Dresser Comes Back To Life

This dresser was from Chris's parents room and it is totally solid so I knew throwing it out was not an option. I imagine they purchased this years ago before the days of cheap furniture that falls apart came into play. It was a little scratched and the color wasn't ideal, so I gave it a facelift!  

I knew I wanted to use it in either our master bedroom or the downstairs guest so I went with a color that would work in either room. My mind is constantly changing and I am forever rearranging furniture so I needed a color that would work in multiple rooms. I decided to use chalk paint because it's the best when changing a color on a piece of furniture. No sanding required and it is really fool proof. Many chalk paint companies are limited with color selection so I decided to try something new with this project. BB Frosch came up with a powder that can be added to any paint color. What a genius idea!! It requires such a small amount of paint that I can go to a paint store and grab sample pots instead of having to buy an entire can of paint. Saves money, saves time and allows you to choose your perfect color. For this piece I chose Seaworthy by Sherwin Williams. Love it!

After about one and a half coats of paint I coated it with clear wax and allowed it to sit over night. Now it is happy and in our master bedroom full of my husband's t-shirts! I think I am going to have to find a larger dresser so I can use some of it. But I know this will look great in the guest bedroom so I can move it when that day comes. 

Summitt loves it too!

White Wash Dining Table

For this outdoor space, I wanted a simple finish on the dining table so any decor could be paired with it. Outdoor spaces allow us to change the decor as the season go by and this keeps the outdoor dining more exciting to use during the warmer months. I purchased this table from a local shop on Cape Cod that has unfinished furniture. This way I was able to finish it exactly the way I wanted, and I saved a ton of money doing it this way. 

I originally purchased a can of Minwax Wood Stain in the Classic Gray. After two coats, it just wasn't giving me the washed up, driftwood look I was going for. So I decided to take some leftover paint I had laying around and dry brush it on to create the look I wanted. For this table I used Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams.  Dry brushing is super easy! Barely dip the end of your brush into the paint and then wipe the excess off with a towel so the brush is almost dry. Wipe it over the table and you will see faint streaks come from the brush. You can add more if you want but this allows you to add a little at a time. 

Since this is a piece for the outdoors, it's a good idea to finish with a clear stain that will protect it from the elements. I used Minwax Water Based Helmsman Spar Urethane in a clear satin.  This is available at pretty much any home store and if they don't have it just ask for something that will protect your furniture outside so you aren't hauling it in everytime a cloud rolls in.