the cool design at the bottom of the piece. The feet and pennants are also very nice.

 

 

The garage is a little cold so I moved inside. I have been using the basement during the summer but decided to paint close to the tree . . . I love Christmas.

 

 

So we decided to do a two-tone paint job. We went with Old White and French Linen, both Annie Sloan brand.

 

 

I decided to paint the hardware to match the rest of the piece. I used a Rust-Olieum Country White spray paint that's a paint and primer in one. I painted the hardware in the garage where it was still cold and it took a little longer to set up. The spray paint white is very close to the color of the chalk paint.

 

 

Back in the basement. I also decided to paint the inside of the drawers to clean them up a bit. I used the clear wax inside the drawers so that they would have a nice finish. I have read that the dark wax will stain clothing even after it has set up.

 

 

 

All done. I tried to go light on the distressing and used the dark wax a little more sparingly.

 

 

The wheat (or whatever they are called) turned out very nice. I like how the dark wax brings out some of the detail. I also distressed the hardware which bring some of the old brass back. I used a little dark wax on the hardware as well.

 

 

We surprised my daughter and her husband on Christmas eve with the dresser. The person in the middle is out Aunt Beth - my wife's aunt who has Down's Syndrome. The dresser had been in her old room.

 

 

The mirror came later. The mirror was given to my daughter by my mom for the wedding reception. It is also an antique and was originally a gold color. The details on top were broken and needed some repair and then I painted the frame with the same Rust-Oleum spray paint and distressed it. The design of the mirror and the design details on the dresser are very similar. I think they go well together. I don't know the history of the mirror for sure but I believe it may have belonged to my grandmother. I told my daughter to call it the "Grandma Set" because it represents both sets of grandparents and possible great grandparents. Now she has place to put her cloths! (those walls seem a little bare . . . . they could use a shelf or two.)