Vintage Stacked Dresser Makeover

Chairished Furnishings
by Chairished Furnishings
8 Materials
Vintage Stacked Dresser - Refurbished
Heirloom Pink with Heirloom White Original Pulls
Baby girl on the way? Princess already reigning over your castle? This pretty dresser is ready to make its way into your home to become an heirloom. Already survived by three rambunctious boys of the 60's, this dresser was built sometime in the 1940's and has all its original hardware. Solid pine with oak drawer boxes, it is VERY heavy and sure to last another 70 years.
Extras:
All drawers have been cleaned and painted in satin white latex paint - inside and out!
Outer drawer sides have been decoupaged in pretty coordinating paper.
Dust covers between each drawer
DIMENSIONS: 46.5"H x 34"L x "19.5"W
I bought the dresser from a family who had it in their family since the early 60's. They raised three boys, who shared this dresser over time so you can imagine the 'use' it had. It took a lot of work to get it back to this condition.
Another angle of the finished dresser
I just love this design feature: It's a pull-out writing surface. Or, as one friend suggested - it might also be handy for a folding surface.
I decoupaged the outer sides of the drawers with pretty coordinating paper. All drawers were primed painted inside and out in satin white latex.
Original photo from the Craigslist ad I answered. This photo doesn't begin to reveal all the battle wounds the dresser survived.
Since I work on multiple projects at a time, each time I had leftover water putty, I'd use it up on this dresser. I thought I would never get all the little holes and scratches filled. Actually, I didn't get them ALL filled. I finally decided to leave a few for character ;)
Filling some of the larger scratches and gouges on one of the drawers
After priming, I reinspected the surface and went back over with more wood putty, using a cake leveler to spread it evenly.
I cleaned all the drawer pulls by soaking them in a solution of warm water with Dawn Dishwashing Detergent and white vinegar. After soaking several hours, the dirt and grime was mostly loosened but to really get them clean, I dipped an old toothbrush in a pile of Barkeeper's Friend and scrubbed away until I could no longer feel any grit. They were never going to come shiny clean, but I wanted them clean enough to take spray paint.
yep - the one on the right is what they looked like when I started. Black as coal!
Suggested materials:
  • Paint - Glidden Heirloom Pink   (Home Depot)
  • Calcium Carbonate   (Amazon)
  • Primer - Zinsser   (Home Depot)
See all materials
Frequently asked questions
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  1 question
  • Ursula Smallwood Ursula Smallwood on May 16, 2017

    Beautiful, what color spray paint did you use for the handles? I love it!

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