I am so excited to share this with you today… for a few reasons. One: I am finally getting to Adam’s nursery. Two: Now that I am in my house I feel like I can get back to what I love. Redoing furniture, and DIY projects! I have so many ideas floating around in my head I don’t know where to begin! Let’s start with this dresser though, since it’s what I have finished ; )
To paint this dresser I used Maison Blanche Furniture Paint. If you’ve never used this paint before, well… it’s kind of amazing! It requires absolutely no sanding, and for this impatient DIYer that is a major plus. AND… it dries super fast compared to regular paint! YAY!
For this project I used Creme de Menthe, which I am in LOVE with. Seriously, new favorite color! Since I started this project at my last house, had a baby, and then moved I am missing a few pictures, but I promise, this is super easy paint to work with!
Tutorial: How to Paint a Dresser
– The first thing you are going to want to do is clean your surface with a damp cloth (let dry before painting), remove any hardware, and tape off if necessary.
– Then I gave my can a shake to mix everything together. – You can buy a really nice brush, it makes it a little easier, but I’m also a cheap DIYer so I just got a regular ol brush.
– I first apply a very thin coat (kind of like a primer) You can just do one really thick coat, but I think the overall finish ends up better if you start with a thin coat.
– Let that dry, usually by the time I’m finished painting I can go back to where I started and start the second coat, unless you have a really small project. It dries really fast though, not much waiting here.
– Then I just take a dry cloth and wipe it down to remove any dust or excess paint (it has a very chalky feel at this point) Some people sand, but I find it comes out very smooth by just brushing it off with a cloth. If you want a super duper awesome finish, you might think about sanding with a very fine grit, but I was going for a vintage look so perfection wasn’t necessary.
– After that you are going to paint over everything again, this was my top coat so I put it on much thicker than the first. Basically enough so that I didn’t see wood through it. Let that dry, and then you can do some minor touch ups in corners where it is hard to reach.
– I let this coat dry overnight (actually it was weeks because this is when I had the baby) but my plan was over night to make sure it cured all the way.
– Now it’s time to seal it. You can use the wax, but I chose to use polyurethane. We’ll talk more about that below.
Let’s take a look at the before and after real quick so you know what you are working towards!
So let’s talk about the finish. I had something very specific in mind. I wanted a vintage look, but didn’t want to distress it. I wanted it to look clean and like I bought it that way, but at the same time like I bought it a really long time ago. Adam’s nursery is a travel themed vintage look, so I wanted it like it had traveled the world in a very safe place. Make since? That’s just how my crazy brain works I suppose. So what I concluded, was I wanted a varnish on it, but at the same time an old piece shouldn’t have a glossy finish right? So here’s what I did.
So to get this look, I simply rubbed on my poly. I didn’t buy the wipe on poly though, I used Minwax Fast Drying Clear Satin.
*Please note that typically with painted furniture you use a poly acrylic since polyurethane can yellow with age. I wasn’t too worried about that though since my furniture isn’t painted white, and I actually wanted the yellowing, this is why I didn’t brush it on, but rather rubbed. There isn’t a real thick coat of the poly, so the yellowing won’t be drastic. Yay for looking old : )! I’m sure furniture people are turning in their graves, but work with me… it’s a vintage piece. Just keep that in mind with each project on what type of finish you want.
*update: It’s been a few weeks with the poly on the dresser, and it has yellowed. It is perfect though, it looks like an old piece of furniture you would find at an estate sale! Sometimes doing something the “wrong” way will give you great results! : )
– PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE test this in a small area if you are unsure of the results. This is the only piece of furniture I have tried this on, and while I love the look, you may not! It will also depend on the color of paint you are using as the base color. So again PLEASE test it. I don’t want to be responsible for you ruining a piece of furniture ; )
I chose to use a cloth diaper (the ones you use for dusting), but you can use any lint free cloth. An old white t shirt would work well. Now, to get the look I was going for I rubbed in long motions following the grain of the wood. Typically you sand between each layer of poly, but again, I skipped that step. I wanted it to look like it had been worn. So I tried my best to get an even cover, but the lack of sanding will leave it streaky (this is good when going for the vintage look).
