Hey there, friends! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. Twice a year there’s a huge yard sale that goes on nearby, and this past Saturday Emmy and I crawled out of bed at 5:45 to get there and shop our hearts out. We didn’t find as much as we’d hoped, but we did find a giant plastic pink ice cream cone bank for her bedroom, so I am calling it a success. Today, I’ve got a piece to share that she and I found the previous weekend at one of our local haunts. I actually didn’t notice this charming little oak dresser buried under tchotchkes, but Emmy pointed it out to me (and this is why I bring her…. young, sharp eyes!). It’s a stray from the styles that I normally gravitate towards, but I loved its rustic charm and original hardware. As much as I don’t like painting over oak, I did it and am bringing you this furniture makeover: charcoal gray & gold rustic farmhouse style dresser.
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As I mentioned, I really don’t like painting oak (which is a far cry from when I began painting furniture in 2007 and would sadly paint anything!). However, I was just not a fan of this dresser’s golden oak look, and in this case I truly thought it would have more appeal being painted. Below you can see how orange it truly seemed. You can also see my recycling bins. 😉 
I wanted to honor the pieces and stick with something classic that would really show off its original hardware. I selected General Finishes Chalk Style Paint in Slate Gray. Now I’ve worked with their chalk style paint before and I have found that although the finish is chalky, the application for me has been not like other chalk paints on the market. With GF chalk style paint, a little more prep is necessary. I sanded it lightly all over with my orbital sander. (That’s it lying in front of the dresser in the before photo.)
After sanding it, I primed it with two coats of Zinnser Bulls-Eye water based primer. I used two coats for durability and because I thought the charcoal would look awesome with the white of the primer popping through where I distressed it.
Once the piece had been primed, I painted it with two coats of the Slate Gray chalk style paint, allowed that to dry, and then lightly distressed it along the edges and details The drawers has really interesting details that seemed a little lost in its oak finish, but this new look gave them a chance to stand out.
Finally to finish the piece and protect it, I applied Black Bison wax in neutral which is one of my favorite waxes to use as it is non-toxic and provides a fantastic finish. After the wax had dried for about 15 minutes, I used a clean rag to buff it which gives the finish that smooth and hard feel in the end.
I always love the slatted sides of antique dresser. This piece dates back to the late 1800’s which I gather from its pin and scallop drawer joints. I’ve said it before and I will say it again… they just don’t make furniture like they used to with such quality materials and craftsmanship.
Aside from the beautiful details, the original hardware really stands out against this charcoal gray finish.
This dresser would make an amazing entry piece or bathroom vanity, and I selected this color, picturing it paired with white, wood and black in a sort of minimalist farmhouse kind of style. Can you see it? I’ll be bringing this piece to Sweet Clover soon for our October barn sale. Hopefully it will find its way into a minimalist style old farmhouse because that would make this girl extremely happy! 😉
Before you go, I am going to shamelessly beg for your votes! I am one of the featured designers in the Mova Globes Fall Decor contest. You can vote once a day until October 12. One voter will win a Mova globe (we have two and just love them!), and the winning designer will win a gift card plus $200 donated to the charity of our choice. If I win, I’ve selected the Red Cross Disaster Relief to assist with hurricane recovery. I’d love your vote and to be able to help those affected by Harvey and Irma! You can click here to vote... my design is the one seen here:
Thank you!
