My Eastlake Dresser Rescue

 

When I came across this poor old dresser in an antique mall a couple of weeks ago, it appeared to have been through a few battles.

 

 

There were lots of noticeable scars and scrappy patchwork fixes.  In spite of all this, I was drawn to the beautiful spoon carvings on the drawer fronts and the overall structure of the piece seemed to be fairly sturdy.  I just couldn't leave it in that store.  It was like a stray kitten and I felt it was my duty to rescue it!  When the nice men loaded it into my truck, the dresser frame came apart!  I cringed!  They offered to take it back, but I just couldn't give up on it!  When I brought it home my husband told me I should have left it at that store, but he humored me and went to work re-gluing the frame.  Once the glue was dry and the dresser was sturdy once again, I went to work cleaning it.  I could not wait to beautify what had at one time surely been a majestic piece of furniture!

 

 

 

 Two weeks ago when I shared my Darling Little Commode Makeover, I ended the post with a sneak peek of the Eastlake dresser and mentioned that I knew exactly the color scheme and where it would go.  I loved the finish I had achieved on that sweet little commode and knew it would be perfect for this piece too!  Well, I didn't change my mind and I am so pleased with the outcome!

 

 

Once again, Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan has rescued a very special piece of furniture that was feeling rather sad and neglected.  I started with one coat of Cream followed by one coat of Paris Grey. 

 

 

After a fair amount of strategic distressing, I came back with a small brush and the cream to accent those lovely spoon carved designs.

 

 

Both clear and dark waxes were applied to complete the finish.  When we moved it from the garage into the house the next day, the kiddos helped me buff it to give it that lovely sheen!  It was so fun to involve them in the process. 

 

 

 Perfectly imperfect... I don't know if I've ever painted a piece that had so much character!

  

 

This special dresser not only has a beautiful new look, but it has a new home now too!

  

 

It works just perfectly in our front room/ craft studio space!  In fact, it's already filled with my collection of ephemera!  This room has been work in progress for a year now and I am feeling like it's pretty near completion.  I've shown you little corners and vignettes over the past several months, but soon I will do a full room reveal, with before and after pics!  I promise!

 

Thank you so much for your sweet visit today!  I hope you'll stop by again soon!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed
Paint Party at Start at Home

Shabby Buffet Makeover

 

 

If you follow me on Facebook you may have seen this photo I posted Memorial Day weekend.  My mom and I were on a little road trip to visit my grandma in Eastern Oregon and picked up this shabby old buffet at a garage sale along the way!

 

 

After removing some peeling veneer, I painted two coats of Old White, followed by both clear and dark wax, focusing the dark wax on the corners and edges of the drawers and cupboards.

 

 

The hardware wasn't bad and it was all intact but the finish was unattractive so I decided to paint and wax it for a new look.  I did remove the pulls before painting so that they could be replaced at some point without hurting the paint finish.  There are so many fun pulls and knobs out there to choose from that it's tempting to replace them on an older piece to give it a new look.  On the other hand, investing in several pulls can really add to the cost of a furniture makeover.  Whenever feasible, I stick with the original hardware.  Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan is ideal for painting hardware.  I like to distress it a bit so that the metal shows through, and then seal it with wax. 

 

 

The insides of the drawers and cupboards received a coat of Duck Egg Blue for a fun detail.

 

 

 

This piece is all set up and looking pretty in my space at Camas Antiques! 

 

My Eastlake dresser is just about complete and I am so thrilled with it.  I can't wait to share it with you!

 

I hope you're having a wonderful week!  Thank you so much for your visit!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda 

Sharing with...

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

The Story of one Darling Little Commode

 

This darling little commode came home with me from a garage sale a couple of years ago.  I paid much more for it than I had ever paid for a piece of furniture at a garage sale, but I was excited to be able to buy such a high quality, antique piece.  I thought for sure I could resell it at the store, without having to do anything to it.  I was wrong...lesson learned!  It sat in my booth for months.  I marked the price down, and still no bites.  So, I brought it home and stuck it in our front room where it has served as craft supply storage for over a year now.  I loved the size, the fact that it was well over a hundred years old, yet still sturdy and functional, and I was just smitten with the beautiful brass drawer pulls.  It worked well in our front room, except for the oak finish.  It was okay, but I knew it could be better.

 

 

Last week I finally decided to give my little commode a makeover.  I started with one coat of Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan in Cream followed by a coat of Paris Grey.

 

 

  I decided to give this piece a heavy distressing to show off the Cream layer, as well as the original wood grain.  I think this finish really gives it an old Farmhouse feel.

