Before and After : Layered Blue Farmhouse Style Dresser - with Tutorial

I realized I have a TON of Before and Afters ahead of me, so I will keep these next few posts a little more brief! For this layered look shabby chic or modern farmhouse style dresser, I knew that I wanted to try out blending, layering, and distressing several different colors, especially ones I hadn't used in a while! I ended up selecting Annie Sloan Chalk Paints in Olive, Country Grey, Cream, Old Ochre, and Provence. I knew that I wanted to have an overall impact of a fairly solid overall color, so Provence was the main body color.

Read on to see how we got this look!

Before and After : Ornate Vintage Jacobean Style Chest of Drawers

Full disclosure : I realize I am *super* far behind on sharing my projects! But, here's a Before and After of an absolutely fabulous piece that I can't wait to share with y'all! This set was so beautiful in the original oak, but just check out how the chest of drawers looks in Annie Sloan Old White Chalk Paint!!It gave an utterly fabulous shabby chic / distressed look!

The details are rich and vibrant, and a little distressing adds the perfect amount of character to the beautiful texture of the oak. The ornate hardware is oh-so-stunning, and paired gorgeously with the carvings! More eye candy with close ups after the jump!

Before and After : Rustic Whitewashed Chest of Drawers *With Tutorial*

I'm a little behind on my website, so you'll see a lot of "Before and Afters" popping up here in the next few days (well, fingers crossed!). This beauty was a stunning vintage oak dresser that had small dings, dents, and character marks in the surface that I absolutely adored and hated to patch and cover up. So instead, I used a transparent white wash with a custom Off White Gel Stain made by Pure Earth Paint that I was able to purchase from one of my friends - you may remember the custom rustic china cabinet refinish that we did with this same color. It was the perfect accent to all that fabulous vintage texture and character!!

 

 I also sanded the top to promote adhesion and used General Finishes gel stains in first Java and then Antique Walnut to update the 70's color finish. You can use various top coats on this - I ended up using a wipe-on satin polyurethane to minimize bubbling / brush strokes; the GF Arm R Seal is a great, super durable choice as well.

More tips after the break!

Before and After : Vintage Serpentine Front Chest of Drawers / Dresser

I am excited to share this beauty! I was contacted by this client in regards to another piece, but it was gray and she had her heart set on white. I just so happened to have this gorgeous serpentine front dresser in my Available Inventory - check it out if you've been considering having a piece custom crafted for your space! This client's room involved reclaimed wood and some rustic accents, so a bright white with just a hint of distressing was a gorgeous addition. For this piece I selected General Finishes Snow White Milk Paint and High Performance Top Coat.

Read more for tips on achieving the look!

Before and After : Depression Era Chest of Drawers in General Finishes Milk Paint

This is one of the biggest furniture transformations (and they're all big to me!) so far! This sweet chest of drawers was an estate sale leftover with broken trim and handles, but the son saved it and knew it would find just the right home with a refinisher. I'm so blown away by the Before and After on this piece, and so grateful to be able to help it find a second life!  We did some patching and sanding, with an allover sand to follow to help the Milk Paint adhere.

For this dresser, I used General Finishes Milk Paint in Basil, a soft sage green with some gray tones. I put on two coats of paint, then distressed along high points and edges, and almost left it with the more uniform paint, but I'm glad I didn't! A friend had given me some Winter White glaze to try, so I painted it on and wiped it off for a color wash, let it dry a bit, and then came back to dry brush on a bit more of the glaze for a chic and antique look. We replaced the trim with a resin flower, which I painted in a blend of Basil and Snow White, and found some chic crystal style knobs to replace the hardware.

What a huge facelift! This highboy had a great structure, but was definitely a diamond in the rough. I can't wait to see it find a new home and be loved by another family!

 Here's one more - look at those legs!! Do you have a piece that's in need of some love? If you're in the Austin area, I'd be honored to see if there's some magic we can work with it!

Antique Chest on Chest in Layered Paint Finish

I apparently managed to not get a "Before" photo of this antique chest on chest style dresser / chest of drawers. But I really liked the way it turned out, using layers of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in a Florence blend, Primer Red, and Aubusson to accent the original shape and style. I'm always a little nervous when I try something different, but often end up loving the results! This is one of those times - the carved details on the side and the beautiful antique texture of this piece really pop now; what do you think? Most of the layering you see below is from the primary paint application; however, I also did distress back gently at the edges to ensure I captured the natural wear points as well.

This also shows you how much lighting can impact the appearance of these paints. They are so nuanced and beautiful that the light/shadow balance and other colors in the room can really pick up on different details and look like a virtually different piece! I think of them as chameleons - they can blend into all sorts of spaces and still look natural and beautiful.

