Oh beautiful friends, how happy it makes me when you stop by for a visit! It’s Furniture Fixer Upper Day, so my friends and I all have some fixers for you. Mine is this chest on chest dresser I picked up at the thrift store for $25:
Looks pretty good, right? Oh how photos can be deceiving!
Take a look at both the bottom portion and those feet:
And what are all those gaps in the wood everywhere??
What on earth?
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
Sand
I started by sanding the areas where the stain was wearing off first:
And it was wearing away just about all over this dresser except for the drawers. The drawers were in good shape, so the rest got a good sanding all over with 220 grit sandpaper:
Fill those gaps!
I decided to use Bondo once again. I really don’t like the smell, but because many of these gaps went all the way through, I needed something super tough. You do have to mix it quickly because it starts drying really fast.
I applied it to all the gaps and let it sit for 30 minutes or so…
Then, I got to sanding. You definitely want to wear a good mask for this step. I used my smaller mouse sander on all the filled cracks until they were smooth.
Clean
Finally, we are getting closer to the good part! I gave everything a good cleaning with White Lightning, mixing one TBSP with a half gallon of warm water:
Look! A picture of me cleaning and….dirty water ha ha! Not to worry, White Lightning will get your piece super clean in prep for paint as it is a degreaser and a deglosser.
Be sure to wear gloves and always swap that dirty water for clean water and give your pieces another once over!
Prime for Bleed through
I wasn’t sure if this one would be a bleeder or not, but I like to be prepared, so I went ahead and primed with Bonding BOSS first.
I let that sit for the recommended 24 hours so it could do its thing. (It comes in clear and gray also!)
Paint
The best part…paint!
I chose bright white Cotton for this dresser. This one is always the most work since it takes more coats to cover. Fluff white has a tad more pigment, so it usually covers in just two coats, but I wanted a brighter white for this dresser.
Here, I’m applying it with my favorite brush, the Mini Angle Brush:
Cotton usually covers in three coats.
Adding stripes
I decided that I wanted to add stripes to just the top three smaller drawers, so I mixed up French Linen 50/50 with Cotton to get a bit lighter version for those stripes:
Then, I laid out my stripes using FrogTape for Delicate surfaces.
To do that, I started by centering the tape on the drawer:
Then, I used the tape as a guide to line up the next piece, giving me perfect spacing:
Once I had the tape on, I applied two coats of the French Linen/Cotton mix. I pulled the tape away as soon as the second coat went on:
This is my go-to painter’s tape for furniture. I get perfect lines every time! (Always remove it while the paint is still wet if you can.)
Sand to Smooth
Once everything was good and dry, I sanded all over with 220 grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface and distress a little here and there.
Seal
After vacuuming up the sanding dust with my shop vac, I wiped it down with a clean, soft cloth and it was time to seal.
For this piece, I used Clear Coat in the satin finish, and applied with the blue sponge applicator:
Chest on chest dresser makeover reveal
Here is how this $25 thrift store find looks now:
All the cracks have been filled and the flaking stain has been sanded away to create this piece that will go on to live for many years to come!
I love this chest on chest style and I don’t see them too often in thrift stores around here.
I decided to break up all those drawers with stripes, and I like the combination…
I kept the original knobs on the bottom, painting them white:
I sanded and sealed them before adding them to the drawers.
I opted for these glass ones from Hobby Lobby for the top:
I originally wanted handles on the bottom and pulls on the top, but I didn’t fill the holes on the bottom drawers at the start, so I opted instead to do this.
I like this combination too though.
And how about the insides of the drawers?
Y’all know I like to pretty up the drawers! For this piece, I did something different.
The outside of the drawers were all pretty dry, so I decided to give them a good conditioning with Big Mama’s Butta in the Fresh and Clean scent while I decided what to do on the insides.
Here is how they look…amazing!
Well the insides were super scratched up and I just knew that I was going to cover them with fabric, except of the two fabrics I had that would match, I did not have enough. These drawers were huge!
So, I gave the insides a wipe down with the Big Mama’s Butta to see how they would do on those scratches:
It literally erased the scratches! Here is a side by side of one with the Butta and one without:
And now they look perfect and way too pretty to cover!
So, I left them as is!
Not only will Big Mama’s Butta condition your wood beautifully, I love it for sticky drawers too! (I sound like a commercial, but this stuff is so good, y’all!)
Apply it to any area where the wood is on wood like the drawer slides:
Your drawers will glide beautifully!
