Midcentury Gem

Restored+restyled
by Restored+restyled
11 Materials
8
Medium
I stumbled upon this awesome midcentury dresser on one of my favorite buy/sell apps and knew I had to pick it up. Not only was it an excellent price, the seller was also letting go of the matching tallboy. Score! In the pic (forgot to take a decent before pic so this was was from listing) the long dresser appeared to be in great condition, and overall structurally it was, but the body definitely needed some work. I made the decision to go with a two toned look, since I love that look for midcentury pieces and it sells quickly in my area.
I started this makeover by removing all the drawers and applying a layer of fast acting stripper to remove the old finish. After a couple coats of that and removing the stripper residue with mineral spirits, I left them out to dry.
Next, I moved on to the body. This thing had layers of grime and some kind of sticky substance covering the top (yuck). I scrubbed it down with TSP, and got to work filling imperfections with Bondo. After a good overall sanding to get the surface smooth and free of imperfections and cleaning the dust, I taped off the brass details on the base and feet to get ready for primer. I primed using Zinsser Oil Based Cover Stain (sprayed). I find that this primer is my favorite because it blocks bleed thru like a champ and also sands so smooth.


Back to the drawers. I hand sanded the drawers with 220 grit to give a clean, even surface to prep for the stain. I followed a tip from @generalfinishes when using their gel stains and prepped the drawers with a slip coat of mineral spirits and then immediately applied their gel stain in Antique Walnut with a foam brush. When using this stain on bare wood, it is best to work quickly, so I immediately wiped the excess off with a shop towel. I ended up waiting 24 hours for the stain to dry and sprayed @generalfinishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin (3 coats, light sanding between coats) to add durability and a slight sheen to the drawers. After that, I turned my attention back to the body of the dresser. I mixed 50% Extra White and 50% Greek Villa from @sherwinwilliams for the body color. I sprayed three coats, sanding between coats.
At this point in my makeovers, I start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and stop questioning why I got myself into this-ha! Anyways, after three coats of @generalfinishes High Performance Top coat in Satin, it was time to move this beauty inside for some proper pictures.
If you like this makeover, you can see more of them through Instagram @restoredandrestyled or www.facebook.com/restoredandrestyled
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  • Beth French Beth French on Sep 21, 2019

    Is it really necessary to paint every piece of furniture white? what ever happened to stripping down to the wood, and letting it's natural beauty shine through?

  • Cindy Rubin Cindy Rubin on Sep 22, 2019

    Do you have a blog? You give such great explations and info regarding the use of products!

  • Elizabeth Elizabeth on Sep 30, 2019

    This would beautiful in my home. Without being too nosey could you tell me how much you sold it for? I love what you did!

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  • Mjkoehler2000 Mjkoehler2000 on Sep 22, 2019

    Very well done.



  • Twyla J Boyer Twyla J Boyer on Sep 23, 2019

    I came to this post prepared to be sad about yet another piece of mid-century furniture ruined with chalk paint. I was thrilled to find that you not only didn't use chalk paint, but also you kept and improved the signature look of the piece by using a stain on the parts that were most visible - the drawers. I normally hate painted furniture, especially historically valuable pieces, but based on your description, the case of the piece almost had to be painted and yet you retained the original charm. You did such a lovely job and I am so glad I looked at your post to see it. Beautifully and sensitively done.

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