Before and After : Vintage Highboy Chest with Ombre Drawers

I have wanted to try some new-to-me details lately, so I took a foray into Ombre! This vintage French Provincial chest of drawers was beautiful, but had some broken trim at the bottom that we removed, puttied, and sanded smooth. Then I painted the body of the dresser in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paloma, and poured some out into a sealable container. I added about two tablespoons of Old White to the Paloma, blended well, and painted two coats on the bottom drawer. I continued this until I had painted two coats on the top drawer to create a subtle gradation, and used the lightest color to highlight the floral detail as well.

I loved the end result!! I also did a small touch of sanding for just a hint at a shabby chic finish. I wanted to preserve the beautiful vintage feel of this chest of drawers. I adore the serpentine front as well! Note: I have seen Paloma described as a neutral taupe / gray color, but I found it to have a cool, almost purple undertone as well. It was beautiful, though, and I'll also be excited to see what it looks like with dark wax the next time I use it! This was a Project Pair with a Bombe style chest of drawers that is using Paloma as the under-layer beneath bold, modern metallics :).

Before and After : Antique French Chest of Drawers / Side Table refinish in Emile and Old White - with Tutorial!

This beautiful antique French chest of drawers was a custom project for a client that has incorporated a few other For Love of the Paint refinishes into her decor, and it's always such an honor to be able to create something together as a collaboration! The piece was previously painted white, but we were not sure of the age/product used, and since it was chipping and peeling we decided to lead test then sand down the chest entirely to ensure adhesion and a smooth look. We selected Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White, Emile for the top, and a 1:1 blend of Emile and Old White for the inset details and drawer trim.

Here's the full Before and After!

Click below for the full tutorial!

Before and After : Thomasville French Provincial Chest of Drawers in French Linen and Old White

I'm always so thrilled when clients return to get just the perfect piece to "tie it all in" for their space! It is so heartwarming to be able to share that creative process and experience with them. In this case, the clients had purchased this French Provincial side table set in layers of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Olive, Greek Blue, and French Linen, and also had other neutral creams / "greige" pieces / French Linen / some distressed looks that they are fitting together. They sent me photos of these gorgeous items they have already incorporated, and it was such a pleasure to get to research and collaborate on the various different styles that were available to help blend in with those existent pieces!

They decided on French Linen for the body of the chest, with Old White on the drawers.
 

How did I get this look? Read more (plus see the Before and After!) by clicking below!

Before and After: Antique Lowboy Chest of Drawers Makeover in English Yellow

This is a huge transformation! The piece was previously painted in a milk paint, which was peeling and chipping. The client had a vision of a gorgeous sunny yellow accent piece instead, and gave me some inspiration photos that led me to Annie Sloan's English Yellow Chalk Paint. What a difference between the Before and Afters here!

How did we get there? Read on for the details!

Before and After: Vintage Chest of Drawers into Chic Chevron Accent Piece!

This dresser was so much fun to work on! I started with a totally classic piece, and updated it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen, which is a lovely neutral gray with cool undertones. But I'd also done some late-night Amazon impulse shopping and came across Frog Tape's Shape Tape in Chevron, and was dying to try it out, so I decided to go bold on this refinish! My neighbor gifted me with some Old Ochre, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to give that a test drive as well :)And I'm so glad I did!

Before and After : Black and White French Provincial Bedroom Set Refinish

Here is another great custom set for a client! She really loves black and white, and so we designed this beautiful refinish based on an inspiration piece that was all white, with black trim. The gorgeous chest of drawers and nightstand are curved, and also had beautiful wood grain. What this means for a high-contrast finish is that even after a secure taping between colors, I still needed to come back and use a fine detail brush to touch up. It was worth it! This high-impact refinish is a total showstopper!

I really love the soft vintage-y feel of Annie Sloan Chalk Paints, but they don't make a true black. So for this, I borrowed a tip from another refinisher, and combined Graphite Paint with a bottle of India Ink to make a jet black.

I also spray-painted the hardware with Rustoleum hammered look black. The trick to getting a beautiful finish while preserving the original shapes of the hardware is to use light passes and build the color, and not let it pool from overspray. The faux keyhole at the top could not be removed without risking damage, so I sprayed directly into a disposable bowl, then quickly and carefully applied the paint with a QTip, pressing first in the center of the metal, then pushing the paint toward the sides.

