For the last couple of years, Mid-Century Modern furniture and home decor has been on the rise. I didn’t think it would be as much of a thing as it seems to be today. Even string art is back by popular demand – hard to fathom!
I love MCM furniture but not the teal and orange colors that I’ve seen. Those colors would get old real quick. The retro look I am fond of, in part because I remember it as a kid, can be classic when painted using better colors . . . like navy, white or black.
These old and cheap maple bedroom pieces are becoming a fast favorite for updating. They are plain flat and plain, lighter weight than antique furniture and have the flange drawer design. I see them now as a blank canvas to do with as I wish.
At first sight I saw it black with cup handles and added metal legs. The option to leave the top natural was open so I took it. So that’s what I did and I love it’s chic modern look totally on trend for today.
Materials and Process List
Scuff sanded all surfaces and between paint coats.
Added metal legs purchased from Amazon.
Applied General Finishes Lamp Black Milk Paint 3 coats.
Applied General Finishes High Performance Top Coat Flat Sheen 2 coats
Found new black distressed oil rubbed cup handles on Amazon with same hole pattern. No hole filling! Yay!
Had these wrought iron chic knobs in my inventory purchased from Amazon Benton Iron spray painted them black satin.
She sat in my booth for 3 months and on FaceBook Marketplace without a single inquiry – scroll down to see her first makeover. After a while the 2 top drawer orange started to wear on me despite that it was birds eye maple. Her organic theme didn’t seem to resonate with the public either. It doesn’t happen often but . . . it was time to re-design and re-do.
The re-do involved avoiding a total re-paint if possible. Since it was the orange top drawers that bugged me, they were painted the same Basil as the rest and I left the natural wood legs as is. Then adding the floral transfer to give her a little bling. All the back plate, keyhole and hardware details got an antique job with brown and gold tones.
Price and Location
3 full size drawers, 2 small top drawers
8 new antiqued metal knobs
Painted General Finishes durable Milk Paint Basil
Several applications General Finishes High Performance Top Coat Flat
Paper clay knob back plates and keyhole embellishments
I love 4-legged creatures: antique dressers and my golden-doodle. These beautiful 4 legged dressers, I call sexy-legs, are getting harder to find. I’m very grateful when I do and careful, as such, choosing a respectful makeover design. Sometimes what I want and the piece speaks are 2 different things. Both of us agreed, however, the rare birdseye maple top drawer fronts had to stay as is!
So, I wanted to decoupage a gorgeious floral design on the open front face. I struggled with how to create a border and a color choice. Nothing in my inventory arsenal seemed to work on this piece. A few days of unsatisfactory design planing I finally gave up. If she wants to be simple then I’ll let her be simple, but I get to finally use my favorite color. It’s a color I’ve never used on furniture before but it’s all over my house: sage green.
General Finishes produces the best sage green, (IMHO) milk paint called Basil. It’s not got too strong yellow undertone and not any blue undertone. It’s just right for a natural organic feel as are real wood knobs and legs. But not to let this piece go free without some kind of embellishment, paper clay details were added to dress up the drawer fronts just a little. Respectful knob back plates and fake keyhole details give her just enough to be classy.
Look at this dramatic makeover of a forlorn long forgotten antique upscale vanity. Her original wood details, spline spindle legs and high end hardware make her worth every effort . . . . including removing veneer and patching the top, ugh!
Every Failure Happened Trying to Restore the Top
Don’t understand why she had to fight me so hard but dang she’s a tough broad! I started as I usually do, assessing the potential for an unpainted top. I love those designs. When the wood is in good shape and it can be restored by removing the old varnish, I go for it. A few stubborn stains remained in my work so I tackled them with pools of Denatured Alcohol. A bit too much apparently. The veneer started to bubble up! Only one thing to do now. Remove the veneer. I wasn’t counting on doing all this work when I bought her. I think I may have called her a bad name at this point. A day or two later, I used the hot iron wet towel method and took off the veneer. Oops ruined the iron but that pales in comparison to what happened next.
