Revamped 1930's Edwardian Dressing Table in ASCP Antoinette

Carole
by Carole
14 Materials
$95
5 Weeks
Medium
Hi all. I finally finished painting the 1930's Edwardian dresser that my friend picked up for free. It had damaged legs from a dog chewing them I am guessing and the interior had evidence of some borer - insect holes. So they had to be treated with mineral turpentine before I could do anything else. It was an old infestation and no active insects but pays to be careful. It was sanded, cleaned and a lot of filler went into it to fix damaged parts. Then two coats of Zinsser Bin shellac based primer/undercoat as 1930's - 40's pieces will typically bleed timber stain through your paint job, then two coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in 'Antoinette' which is a dusky pink shade. A coat of clear wax and some light distressing.
The inside of the drawers and outside back of the drawers were painted in white aquanamel (water based) paint as a contrast and to minimise the amount of chalk paint used as it is so expensive and the bases on all three drawers have been decoupaged using photos from magazines of pink flowers in varying shades and glued as a collage format. Then painted a coat of polyacrylic over them to ensure the paper does not peel off. Two of the handles which were originally bronze in appearance were broken so I spray painted the good ones silver hammerite to even the colour and make it silver rather than bronze and then bought two new pulls for the top drawer that only came in bronze and had pictures of pink dragonflies on the front of them. Using Vaseline (petroleum jelly) smeared over the picture which is under glass or perspex, I was able to spray point the pulls without painting the dragonfly picture as well. All re-assembled and just needs a bit of wax on the mirror frame and it is all done. Wax won't change the appearance, just using to protect the chalkpaint. Phew, a lot of hard work but glad it is done!
Suggested materials:
  • ASCP - Antoinette   (online purchase)
  • Zinsser Bin shellac based undercoat   (Hardware store)
  • Paintable filler   (Hardware store)
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3 of 11 comments
  • CK CK on May 19, 2016
    The drawer insides add so much to the overall effect. Very pretty.
    • Carole Carole on May 19, 2016
      @CK Yes, I thought the drawers needed to add a little wow factor. I keep a good couple years worth of BHG magazines - keep them for ideas and to refer back to. Never thought I would be cutting them up for all the garden segments on the lookout for pink flowers! Better than just throwing them in the recycle bin when finished with!
  • Rachelmary Rachelmary on Jun 09, 2016
    Such a nice job. So pretty now.
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