This poor, unloved dresser was tossed to the curb, abandoned by it’s previous owner and all because it wasn’t so beautiful anymore. When I found it on the side of the road, the dresser was really dirty, a bit scratched up and missing all three drawers. I saw the potential and I knew with a bit of time, a lot of elbow grease, and a pretty new color, this dresser could be on it’s way to a brand new life!
When I first brought it home, the dresser went directly into my storage locker, then it traveled from Ontario to Cape Breton and then finally moved with me into a new apartment on the 3rd floor of an old house.
**Shout out here to my friends and cousins who helped me carry up all the heavy stuff!**
At first, it was pushed into the back corner of the bedroom and piled with all kinds of things that needed to find homes. Poor dresser was still feeling neglected and unloved…until just recently!
One night I saw some throw pillow covers online and really fell in love with the colors. I bought them, for a very reasonable price, then I decided to do a painting for one of my walls that incorporated the colors from the covers. I picked up some picture frames, candles, and fake flowers that all kind of tied in with the color scheme I had in mind.
It was then that I started thinking about the dresser. I wanted to play around with it and see if I could fit it in to my haphazard decorating plans. I pulled it out of the bedroom and cleaned it up, sanded it and started thinking of what to do with it.
I live really close to the Cape Breton Farmer’s Market, which is located below the Old Triangle at 15 Falmouth Drive in Sydney. I am up early on Saturdays, so I started making a walk to the “Market” part of my routine. I have met many amazing people since I started going there, but today I am going to talk about “The Eclectic Capers”. They are two lovely, creative and crafty ladies who, between them, have satisfied my sweet tooth and educated and encouraged my foray into renewing and refreshing my tired furniture.
I really loved the look of the refurbished cabinets, tables, etc. at The Eclectic Capers booth. (Check out the pics at the end of the post!) I asked a bunch of questions…around 8 million probably. The ladies patiently answered all my questions about the process, the paint, the color options, the pricing and more.
First, I bought two of the sample size pots of Fusion Mineral paints (from The Eclectic Capers) so I could combine and create the exact shade I wanted. When I finally found the exact shade, I went back and picked up the larger size of both. I used 2 parts Azure to 1 part Liberty Blue to get this gorgeous color in the middle.
Now that I had the perfect color, I couldn’t wait to get started. I used some small brushes that I already had on hand. I used a two inch for the bigger surfaces and a one inch for the tighter areas and around the legs. I started on the top and was pleasantly surprised at how good the coverage was already.
After the first coat, I let it dry and then added a second coat. I am amazed it didn’t happen sooner, but my fluffy sidekick didn’t make an appearance until I got started on the second coat. I had no sooner finished the very top and he comes running out of the bedroom in a mad dash and took a flying leap toward the top of the dresser. My reflexes are pretty good so I lunged and tried to grab him just as one of his big, furry paws touched down….I managed to divert him so he didn’t land smack dab in the middle, however….he did touch down on the kitchen floor. He ran…I chased…and caught him before he got too far. There were a few blue footprints, but I managed to get it all cleaned up (After I scrubbed Bigfoot’s blue paw under the kitchen faucet with him fighting me ever second.) I went back and finished the second coat and after it dried, I did a third coat, but just on the top.
Once I was sure the paint was completely dry, I scrounged around and put some old dollar store baskets and accessories in the “shelves” until I could find exactly what I was looking for. Over the next couple of weeks, I managed to find some nice (and affordable) wicker napkin holders that fit perfectly in the top shelf and a cool basket for the bottom shelf. The rest of the room I filled with some favorite cookbooks and a couple of dishes I didn’t have any storage space for otherwise.
I must say, I am very happy with how this turned out! My next project is going to be my coffee table that is in need of a make over.
Check out the cool paints, refurbished items and sweet treats by Eclectic Capers below.