You can kind of see it in this picture. It is a really dull sheen.
I let this dry following the instructions on the can.
Then I rubbed on a second coat to make sure it was good and sealed. After I rubbed on the second coat, I took a dry part of the diaper and rubbed really hard over the whole dresser.
Then let it cure and you are done, just replace any hardware.
Now, I don’t want to confuse you. You can’t just slap it on there. You do have to apply it as evenly as possible in long motions (especially on large flat surfaces) The streaking comes naturally… no need to streak it yourself!
So that’s it. Now you have a piece that looks very well taken care of vintage : ) That might only make sense to me, but I LOVE how it turned out!
Wondering what those burp cloths look like beside the changing pad? You can check them out here! And to see my full inspiration for this nursery, you can see the design board here.
Full Nursery Reveal can be seen HERE
More Furniture and Decor Posts can be seen in my project gallery.
How beautiful! You did an awesome job, girl!
Take care,
Trish
Thanks so much Trish!
Have you ever used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and if so how does it differ in price with Maison Blanche Chalk Paint?
I have used both. The Maison Blanche is a little more expensive, and it is very similar in how it goes on. I particularly like the colors of Maison Blanche more than the others. The two that I have used (Creme De Menthe and Silver Mink) are more of a muted (if you will) and are a little bit more of the vintage look I am going for. Also with the Maison Blanche I got it in two coats, and other brands I have had to do 3 a few times to get the same look. It’s really just personal preference though. I would definitely give it a try! : )
Pretty! In the future use poly acrylic. Polyurethane tends to yellow over time which is why you should only use it on stained wood. Poly acrylic is what you use on painted wood!
Thanks Katie! I do that usually, but I didn’t have any on hand and since it wasn’t white I wasn’t too worried about it, plus I doubt it will be that color long enough to yellow… hehe! But I DEFINITELY need to put that in the post so others know! Thanks so much for pointing that out. Sometimes I forget not everyone is in my head ; )
Actually, the poly-acrylic is what yellows. Over MB or ASCP, since both are water based, you would use a poly-acrylic vs a polyurethane, which is for oil based. But, waxing is preferred. If you want a smooth surface on something like a dresser, use the largest natural bristle brush you can find. That helps to eliminate brush marks.
oh, wow–that is SUCH a lovely color! And I love how it looks with the hardware, too. Great job!
Thanks! I always debate on painting the hardware, but I love original hardware. It always looks better when the dresser is painted : ) Thanks for stopping by, have a great week!
LOVE!! I just received 2 cans of Maison Blanche paint… But unfortunately I didn’t order Creme de Menthe. (I just put on a couple coats of Spanish Moss and its beautiful.). But Creme de Menthe will be on my next order. Love the dresser!!
Thanks Laura, I’m so excited to try new colors, but I am in LOVE with this color! Thanks for stopping by : ) Have a great weekend!
Love the way the dresser looks. Fabulous job and I love Mason Jars visit my blog for the before & after Mason Jar Pendant Light. Visiting from Happy Hour!
Thanks so much Nicole!
Thanks for the great tips!! :)
I am sooooo loving the color! Great job, and the hardware is always a stunning way to finish it off (especially when its original). Love…visiting from the hop stop by designitgirl and say hi!
Thanks so much Nicole! I love a good original hardware : )
So pretty Ashley! I absolutely LOVE that shade of blue!! I would be thrilled if you have the chance to share this at our new Fall DIY Challenge if you haven’t already- today we are linking up BLUE projects – old or new! Hop over to The Happy Housie to share yours! Hope to see ya there!
– Krista
Thanks so much Krista!
Wow. That color of creme de menthe alone…Love, just love. I seriously have the upright dresser that matches this very project in my basement laundry room. It was my husband’s from his childhood.
I also like that you kept the original hardware!
Thanks for linking last week. We shared this today at the party and are also pinning it to our collaborative board!
Nicolette & Jo-Anna
This color is seriously my favorite! It is perfection!! I am a sucker for old dressers and original hardware, aren’t they just fabulous?! Thanks so much for stopping by, and for pinning! : ) Have a great week!
This is beautiful! Thanks for all the tips! Just stopped by from tater tots and jello! :)
Thanks so much Beth! : ) So glad you stopped by! Have a great night!
Beautiful end result, and I love the color. I’ve never heard of Maison Blanche Furniture Paint, so I’m excited to have something new to try!
Thank you Anni! It is fabulous and I really love their colors! : )
Love the look of this nursery. My baby boy is due in a few weeks and we picked up some used furniture for his nursery that desperately needs a make-over. Were you able to do the entire dresser with one quart of paint? I’m trying to estimate costs before I buy the paint. We also have a crib and a changing table to paint so we may need a quart for each.
Thank you Lauren! : ) I had one quart of the color I used for my crib, and one quart of the color I used on the dresser and I have quite a bit left of each. I used a bit more for my crib because it was spindles that I was painting so I ended up going back over it several times because I would find little spots I missed. Hope that helps! Good luck : )
That does help. Thanks so much! :)
I love this! Did you do this while you were pregnant? I am pregnant and I want to do this project but not sure if it is safe for me to do or if I should have the hubby conquer the painting.
I did do it while I was pregnant! I’m not sure if it’s 100% approved by doctor’s, but you can hardly smell it, and I did do it outside and wore a face mask just to be safe! : ) Good luck on your painting!
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for the detailed and creative post! Just have on question, why did you decide to apply the finish with a cloth instead of a brush? Did you use the spray on or liquid version featured in the link you posted? Also, I don’t understand what you mean by “yellowing” because in your pictures it looks very not yellowish!
Thanks,
Michelle
Hi Michelle, the yellowing occurs with polyurethane, but over a wood stain it isn’t noticeable, when you put it over a paint color you can see that a little more. I don’t notice it tremendously on this particular piece, but it did a little. It’s definitely more noticeable if you use it over a white paint. I used a cloth instead of a brush because it allowed me to rub it in and get a matte finish. It’s just a personal preference thing really…. you could go either way. oh, and I used just the regular ol liquid version out of a can ; ) Hope that helps! Have a great week!
I am in the process of painting an entire bedroom set with this paint. I will also need to repaint the walls and i was wondering what color is on your wall. It looks great together.
Thanks so much. I’m not entirely sure of the paint color. Our house was a foreclosure when we bought it and this was the standard color Fannie Mae used.. I believe it’s called Kilim Beige from Sherwin Williams though. I grabbed a paint swatch the other day cause I have a few spots I need to touch up and it seems to be pretty close, but I haven’t actually bought the paint yet!
HI! Any idea how much of a quart can you needed to paint the dresser? Love the color!! Thank you!
Hi Keri, I don’t remember off hand, but I do know I had quite a bit left over. Maybe a 1/4 of the can for our dresser. Hope that helps! : )
Wow, I love your style! you have inspired me to paint something :)
I love this! I have just looked up the paint and the poly to buy for a project I want to do. I believe you did this while you were pregnant with Adam, correct? So I am assuming it’s okay to use while pregnant?!? I hope so! You did such a great job and I can’t wait to start my project!
The further I see, the more the better your material is.
We are also making more complex assembling at work. Although I never thought I would even be able to become a builder, as I have never studied anywhere, self-taught in fact. When I came to the company to get a job, the Human Resources Department was initially very much against it, but then they got acquainted with my resume, which I was able to order here and somehow looked at me differently. That is why sometimes a good resume is a big part of a case. That’s how I was able to get a job, now I remember it with warmth. I still work there and was able to raise the level by myself, the main thing is to give myself a push and not afraid to go forward, I have learned this long ago just by experience.