While out and about I landed on a really cute little vintage dresser. It checked all the boxes - decent shape, good price, sturdy wood, and only needed a bit of construction work. The drawers needed attention, so we actually just went ahead and replaced the drawer bottoms. Once all of that was complete, it was time to give it a good bath. I clean ALL of my pieces with Dixie Belle White Lightning Cleaner! I mix my White Lightning in a regular spray bottle and spray the project down and wipe with paper towels or rags until no dirt is coming off. After you clean with White Lightning you must rinse WELL with clear water. DO NOT ever skip this step.
Now it's time for makeover day for vintage dresser restyle! Here she is before.
99% of issues with painted furniture stem from not cleaning properly before you start. This bit of work and elbow grease is pivotal in having a beautiful end result. Once it's clean, I let it air dry overnight.
This vintage dresser had some damaged veneer on the sides and on one drawer front. Thankfully, this is what Dixie Belle Mud is here for! Instead of just doing smooth patches on this project I decided to go with a little texture. Dixie Belle Mud works great for either! So I strategically applied some texture in different areas, let sit to dry according to the directions.
Once the Mud was dried, I used a coat of clear BOSS to make sure I didn’t get any bleeding from tannins in the wood since I was using a light color. After my coat of BOSS dried, I applied a coat of Dixie Belle in Fluff color. I waited approx 15 minutes and lightly wet distressed the areas I wanted the natural wood to show through and then applied the second coat of Fluff. After about 15 minutes I went and wet distressed the same areas again. I prefer to let my paint dry overnight if I am sealing. I believe giving the piece time to dry can make a big difference in having a good result and a great one!
Next, came an application of Dixie Belle Big Mama’s Butta to the drawer slides and the tracks on bottoms of the drawer. This works well for older furniture when the drawers do not slide smoothly. This “oils” the wood to help with functionality.
Last step, a bit of Dixie Belle clear wax on this piece. I applied the wax with a regular 2” brush and immediately started buffing off once I covered my entire piece. Dixie Belle wax is seriously The Best Dang Wax. I have never been a fan of wax for finishing a project until this. It is a water-based wax so maybe that is the key. I don’t know but it goes on so smooth and buffs to a nice sheen.
The top of this dresser was done in Retique It Liquid Wood in Dark Oak.
Finally, a bit of cleaning of the mirror and the addition of new hardware! Now, this worn out dresser that most would have discarded is a treasure with a new lease on life! Love how this restyle turned out!
What do you think of this vintage dresser restyle?
Are you ready to get started on your DIY project? I am always happy to help if you have questions about colors or products. You can email me here!
