Vintage Dresser Makeover

by Jenn Marsh

After purchasing an old dresser online, I updated the piece using Valspar chalky paint and dark wax. The dresser is now serving as our TV stand in the living room, instead of a traditional media entertainment unit. Great storage for DVDs and other items! Below is the step-by-step process of how I updated the dresser.

The original dresser I purchased online

The piece was in decent shape, but had some nicks and scratches and was dirty. It was also a little creamier than I wanted in color. Also, the top was white and shiny, not like the rest of the piece. I knew I wanted to keep the piece on the lighter side because our living room can be pretty dark and I need something light on that wall to balance the darker club chairs (which is why I re-did our old TV stand in the first place). I decided to keep the hardware, which was brass, but gave it a spray paint update with my favorite Rust-Oleum brown hammered spray paint.

After two coats of paint

While I’ve used Annie Sloan in the past, for this one, I decided to use Valspar Chalk paint. Really, the reason here was laziness – the only places that sell Annie Sloan are farther than I wanted to drive and Lowe’s is around the corner. So, Lowe’s won. I also decided to use antique wax for the first time – I was nervous about it, but I really didn’t need to be. I’m also not a perfectionist and I feel like this wax has a lot of give and take in it so you can’t mess it up too bad. It’s the consistency of pudding and since you apply it with a regular brush, it made me a lot less scared to give it a go.

I removed the drawers to paint

I removed all the hardware and took out the drawers to give everything a light sanding. I know, I know – the whole point of chalk point is the no prep. But, I just can’t paint without doing some sanding. And, since the top was smooth and glossy, I was afraid the paint might not stick if I didn’t give it at least a light sanding. From the online reviews of the paint, I decided to go with Kid Gloves, which is a milky white, as there were a few reviews that noted the paint colors weren’t exactly as they appeared on the paint card. The paint had a slightly different consistency than Annie Sloan and it looked more chalky (not saying this is bad or good, just a difference I noticed).

The new TV stand in the living room

After two coats of white, I did one coat of Valspar satin wax. This process was super easy and nothing to be afraid of! My husband helped me move the TV and old TV stand and we got everything set-up. The good news is that the cable box and DVD player worked perfectly under the cabinet. Visit the blog for more details on how I applied the dark wax for an antique look - and the problem I ran into.