Hello! This lovely dark olive green dresser had great structure to begin with...nice albeit outdated in a maple finish and definitely not a stunning showpiece. I just love giving old furniture an update - something cleaner, fresher and more timeless with simpler, traditional yet modern details. These pieces really do look good almost anywhere! Bedroom, entry, dining room, living room, etc. I think this multifunctional ability adds to the timelessness of the piece too. Yay! So much better for the environment! And again, this green is just perfection. I was excited to do this one a bit different than the others (not gold/brass hardware) and go for a darker look with matte black. Turned out soooo good! Please read on for the details on this makeover :-)...
BEFORE
Here's what I see: great storage (8 drawers!), clean/cared for (no broken bits and only minor scratches), working drawers, great overall shape. What I don't love: bulky/ornate legs, excess details, outdated maple finish, outdated hardware. So...let's change all that and give this beautiful piece an update :-)!
STEP 1: REMOVE
Items on the list for removal: outdated hardware (screwdriver), dirt/dust (alcohol + water + elbow grease), bulky legs (screwdriver, hammer, drill), excess details (wood filler), finish (sand with electric sander and hand sand details).
STEP 2: REBUILD LEGS
I used my Dremmel to cut wood and add additional support to the base in order to attach new legs. This part was a little tricky because I had to add wood that equaled both the base + the trim measurements. Luckily, I found the right pieces and used wood glue + screws to secure. Then, I drilled holes for the leg hardware and screwed in the baseplates. All ready now!
STEP 3: CLEAN, PRIME, PAINT, REMOVE TAPE, SEAL
I removed all dust with alcohol + water mixture, then used tack cloth just to be sure. Next came a high quality primer to ensure no remaining stain came through and also to ensure the paint had a good surface to stick to. Once completely dry, I painted two coats of Benjamin Moore's Dark Olive. Best. Green. Ever. So pretty! Once dry, I removed the tape and added a matte finishing wax. Almost there!
STEP 4: CLEAN, ADD DETAILS, STAGE
After a thorough clean and some candle wax on the drawer slides (wood drawer slides maintenance tip: use candle wax or bar soap for smooth opening/closing), I called my friend Laura to come help me move the dresser from my workspace to my staging area (aka dining room). Thank you Laura! Usually my husband helps but he is away for work this week. I really really appreciated the help! Now, I was able to add the last details...legs and hardware. Stage, photograph and now off to a new home! Another success story :-).
Hope you enjoyed this post and feel inspired to see the potential in what could be by repurposing what already exists. The old can be new! See you soon for another makeover (spoiler: there are some un-green pieces in the line up...coming up soon!). Thank you for stopping by!
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