CARIBBEAN WINTER BLUES: antique dresser makeover

I made the mistake of going to the grocery today, on a Saturday afternoon...just before a "big" snow event.  I know better.  I did get the white tulips I had on my list....along with our emergency rations of  bread and milk.

Why the white tulips?  I specifically wanted white tulips so I could "properly" take a photo of the "new and improved" antique dresser I want to share.  I was going though files and files of digital photos yesterday...I thought surely I must have taken a picture of the finished dresser, (I'm usually so excited to photograph the ta-da moment) After searching, I realized I didn't take an "after" photo   ...it's never too late to take a photo-- especially of a furniture makeover..  Just as well, I will get to enjoy tulips in January...perfect.

I found this antique dresser at the local thrift shop.  There was plenty of damage to the wood, but not enough to scare me off.  A little water damage on the top of the dresser as well... otherwise she had a fantastic look, working drawers and all the original hardware...hooray! 

Sometimes I pause at the start of a project and wonder if painting it, is the right thing to do. I wonder, will my spirited DIY instincts really damage the value??...Truthfully, I am not painting Smithsonian quality pieces...and although this is a really old (and beautiful) dresser, it is also really beat up....  I know for me, I will enjoy this dresser so much more, painted and antiqued, than in its' original state.  I'm not a huge fan of very dark brown finishes...a little dark wood goes a long way for me...

I do have reoccurring daydreams about being at the Antiques Road Show and the experts say "Well, once painted...the value instead of $1000 would be $20.00 at auction...on a good day... Hopefully this will never happen. May I always know the difference between museum quality furniture and thrift store cast-offs...(fingers crossed) 

I filled in the broken and missing parts with wood filler, letting this dry completely.  I sanded the newly filled spots flush to the original areas on the dresser.

Using a few coats of Behr latex (Caribbean Mist) blue paint, followed by a light antiquing... the transformation was nearly complete.

Antiquing can be done any number of ways.  I chose a light application of minwax stain, then wiped off to the desired antique patina.  Another way to antique is to mix equal parts of a dark brown paint color of your choosing with painters glaze.  Start small with a few tablespoons of each in a disposable plastic container (left over butter and sour cream tubs are great to use AND they come with a lid--bonus) Apply the paint/glaze mix, let dry for a few minutes and then rub off excess...very similar principle to using the stain.  When the furniture is completely dry, sandpaper can be used to antique the edges, creating wear patterns or to just further distress the piece.  Try to remember, it's only paint, and anything you do not like, can always be painted over...it's only paint.   

*Always follow the directions on whichever products you choose.  Wear protective gear to safeguard your health.  Taking the time to protect your work area too, helps to make cleanup a breeze.

I really like to remove the hardware to get a crisp, clean finish, but the very old drawer pulls would not budge.  I had to leave the drawer pulls on in this instance.  I used a tiny craft bush to get into tight spaces.  It isn't perfect, but it turned out ok for me, considering I wanted to safeguard this beauty by not breaking any of the hardware.

Finally, the long awaited, ta-da photograph

...with tulips

Ta-DAA!  This piece works perfectly in our guest bedroom.  Tons of storage for all my cookbooks and baking magazines.

One more time for the tulips...