I was contacted recently by a client to paint this dresser to give it a fresh, clean new look.
It was in great condition except for a “chunk” broken off of the corner of one of the drawers. There was a little damage to the top, but nothing that a bit of sanding wouldn’t smooth out.
When I went to pick up the dresser, I found out that it was given to them. I could tell immediately that it was high quality –which is not always the case with free furniture! It is solid wood with dovetail joints. And it is HEAVY!
My client knew exactly what she wanted, and had even purchased new hardware for me to install. She wanted solid, crisp white. No distress, no shine. I loved her vision and set out to make it a reality.
Repairs came first. I rebuilt the missing “chunk” with epoxy fill and also filled in the damage from the original hardware.
White can be one of the trickiest colors to paint because of bleed-through. Bleedthrough is where something in the original surface shows through the paint–regardless of how many coats of paint you apply. Lots of factors can contribute to it, and among them are certain pigments in the original stain, nicotine, and knotholes. Most pieces require sealant prior to painting and this piece was no exception. Once sealed, I painted the entire dresser in a flat- finish white and applied a protective wax to finish. Wax is a good choice for white paint as many polyurethane and polyacrylic will yellow the finish (even if they are marketed as clear).
Finally, I installed the new hardware. The dark hardware provides contrast and interest against the white backdrop. The finished dresser is crisp and fresh!
