I was looking through some old pictures recently and came across this makeover from a few years back. I thought it was a good representation of possibilities. I still love the soft neutrals and how the hardware POPS!
The dresser was in pretty rough shape when I bought it. There were a lot of scratches (and carvings) on the sides and drawer faces, and several of the drawer runners were either off or missing entirely (notice the uneven alignment of the drawers). The hardware was very dated.
I started by removing the old hardware. Next, I repaired and reattached the damaged and missing runners, and set to work on filling in the scratches with wood putty. Once the putty dried the entire piece got a good sanding. This is especially important on high gloss finishes as it improves the paint adhesion by giving the paint something to “grab on to”. For this same reason, I chose to go with chalk paint, which also has excellent adhesion properties. The colors I chose were Waverly Mineral for the drawers and Elephant for the body. I have used this combination before and love the two colors together. The knobs for the top two drawers were reused while the remaining pulls were replaced with hardware from my stash. Since the two hardware styles did not match in color, I painted them all Antique Copper.
I absolutely love the unexpected contrast of the hardware against the neutral paint tones. It lends a sophistication that can be either masculine or feminine. I’m so happy this piece got a second chance in a new home!