Never have I ever seen base wood bubble and buckle but it looked like another layer of veneer that hates me. This old wood is reacting to the slightest bit of moisture, even that from a 30 second wet towel steam. I know, not think, no I definitely swore at this vanity. The good news is that it’s on the back edge and limited to only this one spot. Check it out . . .
The fix is easy enough just more time. Furniture repair and prep is not my favorite. I cut out the bubbled stuff using a box cutter then filled and sanded. When you see the finished vanity, you would never know about this fight of wills. I won!
Back to the Everyday Prep
This poor thing was stuck up in an old house neglected for decades. A good, and much more peaceful step, cleaning before prime came next and soaking the hardware in vinegar water.
Look At Me Now!
Super chic, super durable Seagull Gray Milk paint by General Finishes is a near white rich gray
Several applications best in the business General Finishes High Performance Topcoat Flat sheen.
Natural sexy wood legs
Original hardware
White dry brush highlights on wood detail
Magnolia Re-deisgn with Prima Transfers on front, top left and right corners and, upper corner sides.
Lined Drawers
Matching chair with fluffy thick white seat
Availability
SOLD! $350 for vanity and matching chair, worth every penny.
Though the pieces are entirely different architecturally, they become a coordinated pair by using same paint color and adding matching knobs, highlights and paper clay details. Poof! Junky uncoordinated pieces produce go-together style that make you a decorating star!
Timeless Styling
Any piece painted using french linen color becomes a timeless classic that fits in to any room decor. Add a bit more refinement, such as gold feet and glass knobs, this darling nightstand dresser goes into a galaxy of long lasting style.
Add Flora Paper Clay Details
An old cabinet from the 70’s is now an elegant masterpiece. It’s styled the same as the dresser nightstand: glass knobs, french linen paint with gold highlights and feet. It was a dumpy little piece, now it can be a new favorite piece that creates a cozy indoor space.
I’m doing my best to keep it simple, sophisticated and chic. It’s not easy holding back extra embellishments. Watching nearly every season of Project Runway, I’ve taken in Tim gun’s advice to edit. Stepping away from adding transfers, more color and paper clay details is hard but the result is super flexible design that goes in any home, any room.
Materials Used:
Primed then Painted using General Finishes Perfect Gray Milk Paint. It’s my newest favorite gray because it has no other color undertones. There are blue grays, green grays, purple grays, etc., but this one is purely perfect! Top coated using durable General Finishes High Performance in flat sheen.
Drawer inset area blended with a shade lighter gray
Milled groove dimension using black wax
Drawer border and column bottom spheres highlighted with metallic gold.
Original antique gold hardware
Modern like new with 2-large drawers and carved bun feet for use as a dresser, TV stand, mini buffet or large side table nightstand.
It’s rare that a Bombay chest lands in my studio. This one is extra special. The glorious wood carvings intimidated me. I wondered if I had the skill to do it justice. So, I painted only when I was in no hurry and while listening to french music on Pandora. Those two requirements helped ensure my best painting practices were operating.
4 Steps to Wood Carving BLING
If a painter could only apply one technique to details, let it be dark wax. Here it was applied like eye liner using a cheap artist paint brush just around the outside edges and in the crevices. Then the wax is blended and feathered using a bigger dry brush. I picked up this technique from watching a Brushed by Brandy video. Give it a try! I enjoyed doing it.
About Me
French Linen main body color and Reverent Gray blended in panel and drawer centers
Original hardware, just cleaned by soaking in water and vinegar.
Sealed using General Finishes High Performance Flat, several coats.
Can we can makeover 2021 like this desk? Similar to most everyone’s 2021, this desk had potential but in the end got pretty beat up. But, a New Years Eve paint party for one results in this beauty. Let’s hope 2022 is the same.
The veneer on the top bubbled and began to peel off in several places. Veneer broke off and peeled away on the drawers too. No way this desk is going to find a new life unless it’s with a KellaChic paint brush!
The only way get rid of the bubbled veneer is to cut it out so I did, with a utility knife. The cavity gets a fill of wood filler and sanded down. Same with the missing and broken veneer spots on the drawers. The clamps are holding down the veneer after gluing. It worked.
