How To Bring a Neglected Vintage Dresser Back to Life

8 Materials
$60
6 Hours
Easy

I was lucky enough to find this fabulous old dresser

on a yard-sale page and I knew immediately that I had to have it. She looks like she's seen better days and I would love to hear about her travels. However, I'm just happy to rescue her from the garage she was stored in and give her a new life and new look.

This type of furniture makes me so happy...

and a $50 price-tag makes me ecstatic. I cannot pass that up, and since I needed a dresser for my very own...I didn't. 

Just look at the details....those details are what sold me!

Details are the Best!
Clean it up!!!


This old dresser had a lot of years of grime

on her so I used my Norwex Enviro cloth to clean her up. There were a few spots with minor veneer damage but those don't bother me because I love the distressed, chippy look anyway.

Details, Details, Details!


Such Beautiful Details


Functioning dove-tailed drawers
Slight damage on a drawer front


These old pieces typically come with some damage...I like to call it character. There is veneer damage on the top but it will be under the mirror....no big deal at all!

Remove the mirror!


Mirror frames are always easier to paint with the mirror removed!

Glue and clamp anything that needs it!




Paint!


Now it's time for the fun part....Paint!!!!

Chalk paint was my paint of choice for this project. I actually started making my own chalk paint using flat paint and and I'm very happy with the results. For this dresser I decided on Behr's Palais White made into chalk paint. This is so much more affordable than the brand name chalk-paints so I decided to give it a try on pieces that I'm keeping for myself so that I can monitor how it holds up. I got it all painted and realized the color was a bit too yellowy for my taste....so I started over with Behr's Bit O' Sugar, also made into chalk paint.


Finally, after 3 coats of chalk paint...

I lightly sanded the edges and the raised areas to really bring out the details and allow her age to shine through. I used Valspars Glaze in Asphaltum with a tiny artist brush to add some depth in the lines around the edges of the drawers and the design on the front. I also used this glaze on all of my kitchen cabinet doors. If you missed that post you can find it HERE. Then I waxed it with Annie Sloan Clear wax to protect it and give it a beautiful sheen.

It's all in the details!


They just don't make them like they used to!
Glaze really brings out the details!
Glaze!
Drawer before Lining
Line the drawers!


The drawers needed some love too

and since they were pretty beat up inside I decided to cover the bottom of them with fabric. This dresser is going to be used for my clothing and I prefer the drawers to be fresh and clean so I used to line the drawers with this pretty Parisian print fabric. As a last-minute decision I removed the original hardware ...after painting it...(on the two bottom drawers only) and replaced them with glammy glass knobs from Home Goods. So fancy!

Drawers need love too!


Drawers are fabulous and functional!
Even her feet are pretty now!
BEFORE

Here's a reminder of what she looked like before....

 

AND AFTER!!!

I love this transformation!

From the first day I rescued her from that storage garage I thought she was pretty...but now, she feels pretty! Results like this, which to me are great rewards, are what make me love finding old neglected furniture and giving it a new look and a new life. If these old pieces could talk just think of the travels they may tell us of, or of the changes in the world that they've seen.  I love old furniture, I love the smell of the old wood, the craftsmanship, the architectural details but more than ever, I love their stories.


Now that her makeover is complete, she stands proudly in my room holding my clothes, giving me a place to display my pretties, and I'm pretty sure she's reflecting on her life and feeling grateful for her second chance. :)


If you'd like to see more make-overs please visit my blog at www.somethingpaintedwhite.com

You can also find me on Instagram @somethingpaintedwhite.


Have a fabulous day my friends!


Happy Painting!


~Cindy~

Suggested materials:
  • Old Dresser   (Yard Sale)
  • Calcium Carbonate Powder   (Amazon)
  • Valspar Glaze   (Lowes)
See all materials
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  3 questions
  • Khani Khani on Apr 14, 2020

    How was the fabric drawer Liner installed?

  • Robin Reed Robin Reed on Apr 15, 2020

    how do you make your own chalk paint

  • Jeri Walker Jeri Walker on Apr 15, 2020

    what did you do to the outside of the drawers to clean them up? looks like you might of rubbed a stain on them.

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