This dresser has been my most extensive restoration to date – hands down. A neighbor posted it for free on Craigslist, and in the photo it didn’t look too bad. When I arrived to pick it up at the curb, I definitely thought twice about whether I should even try to repair it. Maybe it’s the healer in me (I’m a nurse after all), or maybe it was the nice landscapers who offered to load it into my van, but I couldn’t just leave it there and have it end up in a landfill. Here it is, free sign and all.
This chest is old and definitely rustic, but the top had some nice wood and the drawers are in great shape structurally. Luckily, the missing panel on the side was still with the piece. I just needed to repair and replace it. You can see in the photo that the brace for the top drawer was also missing, so I needed to replace that as well. The pulls were not original and not in great shape, so those had to go.
I spent a few hours making the repairs on this piece. Lots of sawing and nailing going on that day. After the piece was structurally back in shape, I started making it pretty again. This is a rustic piece, and I wanted to maintain the rustic vibe, so I used milk paint for the body. Milk paint is perfect for this because it allows the wood tones to show through and the paint has lots of variation. I applied two coats of (affiliate links) Old Fashioned Milk Paint in Soldier Blue
I sanded the top to remove the old stain and create a smooth surface, but not so much as to remove the natural distressing that had occurred. Again, I wanted to maintain a rustic feel. I stained it with two coats of (affiliate links) General Finishes Java Gel Stain and then sealed it with three coats of General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in Satin
I replaced the pulls with some gorgeous bin pulls provided to me by Hickory Hardware. They are the Williamsburg cup pulls in oil rubbed bronze. The quality of these pulls is fantastic and I think they look beautiful on this piece.
Here you can see the side of the chest that needed all the repairs.
This chest has so much character and it really was a joy bringing it back to life. No regrets about this roadside rescue.
I hope you enjoyed reading my blog.
Susan
Linking with Miss Mustard Seed and The Painted Drawer
I love you soldier blue road rescue chest! You did a gorgeous job! I wish I had your patience and talent to see the beauty in rescued items! You do a wonderful job!
It is like night and day. Great save!
This is stunning. Great job!
When I saw the finished piece on Facebook, I didn’t know the sorry shape of the “before!” Wow, what a rescue. You did a fabulous job on the repair as well as all the creative, finishing touches! Love the hardware choice.
Beautiful! That was a mess to start with, great job!
Rescue is right! I have a strange affinity for abandoned furniture. Giving it new life is so fulfilling and you literally dug this one out of its grave and put it on the big stage. Awesome work!
Beautiful job! You should be proud!
awesome transformation – love the color too, it really does resemble denim!
You really did an amazing job at breathing the life back into this piece! Well done! If you didn’t see the potential where would it be… 🙂 I love a happy ending! Lovely work!
Smiles!
Terry
The before and after of this piece is remarkable! Featuring today on Inspiration Friday. I just love your work! Thanks so much for linking up!
Thank you so much for featuring this piece and for hosting the link ups!
Wow! What a great transformation–and I just love that you saved it from a landfill!
BEAUTIFUL !!!!!
I can’t believe you only painted it and sealed it without having to do two different colors! Was there a special brush or technique that you used to paint it with such variations? Also, I love that you sealed it with a durable clear coat and still achieved the same look as wax!
Hi Shelly! One of the great things about milk paint is the amazing dimension and variation to the finish. I just brushed the paint on in long strokes, going with the grain of the wood, and was able to get the streaky finish. I love it, too. The topcoat really deepens the color and creates a beautiful, smooth feel to the finish.
Gorgeous! I would like to try this with a piece I bought at an estate sale but the stain is pretty dark. Did you completely sand it down before applying the paint?
Thank you Patty! This piece didn’t have any poly or topcoat on it, but it did have a dark stain. I only gave it a light sanding and did not remove the existing stain. The underlying stain will show through somewhat, but that is the look I was going for.
I think you need to upgrade your resume to “Furniture Doctor”! What an incredible save and absolutely gorgeous result. You have vision and talent, a formidable duo.
Wow, thank you Jaime! I am a former nurse, so maybe I should start calling myself the “furniture nurse!” Love that! Thanks for stopping by.
No offense, Susan, but that rescue goes far beyond a nurse’s “skill set”! I still stand by the upgrade to “furniture doctor”.
I have the highest regard for nurses, having the most contact with patients, they are the ones who notice when a patient is experiencing difficulties and alter the docs. And, they so often are the ones that get residents through medical school!
Okay, furniture doctor it is!
I love this! I just saw it on Better After. I’m remodeling a room in the back of my house and I’m painting the walls grey (white trim) and want to keep a beach feel……..this denim may be just the thing! I’ve pinned it for future reference. Great work 🙂
Thanks so much!
Where do the steaks come from? I thought it was dry brushed over but reading it says just milk paint.
Hi Peggy! This type of effect is from using milk paint alone. It’s just a characteristic of this particular type of paint. No dry brushing.
Love this! May I also ask where you found those framed wall photos? Everything is perfect.
Susan I love this piece…but even more..I love the wall color….I have been looking for a good pale blue for sometime. What is the name and brand of this wall color? Thanks in advance, Kara
Thank you Kara! The wall color is Pale Smoke by Benjamin Moore.
Oh my gosh, I have an almost identical replica of that piece. It’s in better shape, but looks so sad and dusty next to my new wood floors. I went online to get ideas, and voila! Exactly what I’m looking for. Beautiful!
Hi Diana! So happy to hear you found an idea that will work for you. Good luck with your project! Susan
I love this to pieces but I’ve never used milk paint before. Any extra info about using it? And please tell if it’s standing the durability test of time!