In mid process below, this is a picture is taken after priming, attaching the flora resin details and painting. There are two paint colors used, both are custom mixes. The primary color is one similar to Stormy Seas. It’s a dark blue gray that you’d see in storm clouds. The bottom and drawer shading is a yummy rich dark gray.
Hands down, General Finishes Dark Chocolate Milk Paint for the top works to reach a timeless classy feel. This where I end my New Years Eve night, around 10 pm. The next few days bring the finishing touches: highlighting the flora details using Dixie Belle’s metallic amber mousse and painted original hardware Hammered Brown from Rust-Oleum.
About Me . . .
Use as a desk or vanity (or both). Solid wood. Dovetail construction.
7 fully functional and easy sliding drawers to organize school, work or personal tools.
Minor character blemishes on the top from repair work.
Blend painted Dark Gray and Dark Blue Gray colors; top Dark Brown
Original hardware painted Hammered Brown
Flora embellishments highlighted metallic amber
See Me At . .
Windy Hill Market, 217 N. Jackson Street, downtown Jackson MI open Mon – Saturday starting at 11 am.
“For I Know the Plans I Have for You” – Jeremiah 29:11
This girl had no idea a plan was in place for her salvation, sitting there in a pile of trash. Divine intervention, through a need of a tank of gas, she was spotted in a huge dumpster one block from my house. I almost didn’t stop, thinking if it was in the dumpster it was probably no good. I stopped anyway. Nothing to loose.
Design Inspiration
Keeping a small inventory of decoupage tissue paper comes in real handy. This floral design is from Zazzle.com. It’s hard to keep my inventory to only a few. One can easily rack up the expense there.
My neighbor Mary and daughter Emily narrowed down the paint color choice to a shade of rose or this antique coral from Benjamin Moore from my local ACE.
Character Defects Come Together To Make Beautiful Harmony – paraphrased Romans 8:28
Again, the hand of God at work, not necessarily for the dresser but to remind me that He can make beauty from ashes IF I have the courage to change, to take a longer view.
Paper Weight
Here’s a mistake I’d make again! I had ordered paper in two different weights to experiment. It’s a nice idea I had forgotten about. I pulled paper from the envelope and started applying it in the center, not knowing it was 18 lb weight. Then, after mulling around the look, I decided to fill the space to its edges and pulled out another piece. It went on differently but I shrugged it off. 20 minutes later it finally occurred to me it was a different weight paper. I almost scraped it all off but instead took a longer view of the difference and reassessed my judgement. I decided the mistake was actually not bad, faded kind of. So I kept it and continued the edges in 10 lb paper – and I’d do it again!
Accidental Shabby Legs
Early on, before priming and painting, the legs started out being refinished using paint remover to be similar to the buffet recently finished. Life got in the way. I don’t recommend leaving citri-strip paint remover for 3-days. I scrubbed and scrubbed to remove the white residue. It wouldn’t budge. After deciding I’d come back to it later, maybe with a paint brush, the white slowly became attractive to me, kind of shabby chic looking. So I kept it.
A Crown of Beauty Instead of Ashes – Isiah 61:3
This piece has special meaning to me. She is God’s gentle reminder that believing in Him, unpleasant and painful events happening in the now have a special purpose. Those in the past as well have a role to play especially when I have the Courage to Change. All the nicks and gouges are still there but they are beautiful now.
About Her
Antique 6 drawer solid wood dresser – 2 upper and lower large drawers and 2 unique glove drawers mid-section.
Painted Antique Coral
Decoupage Vintage Garden Vertical Bouquet designed by GardenStyle in Zazzle.com
Dark aging wax applied to wood details
Sparingly applied light dry brush highlights on some edges
New customized hardware
Stenciled stripes in plaster color
Dimensions: 48″ Tall x 34″ wide x 18″ deep
SOLD! $325 and Located inside Windy Hill Market, 217 N. Jackson Street Downtown Jackson