Before and After : 5 Drawer Vintage French Provincial Chest of Drawers

This gem was a great find, and it was just missing its handles. It actually was being used with standard round cabinet knobs, but the previous owner had some of the original handles. One, however, was broken. I was able to find a very close match on Etsy (ummm love Etsy, and they don't pay me to say that!). However, I thought it wouldn't look *quite* right since they weren't an exact match. Since the chest has 5 drawers, separated by a midline, I decided to order 2 of the replacement pulls for above the midline, and use the 3 original for below. It worked out to make the shapes look very cohesive and natural for this piece! However, the colors were a little different. The client wanted a distressed look to the handles, but with the different color metals, I decided to first spray paint the pulls all the same color, THEN do a color wash over them. Eureka! We were on to something.

The client picked Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Pure White, and Paris Grey. She also selected brushed nickel with a Pure White wash for the handles. Here's the before and after of the chest:

 The hardware looks like it totally belongs, I think! Beautiful :) Here's how I achieved that cohesive look:
Before: notice the very slightly different shape and patina to the hardware. I cleaned them well and laid them in a wide flat box so I could get them all with even passes with the spray.
Step 1: several super light coats of Rustoleum spray paint, dried overnight.
Step 2: dry brush of the color overlay (Pure White, in this case).

I started by doing an actual wash of color, but it wasn't adhering to the hardware the way I wanted, so I wiped it off well and changed tactics to the dry brushing with barely any paint on the brush. I gradually built up color over about 3 passes per handle until it looked just right. Et Voila! I this it's gorgeous and sophisticated, and just exactly what the client envisioned. What could be better?

Before and After : Vintage Henry Link Dresser and Mirror in Paris Grey, Duck Egg Blue, and Old White

Today's projects is one of my favorites! We found this gorgeous Henry Link Dresser at an estate sale, and it is just amazingly beautiful. I kept the original stain on the dresser and vanity tops to make it feel more grounded and neutral, but added Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey, Duck Egg, and Old White for a super lovely color combination!

Yummy, right? I put Paris Grey over the whole shebang, then dry-brushed Duck Egg over the body, and used Old White for the trim. I distressed the high points and around the drawer faces to finish the vintage chic / shabby chic look. I love the completed look, especially with the hardware patina!

Curious about my inspiration? The absolutely stunning light-and-cloud interplay of blue, white, and gray! Here's a sweet side-by-side with a photo taken on our Montana trip last year. There's a reason they call it the Big Sky State, y'all!

 I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Before and After : Antique Oak Chest of Drawers

This lovely antique oak chest of drawers was purchased by one of my clients at an antique fair nearby, and when she found the 9-drawer dresser I'd done in Annie Sloan Louis Blue Chalk Paint( See it here!), she thought this might be a perfect pairing! I'm super excited to have beautiful results to share!

I used an antique finish stripper and fine grade steel wool to remove the original finish, with a very fine sanding, so as to leave the original grain of the wood intact. After stain and polyurethane, I taped off the sides with a gentle-grade painter's tape and completed the side panels with paint and wax. Gorgeous, n'est-ce pas?

Before and After : Blue Chest of Drawers

Here is the first in what I hope to be many projects over the next year that are for my own home! This grand chest of drawers is truly stunning with its new facelift - Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Greek Blue, followed by a wash of Olive, then distressing and waxing.

The serpentine tops and carved details get me every time! *swoon* And I'm always loving the blues. It seems that every time I go into the paint store, I tell myself I'm going to get something TOTALLY different.. then happily buy a new blue or gray. I'm not much for New Year's Resolutions, but this year I'm hoping to try one new color per month!

Here the lighting is different as well, but just look at the STRIKING difference before and after wax. On the left, I have Greek Blue with an Olive wash (super diluted with tons of water, painted on, then wiped off). I then came back and distressed gently before applying the wax).

Both Greek Blue and Olive were new to me, so I'm well on the way :) . Here's a Color Story - Inspiration behind this stunning piece! A clear blue Montana sky with vibrant barn. This is actually my aunt's backyard. What a paradise - wish I could wake up to that every morning!

 What inspires you? Comment or send me an email at forloveofthepaint@gmail.com with photos if you'd like me to share your Color Story through a refinish!

Before and After : Lexington Chest of Drawers

This is a beauty from the Lexington Victorian Sampler collection. The proud new owner also had a cheval or standing mirror refinished in the same Annie Sloan Pure White Chalk Paint and distressed. Another before and after will come soon for that project!

I don't usually use all white for my refinishes, but this has a beautiful, clean look to it, and a classic elegance. Here's a Color Story: Inspiration photo from my in-laws' lily pond!

Timeless! Be sure to check out my other inspirations by clicking "Color Story". What inspires you? Send me your ideas and I may be able to translate them into my next furniture refinish!