In our dining room, there was this nook next to the window that had been left bare. Between it looking un-finished, and the fact that I had been in desperate need of storage to unpack things like our table clothes, napkins, candles, etc, I was keeping my eyes peeled for a piece of furniture we could use as a buffet. I knew I could paint a dresser and turn it into a buffet.
Imagine my delight when I came across a solid wood dresser at a garage sale in my neighbourhood. The asking price? $15. Oh, and that $15 also included a wooden coffee table and a round table that I plan on eventually using as a kids craft table. So basically, it was more like $5 when you divide by the 3 pieces I got. AMAZING, right? This is why I ADORE garage sale-ing.
Supplies You’ll Need:
- A dresser. Honestly, go out and check our your yard sales, thrift stores, or online through Kijiji or Craigslist. I have no doubt you can find something similar! You want it to be solid wood (no laminate – that’s harder to paint), have a nice shape, have functional drawers and doors, and not have super deep scratches. Don’t worry about the tone of the wood, ugly hardware, or any scuffs, though.
- Sandpaper – mixed grits
- Furniture Paint – I used the PARA paint’s furniture paint line in “Baffling Behavior”
- Paintbrush – I use the Purdy line of brushes (a 2 inch is good for this type of project)
- Small paint roller – I use this foam roller to get smooth lines (no brush strokes!)
- Gold spray paint – I’m an avid Krylon gold spray paint lover
- *Optional – You can seal your dresser with a polycrylic top coat. This isn’t absolutely necessary when using a furniture paint, but it does provide an extra layer if your piece is going to be seeing a lot of wear and tear.
The DIY //
I got to work on making over this bad boy right away.
I took out the drawers, and the middle cabinet door, which was affixed with some flimsy nails (it doesn’t open with a handle like the others).
As you would with any wooden piece of furniture that you are re-finishing, I gave the dresser a light sanding by hand. There weren’t any major dings or holes, so I didn’t need any wood filler. If your dresser did have a major hole or scratch, you could use a wood filler (I use this paintable Elmer’s stuff) to fill in the holes. Simply put it on with your fingers, lets dry, then sand it smooth.
Once sanded, I gave it a once-over with a wet washcloth and a bit of water and vinegar. I find that this helps to take away any musty been-in-the-basement-too-long kind of smell.
I have fallen hard for a particular mint paint lately – “Baffling Behavior” by PARA Paints. Not only is the colour so darn sweet, but I’m in LOVE with the paint. It’s PARA’s Cabinet and Furniture paint line and I have been finding it amazing to use. It covers really nicely and has a finish that isn’t too glossy but yet is durable.
I gave the whole thing two coats. I use a brush to get into the nooks and crannies, but then a small foam roller to roll everywhere I can. That way you get the nice finish of the roller, with no visible brush marks.
Since this dresser wasn’t going to get a ton of wear, I didn’t put a top coat on it. However if this were your main clothes dresser or something that gets used a lot, I would put a couple coats of the Minwax Polycrilic on top. This stuff totally prevents chips and marks!
Clean-up is easy as the paint is latex and can be washed out with water. I throw out my rollers after each use, but rinse out my trays so that I can re-use them for multiple paint jobs.
Quick tip >> Keep your roller and brush wet between coats by wrapping them in saran wrap. No need to clean it twice!
As for the hardware, I was tempted to replace it all with something a bit more special… BUT we are working on a budget over here, so instead I pulled out my can of Krylon gold spray paint (fave!) and gave the knobs a quick coat. Gold + mint is pretty much a match made in heaven, right?
Even though I wasn’t crazy about the curly lines of the feet, when it’s all painted and in place, they don’t bother me as much. For the $5 price tag, I can’t really beat it!
Plus, it holds a surprisingly large amount of stuff – the perfect spot for napkins, tablecloths, placemats, notepads, batteries, etc.
Oh, and want to see how I made that DIY abstract art above the buffet? Head on over here for the tutorial.
And if you’re looking for more furniture and other DIY ideas, head on over to The Project Gallery!
Are you guys making over any furniture lately? Finding some good stuff at yard sales or curb-side? I’m totally one of those crazy ladies who slows RIIIIGHT down when I see a piece of furniture in the trash. Is it solid wood? Can I paint or stain it? Will it fit in the car? Ha. Tell me you guys are the same?