Milk Painted Dresser With Stencilled Drawers
I know some bloggers or painters who name their pieces. I’m not usually the naming kind, but I feel like this ‘lil gal needs a name. Maybe if I tell you her story, you could help me choose a name for her.
She first came to my home after I purchased another cabinet which now holds all my Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint product on display. The owner was moving house and had been trying to sell this dresser as well as the cabinet I had just purchased. I wasn’t looking for a dresser, and the price she was wanting was not in my budget, so I politely said, “No, thank you,” and went on my way with the original cabinet I bought from her. I later received a phone call from the lady saying, “You know, I really like what you are doing, with the furniture you’re restoring, and this piece was special to me, but I have no room for it in my new home. I want you to have it.”
WHAT?! I know, right?! I was so grateful for her kindness, and returned to pick it up on her moving day. I must admit it has sat in my workshop for probably over a year. It had been varnished and it is made from some kind of oak, so I had the hardest time deciding whether to paint it all or just the frame and leave the drawers, or just the base and not the top – argh! Decisions. Even though this piece is old, I could tell by its craftsmanship that it wasn’t the most valuable piece of furniture. It is structurally sound, and has aged well, but I finally plucked up the courage to show her some Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint love!
She did come with a mirror fixed to the top with a back board trim, but the mirror had some age spots so I’ve taken it off for a neater look.
I painted the whole base of the dresser in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint colour, Farmhouse White, then applied this beautiful stencil to the drawers. The name of the stencil is "Nancy" and it's one of the new hand painted stencils by Marian Parsons (Miss Mustard Seed) taken from her actual brush strokes ...
... so if you look closely, it looks like actual feathered brush strokes! Looks like I hand painted the design on myself - which I totally did NOT. ;)
I sanded the top back to raw timber and then waxed it with Miss Mustard Seed's Antiquing Wax. This eliminated the need for any stain since the antiquing wax contains a darkish natural pigment, giving the wood a beautiful Farmhouse worn look as the pigment sits in the grains of the timber.
I ordered some pull cup drawer handles from ebay and she was all finished!
You'll find more pics and more details on this makeover by clicking my blog link below.
Now to give her a name ... what would you call her?
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Beautifully nostalgic.
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Awesome restoration. In honor of the stencil you used she should be named Nancy.
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HI, I don't live in the US so have no idea what milk paint is! Can you explain please? The chest looks lovely.
Oops! Just noticed that you aren't in America - sorry!
when you did the stencil..did it 'leak' and how do you stop that? did you tape in down first then paint stencil. I've never done this befor..but it's so lovely, and totally changes the piece from boring to wow..Marie Australia