So, no pretty fabric or decoupage paper in the drawers today, but these drawers just didn’t need it.
I can’t wait to take this one to my booth!
Don’t forget my friends have their own fixers to share with you today!
It’s always rewarding crossing off the big ones!
See what you may have missed at the links below:
Step End Table Makeover
Yard Sale Game Table Makeover
Bench and Mirror Makeovers
I’ll be back on Tuesday with this trio of basket makeovers:
See ya then!
UPDATE: These baskets are done and ready for their big reveal, HERE!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
EMAIL * INSTAGRAM * FACEBOOK * PINTEREST
Mary Kaiser says
Oh my gosh, WOW!!! I LOVE how this turned out! Again if I lived anywhere near you this would be in my home! I love it so much! I am amazed at how well the Big Mammas Butter does on the wood, beautiful! I know your trying to fill up your booth, but this won’t be there long, someone will buy this right away!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Mary! The Butta is amazing for sure! I have been selling more since my booth expanded, so it might not last long! XOXO
Petra says
Love it all, colour, stripes and knobs ☺️
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! It had such great lines to start! XOXO
Natalie says
Wow, this dresser looks amazing now! The color and stripes give it a whole new look. Love it!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Natalie! XOXO
Bev W says
I’ll admit I was so surprised! Love it! I thought you would stream flowers over the top and down the front. I do need to k ow how big mamas butter dries- will it stain clothing? Like an oil stain?
Christy says
Thank you, Bev! I do love to add transfers to dressers, but I was wanting a couple more neutral pieces for my booth. I was curious of the same thing about the Butta, but as long as it is dry…about three days, it should be good. I just put a shirt in there this morning to test it and so far, so good! XOXO
Bev says
Make sure to let us know. I usually put paper in the bottom of mine but curious
Christy says
I sure will! I just checked the cotton shirt I put in there this morning and even wiped it across the surface and so far so good! XO
Tracy says
Great question! I’ve always wondered that myself Ü
Julie A. Henry says
GOOD MORNING….BEAUTIFUL PIECE LOVE THE COLOR. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS….HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT TO SAND/PAINT AFTER CLEANING WITH THE WHITE LIGHTNING, DOES THE BIG MAMA’S BUTTA HELP TO GET RID OF ODORS INSIDE DRAWERS AND LAST HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT BEFORE APPLYING A SECOND COAT OF CHAULK PAINT? THANK YOU FOR ANY INFORMATION. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY! JULIE
Christy says
Good morning! Great questions! You can start sanding/painting as soon as the WL is dry. It dries quickly. If you have odor inside the drawers, it is likely coming from the inside cavity of the dresser itself. For that, you will want to paint one coat of Clear Bonding BOSS on the entire inside cavity to seal any odors in. Then, clean your drawers really well, and then Butta them. If you add it before taking care of the source, it will only be a temporary fix. And lastly, You can start on your second coat of chalk paint as soon as the first one is dry. Thank you, Julie!! XOXO
Susan says
Love how this turned out! What a find for $25!
You sure surprised me with the inside of the drawers ????????
Christy says
Ha ha thank you, Susan! I rarely leave the drawers alone, but these were so pretty as is! XOXO
Annette Twining says
i THOUGHT THE NATURAL PATINA LOOKED BETTER BEFORE YOU PUT THE CHALKY WHITE PAINT ON IT JUST MY OPINION
Christy says
Thanks for chiming in, Annette! XO
Marcie Lovett says
Whoever said the camera doesn’t lie hasn’t seen the furniture you’ve brought home, Christy ???? At least, until they get their close-ups. I was thinking you got such a great deal on this dresser until you pointed out the flaws! But you fixed the problems and it looks great now. Is it wrong to admit that the thing I most looked forward to was which knobs you’d pick? I love the combination of glass with the original wood and I bet this one won’t be around long.
Christy says
Aww thank you, my friend! There is always an issue it seems lol…probably why these pieces are donated in the first place ha ha! A quick sale would be awesome! XOXO
Tracy says
Oh My Lanta! I have the exact dresser I snagged at a garage sale! It came with a mirror and single bed frame. I kept the dresser & mirror because I was going to “finish it one day”…. that was over 30 years ago Ü
You have totally re-ignited that fire ♥ I love how yours turned out and I can’t wait to get the supplies and dive in after all this time. What a beautiful job!
