What's Old is New Again

Before

After

My husband keeps invading my closet space.  And I continue to buy shoes.  It's created quite a dilemma.  I urgently needed a solution, but didn't want to purchase another dresser.  And then, Pin-spiration struck.

Hard.

Our youngest boy had a long, low dresser in his room that would fit nicely on a blank wall in mine, but it was a 1950's piece shared with me by my Aunt Mary 17 years ago.  The dark brown glossy veneer didn't fit with the existing furniture in our room, BUT if I painted it a fun aqua color....   OH yeah.  I could picture it with glass or nickel knobs, topped with some pottery vases I have.

Second dilemma.  If I took Elijah's dresser, he would need another.  However, this long low dresser had a brother downstairs in the man cave, holding computer parts.  Ha!  I knew it could be transformed to look similar to the Pottery Barn dresser I always wanted to put in his room, anyway.  And that would free up space for shelves to hold part of the kid's enormous Lego collection.  He already had a small bookshelf in his room, so I ran to the local WalMart and purchased two more inexpensive ones.  

This started a small spending spree that resulted in a quart of Sherwin Williams ProClassic Interior Acrylic Latex Enamel paint in Drizzle, a quart of Sherwin Williams All Surface Enamel Latex in  Rainstorm (should have bought 2), Zinsser primer, Minwax polycrylic, a picture frame for another project, sandpaper, brushes, and plywood.  I also picked up sample sizes of Velspar color-matched to SW's Luau Green and Determined Orange to paint the new plywood backs of the bookshelves.  Truly, I'm not sure I saved a lot of money by repurposing old furniture, but it has to be cheaper than therapy.  (Right?!?)  

The first step in repurposing the dressers was definitely the hardest, and not because it took a lot of work.  It was that scratching up the veneer was a commitment, and something I couldn't undo.  I was either going to ruin the furniture, or it would be brilliant.

I should have sanded the heck out of the bookshelves, but I didn't.  Wrong move.  Unfortunately they had a faux woodgrain that even the primer couldn't conceal.  With many coats.  Tip - when buying bookshelves you intend to paint, choose ones with a smooth and not textured finish.  It will be worth the extra $20.  Also, the color Rainstorm was so dark Sherwin Williams couldn't do it in the ProClassic and had to do it in the All-Purpose, and the coverage wasn't nearly as good.  It went on much more 'sticky' and not nearly as smooth.  But anyway.  I primed everything but good, with several coats on everything.

Then the magic started happening.  I can't tell you how in love with SW Drizzle I am.  I did several coats of paint on everything because I knew they would get heavy use.  I gave it plenty of dry time between coats.  While I waited, I painted the plywood I had cut to fit the backs of the little bookshelves.  They always come with that cardboard stuff, and I knew painting cardboard wasn't worth my time.  The plywood made them much sturdier pieces, and it wasn't very expensive--about $12.  

Several days after the final coat of paint I put three coats of Minwax Polycrylic on each piece.  I've read polycrylic isn't necessary on top of enamel paint, but some bloggers recommended it for pieces that would see a lot of action.  I wasn't taking chances.  Then I nailed the plywood backs onto the bookshelves and started assembling. 

 LOVE the lime-y green with the navy!

The Rainstorm color is easier to see in this one.

 

  
The aqua dresser fits perfectly in my room.  I haven't found the perfect knobs yet, and I want to let the poly cure for a while longer before I put anything on top of this low dresser, but just look at how fabulous it is.

Last, the picture frame project inspired IHeart Organizing.  The frame was painted the same color as the dresser, the glass was removed, decorative metal was put inside, and walla!  It holds my dangly earrings now.

Whew.  It felt awesome.  I inspired myself.  Next up?  This and this and this.