Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Trash to Treasure: French Provincial Dresser



Hey Friends! 

This project was a true labor of love. I honestly cried when I got this baby from the curb and into my apartment. For starters, I had been crushing on a piece like this one for so long. It's a really classic piece, with charming character and a price tag ranging from 1,000 - 2,000 US dollars (ha!),I just had to have it! 

The backstory: I was walking home from the grocery store when I spotted this piece on the curb with some other beauties (I passed on those). I went home and dropped of the groceries and went back to see the dresser up close and personal. While doing my inspection, a neighbor saw me take out the drawers and stack them on my dolly and he asks me "what are you going to do with it?" and I said "paint it" then he says, "give me a second, I'll help you" When I got back from dropping off the drawers in my apartment lobby, I returned to pick up the rest. My kind neighbor Isaac had it propped on an industrial dolly, ready for me to push it down the two blocks to my place. He even helped me maneuver it across the street and to my door. I was truly grateful and impressed. He had to be in his late sixties. (Thank you again Isaac Mazel Tov!)

Here is what the piece looked like before... 


I had it stand vertically, because I had nowhere to put it, so it sat in my hallway until I was able to dedicate time to work on it. It was about 6ft tall!

When I was finally ready to get to work, I had to use the boys room. This meant camping the kids in our room for about a week and covering their toys and things with drop clothes and sheets.




The surface had lots of deep scratches and stains that needed seriously sanding. I used my handheld electronic sander to smooth it out as best as possible. I didn't worry too much about the stain, which wasn't going away with the sander, I had stain blocking primer in my paint. Score!

Here's how I turned this trashed piece into a true treasure:


1. I started with my drawers. I had limited space, if I had started with the body, it would eat up the majority of my work space and I wouldn't be able to spread out the drawers. The body was set aside, vertically by the boys bunk beds, while I put down my painting tarp and tended to the drawers.

Removing the handles was tricky, it's a vintage piece so one handle came with three pieces, so you better believe I was NOT going to replace them!



2.  I then cleaned the surface of each drawer with a water and vinegar mixture. and began to give each drawer their first coat. I ended up giving them 3 coats. The dresser was going to go in my room. It was going to be used often, I wanted it to handle the abuse. :)
 


3. When the 3rd coat finally dried on day 2, I was able to move the drawers away from my work space and separate them throughout the room. It was time to start to sand and paint the rest of the dresser.

4. I began to paint the sides of the dresser (always paint the top surface - last). I lined the thinner portions with a thin foam brush and used a 4 inch paint brush to do the rest. It was easier to use a brush than a roller brush because there the dresser had lots of grooves and detail that a roller brush wouldn't cover, In fact, it could drench and fill the carvings with paint.


Here's the end result...












This piece is a true testament that someone else's trash is really someone else's treasure. 

I just LOVE her. 

Hope this post inspires you to transform something old into something new and if you do, share it with me on Instagram or Facebook, I'd love to see it.


Cheers!
Sarah



Thursday, October 4, 2018

{ Thrift to Treasure }: China Cabinet Makeover & Painting Tutorial!

Hey Friends!

Ever have a vision for something and you just can't shake it from your mind and then... like a miracle... it suddenly appears?? Well this is a story about the day a dream came true.



Two years ago, I purchased this China cabinet at a local thrift store for $25 dollars! I had been wanting a piece like this for so long so when I saw it standing tall and shabby at the thrift I just had to bring her home! Her name is Ophelia :) What I loved most was the size; not too big or bulky or even heavy! It was perfect for our apartment size dining space. The color however, not so much.




I didn't tackle the makeover right away to be honest with you. I was just happy to have her! I gave her a good clean and then I stuffed her until my heart was content! 
I finally had a place to display all my pretty things. 

Here's how I turned this shabby China cabinet into my dream Chic cabinet!

FIRST STEP: 
Protect the glass! I used painters tape to line the edges of the mirror, using a credit card to smooth the tape under the wood for better coverage, otherwise the paint will seep through the smallest crack!

I also took this time to remove all the hardware. Even you plan to spray paint the hardware, removing it ensures that you paint all of the wood on the piece smoothly and evenly. 


SECOND STEP:
Wipe your piece clean. Even though I cleaned the piece upon arrival, I wanted to make sure there were no dust particles that could interfere with the paint. You can use a mixture of white vinegar, water and dish soap to give it a good clean. Wipe any residue with a damp cloth and then dry it with a hand towel. Whenever I buy or find a used piece, I take my blow dryer and scan the crevices with high heat to destroy any possible bugs that could be lingering. 


THIRD STEP:
Prepare your space for paint. Unfortunately I didn't take pictures or video of me working on this project (when I'm in the zone, I'M.IN.THE.ZONE). But here's my best tips to get the best paint job on any piece of furniture:

1. Clean your piece thoroughly
2. Remove all the hardware (and keep it all together in a baggie, thank me later)
3. If you can remove doors and drawers, do it and paint them separately
4. Choose paint in a semi-gloss or satin. If you want a high gloss finish use a clear Polyacrylic and to seal and gloss your finished painted piece use a Polyurethane. Or a clear wax to protect your piece from scratches or peeling.
5. Chalk-paint is ideal if you like a rustic, matted look and it dries so fast, its also fool-proof
6. Use a drop cloth and slide it under your piece. You WILL get paint on your floor or carpet, trust me... I should know.
7. Use a brush and small foam roll to paint furniture. The brush is great for smaller areas while the foam roller will cover the wider areas nicely
8. Don't wear your nice stuff. Use grocery bags on your feet if you must. 
9. Let dry at least 2 hours before a 2nd or 3rd coat. 
10. Embrace any "mistakes", it honestly gives your piece charm and character. It will always be YOUR labor of love, no one else's.





Here is Ophelia today...

In the last 2 years I've started to use the china cabinet to hold most of our dishes and glassware. 




 I love to style her for the holidays! This was the layout in 2016.









This Fall, I kept the styling to a minimum. A pumpkin here and there ;)



I'm currently organizing the drawers, follow me on Instagram @SarahSweetandSimple and you'll get a sneak peek this weekend!

Cheers!
Sarah