Christy says
Oh funny! And yay…I love that you are feeling reignited!! Thank you, Tracey! Have fun with yours! XOXO
Denise - Salvaged Inspirations says
Charming piece and I know it won’t last long in your booth! And the drawers are pristine and perfect… so glad you left them natural! Pinned! XOXO
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! I’m glad I left the drawers too! XOXO
Amanda says
Love this! Great work Miss Kristi!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Amanda! XOXO
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
Another beauty!! Love the stripes! And what a steal for sure!! ???? xo
Christy says
Thank you, my friend!! This is exactly how I imagined it as soon as I saw it! XOXO
Cyndi says
Beautiful! I love the neutrality of it. It will work with any other colors in the room. And I appreciate the “stripes” tutorial, too. I might have to try some today! 🙂
Christy says
Thank you, Cyndi! That is exactly what I was after…something a bit more neutral. The stripes are super easy with the tape as your guide! XOXO
Joanne Burton- Mulji says
Wow! So amazing. I was looking for something just like this. You really nailed it!
Christy says
Oh yay! Thank you so much, Joanne! XOXO
Cecilia says
What?!? No transfer? Lol, sorry couldn’t resist teasing you. It turned out great…love the stripes. The Butta is awesome stuff. I have a used dresser that I can’t figure out how to get the drawers out. I can’t find any kind of release. Wish I could so I could get the butta on the rail slide. Oh well.
Hugs, Cecilia
Christy says
Girl, you know I love my transfers lol! This would have been gorgeous with one, but I’m in the market for a couple of more neutral pieces for my booth. I have had a couple of pieces that had drawers that I could not figure out how to get out also…bummer! XOXO
Cecilia says
Rats, I was hoping you had a solution. ????
Christy says
Emailing you. 🙂
Michele M. says
isn’t she a beauty now??? You worked so hard to breathe new life into that neglected lady. Well done, Christy. Love all your choices.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Michele! She is so happy now! XOXO
Susan Verbaan says
I love your maker overs with the coastal vibe.
Through your posts I have enjoyed seeing
so many other talented women and their approach to repurposing thrift items. I don’t know if it was furniture fix up or an other post put I have been interested in the talented lady named Larissa. I don’t see her here today and didn’t remember her official name to look her up. Could you tell me company name please?
Thank you,
Sue Verbaan
Christy says
Thank you, Sue! Yes, you are thinking of Larissa from Prodigal Pieces. She joins us the second Tuesday of the month for Trashy Treasures Tuesday. You can find her here: https://prodigalpieces.com/ XOXO
Cyndy Cook says
Love this! I love the shape and quality of these old Federal Revival pieces but that monotonous brown…. I can’t wait for you to do the hutch, I have an identical one in my basement that I found on FB Marketplace a couple of years ago. I’ve been to chicken to mess with it up to now!
Christy says
Thank you, Cyndy!! This was such a nice piece that I just wanted to bring it home and give it some love! I am really looking forward to the hutch! XOXO
Lani says
As per your usual…………another fabulous transformation!! Love it!!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Lani! XOXO
kathy Owen says
What a beauty. I love striped furniture. I bought a lot of those wood knobs at the junk shop a while ago. I have almost used them all. I love them. Great work Christy!
Christy says
Thank you, Kathy! I love those wood knobs…they paint up so well! XOXO
Cheryl says
Christy! You make these HUGE projects look so easy! So great that you describe everything step-by-step and show the tools/equipment/supplies that you use. Of course, it’s your talent that shines through the brightest!
through the
Christy says
Aww thank you, Cheryl! You are the sweetest! I’m glad sharing all those details is helpful! XOXO
Janice Holt says
Better late than never. This dresser looks amazing and the way the stripes line up is perfect. Look how the knobs line up with the stripes just right. You do such an amazing job.
Christy says
Aww I appreciate that so much, Janice, thank you!! XOXO
Rose Lefebvre says
I love the way you updated this piece and still kept its old-fashioned charm!
Christy says
Thank you, Rose! It was such a great find! XOXO
Gail Wilson says
Wow Christy!
Although it was a little more work with the bondo and patching, the end result is so sweet. I love the colors and the new knobs. The stripes were a perfect addition.
pinned!
gail
Christy says
Thank you so much, my friend! The work was worth it for that price for sure! XOXO
Patti Weirich says
That is really beautiful and really unique! I refinished one very similar for my new grandson, it was a lot of work!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Patti! It’s a large piece to paint for sure! XOXO