 

 

As Paris Grey is one of my very favorite Chalk Paint® colors, I have used it numerous times on many different wood finishes.  Even so, I am still amazed at it's versatility.  Layered with the Cream, it takes on a completely different hue than a piece I have sitting just across the room that received two coats of Paris Grey paired with Old White accents.  And yet, they compliment each other so well and look beautiful together in the same room.

 

 

I just adore the pretty brass hardware on this piece.  I have been on the lookout for similar hardware sets to have on hand, for pieces I buy to paint that may be missing original hardware or just need a little extra something.  Listings for antique hardware on Ebay are selling for a pretty penny!  I was a little surprised.  It definitely makes me reconsider the value on a piece like this with all of it's original hardware in such pristine condition.

 

 

The "Pin and Cove" dovetailing on the commode drawers date this piece to the 1880's!  I think this is a work of art in itself and therefore I chose not to paint the drawer's sides.  I also like the contrast here when the drawers and cupboards are opened.

 

 

When I finished my distressing technique, I applied a coat of clear wax all over the entire cabinet, followed by dark wax in all of the corners and crevices, where dirt and dust might have collected over time. 

 

 

 I am loving this little commode's new look.  It is pretty close to perfection in our front room and for a few days I thought I would never be able to part with this piece...

 

 

 

 

 

Until...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter one very old, weathered, obviously been broken, discarded, repaired and broken again Eastlake dresser with beautiful spoon carved designs.  I fell in love, and the little commode is about to be loaded up in the truck and driven down to the shop.

 

Yep, I am fickle like that...when it comes to furniture.

 

The good news is, I know exactly what paint colors to use on this dresser...and just where it will go!  It is patiently awaiting it's turn in the furniture makeover lineup in our garage!  In the meantime, there is a hole in our front room!  I guess I better get back to painting! 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by today!  I appreciate your visit!  I hope you are having a wonderful week!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

Sharing with...

 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed
Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog

Is it Worthy? How Do You Decide if a Piece of Furniture is Worthy of a Makeover?

Hello friends!  Thanks for stopping by!

In previous posts I have shared a lot about what inspires me when I set out to paint and create.  Today I thought I would discuss what key things I look for when considering a makeover candidate.

 

Of course everyone is going to have different criteria when shopping for furniture and it will vary greatly depending on whether you are shopping for yourself or for your business.  I am going to discuss my own criteria for buying furniture to paint for my shop space.  I don't expect everyone to agree with me or feel the same as I do.  This is strictly my personal point of view, and what works for me based on my priorities and skill set.

 

First of all...Do I love it?  If I don't love it, I am not going to enjoy putting my time and effort into it.  I am in this business because I have a passion for it.  I invest a lot of myself into every piece I paint.  If I don't feel something for a piece of furniture, my attitude towards it is probably going to be reflected in the finished product.  It has been my experience that things I love and would put in my own home sell better than pieces I have purchased half-heartedly. 

 

Of course the price plays a big factor.  Can I afford it?  Will I be able to make a profit on it, after figuring in the expense of my supplies...paint, wax etc?  Is there going to be an added expense, such as new drawer pulls?

 

 

As I am not as skilled (yet, I am learning!) as other DIYers when it comes to furniture repair, I have to also ask the question; Is it sturdy and functional?  For now, I will leave those broken down, falling apart pieces to be salvaged by the talented, handy, tool-wielding folks I so admire and hope to one day be! 

 

Lastly, do I have room for it?  Will it fit in my car...and when I get home can I fit it into my limited storage space (that's right, hubby, I said limited ;)  Is it a good size/shape to figure into my shop display either now or at some point in the future?

 

Those are my main criteria.  What things do you consider when purchasing furniture?  Maybe you don't consider anything... Maybe you just see something you love and you buy it without a second thought...  Good for you!  I have probably missed out on some amazing buys because I spent too much time thinking about it!  :)

 

 

When I came across this little desk a few weeks ago, I went through my "is it worthy?" checklist in my head to be sure it wasn't a purchase I was going to regret.  It was in pretty rough shape, but all of it's problems were cosmetic.  It was sturdy and had nice lines.  The price was right and I was in love with the hardware!  As is the case with many similar pieces from this era, it had a laminate top (ugh, why?)  This might have turned me off in the past, but since I have had success in covering pieces with laminate tops with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan, I knew I could make this one beautiful as well!

 

 

I painted the body of the desk and chair with Paloma.  The drawer fronts and detail on the chair were painted in a 50/50 mix of Paloma and Old White.  I waxed both pieces with clear wax, then added dark wax in the corners and around the edges.

 

The set fit perfectly into my shop space along with the Versailles cabinet I finished earlier this month.  I love that all of my favorite Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint colors are represented in my display!   

 

 

 Thank you for your sweet visit today!

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

 

 

 Sharing with...

 

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed