Sunday, June 2, 2013

How to Create an Anthro Inspired Dresser

I love Anthropologie’s furniture (and just about everything else they are selling), but it's a little out of my current budget. I’ve been looking for a new dresser for quite sometime, but for the price of a new piece of furniture I was not in love with anything I had found. I love unique pieces with plenty of charm, so I began my hunt for an old dresser to redo with an Anthro feel. I found this really well made dresser at a consignment shop, and for $168 (the owner gave me 10% off!) I could not pass it up. My favorite part about this dresser is that it’s made in my home state of Indiana! I knew with a little love and a fresh coat of paint this dresser could be transformed into a one of a kind piece.



















First, I sanded the dresser using an electric sander, but I also picked up a little medium sanding sponge ($2.97) for the nooks and crannies.

Next, I filled in some vintage ware and tear with wood filer and let it dry before sanding over it again, to get a nice smooth surface.

I decided on a bright coral color. I purchased a quart of Valspar Signature Semi-Gloss Tintable Paint and Primer in One ($15.74), in Tropical Bloom. Make sure you paint in a well-ventilated area; also it helps to not paint on a really hot, humid Indiana day. (below 80° F is best to allow the paint to properly dry). I used a synthetic angled paintbrush. It’s important to not go cheap on a brush. You want a brush with good bristles that won’t fall out and get stuck in your paint.

I painted a coat and let it dry for at least two hours or more before putting on another coat. About five coats of paint later (and a few days..I took a couple breaks..ok, so I took a lot of breaks..), I was finished. You many not need five coats of paint. It really depends on your aesthetics and the furniture you are painting.

Finally, I put a coat of polyurethane gloss over the dresser for a shiny finish (two coats were recommended). I replaced the old drawer fixtures with bright green knobs for extra quirk. I purchased eight at Hobby Lobby for $12.00. I like fun, surprising details, so I lined the drawers with a fun printed shelf liner ($5.99 for 2 rolls at TJMAX) to match the knobs. If you’ve been adding up, the total cost of my dresser project was a little over $200. It was a really fun and easy project, and I look forward to redoing some more furniture in the future!

DIY Dresser Project by juliadevine







DIY Dresser Project, a photo by juliadevine on Flickr.

xoxo,


Julia



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