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Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer

Simple DIY tutorials and thrifty furniture and decor makeovers

Coastal Dresser Makeover

Amazing friends, I am so excited y’all stopped by today! My Furniture Fixer Upper Friends and I all have brand new furniture makeovers to share with you! Be sure to keep an eye out for links to their makeovers at the bottom!

My furniture piece was in desperate need of some TLC!

I scored this dresser at the thrift store for $75:

This is how I found it at the thrift store, so I didn’t get a chance to try out the drawers and see what I was getting myself into. I was so excited to find a half-way decent piece of furniture that I grabbed the tag and headed right for the check out.

What I didn’t realize is that behind it was the mirror that came with it:

It wasn’t until they were loading it into my car that I saw it. That made it more worth the $75 I paid for it.

Except…it seemed really top-heavy once I stacked the mirror on top of the dresser:

So, I decided to redo just the dresser, and y’all know I’ll find another use for the mirror! I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.

Prep

Before I could even get started cleaning, like I mentioned already, this dresser needed some major TLC.

It was literally Falling apart:

I repaired the sides using wood glue and clamps.

The top was not completely attached either. I removed the nails that hadn’t been doing their job, and replaced them with wood screws. To do that, I first drilled a shallow hole just larger than the screw head, so it would sit below the surface.

Then I was able to cover right over the holes with Dixie Mud in brown:

I allowed it to sit overnight to dry completely before sanding smooth with 220 grit sandpaper.

This dresser also had damage to two drawer corners, a splitting drawer front, and water damage on the legs:

Instead of attempting to make repairs, I decided a transfer and a darker color would do wonders to camouflage these imperfections!

I found this gorgeous transfer from Prima in my stash:

Blue Wave Transfer

This one is called Blue Wave Transfer. This was before I carried Prima transfers so I’m not sure if you can still find it, but you may be able to search for it on Etsy.com.

PREP

After deciding on a plan, I sanded the entire piece with 220 grit sandpaper as the Silk line requires a good scuff sanding first to give it some grip.

I vacuumed up all the dust with my shop vac and gave everything a good cleaning with with White Lightning, followed by a second wipe down with clean water.

Paint

I looked through my Silk fan deck and found three colors that would work beautifully with this transfer:

Silk Fan Deck

I decided to use Cape Current on the body of the dresser and Endless Shore on the areas that would be beneath the transfer:

The coverage was fantastic with one coat, but I allowed it to dry for two hours and then added a second coat. Ya’ll know I never paint inside the house, but it was so incredibly humid in the garage and needed my paint to dry!

Read more about Dixie Belle’s new Silk Mineral Paint and the how it differs from chalk paint HERE.

Endless Shore was a great choice since it would be seen both above and below the transfer:

After letting the paint dry for another couple of hours, I applied the transfer:

Transfers are such an easy way to add a big wow to a piece of furniture! You simply peel off the backing, line up the transfer, and burnish it to your surface using the included tool. Then you just peel off the top plastic layer.

There was no need to seal the Silk paint since it has a topcoat built in, so I just sealed the transfer for some added protection using Clear Coat in Satin and the blue sponge applicator.

The After

And here is the final result of this makeover:

Coastal Dresser Makeover

What a fun dresser this is now, right?

I did have to trim some of the transfer off on either side, but it fit really well on the front of this piece!

Coastal Dresser Makeover

I reused the original hardware, giving them a coat of Rustoleum spray primer first and then brushing on Endless Shore once the primer was completely dry.

Coastal Dresser Makeover

And what about the third color I chose from my paint deck?

That is the gorgeous color, Harbor, and it matched the colors in the wave so beautifully that I decided to use it on the drawers:

Coastal Dresser

I painted all the drawers the same:

Drawers painted in Silk Harbor

And the insides got painted as well:

Drawers painted in Silk Harbor

The drawers were not pretty inside and needed to be painted for sure!

Beachy Dresser

Luckily, there was absolutely no musty smell!

Coastal Dresser Makeover

The Silk has an eggshell sheen so not shiny, but not completely flat:

Silk Cape Current

Although it has the equivalent of a coat of Clear Coat in it already, you can always change the sheen or add more protection with a coat of Clear Coat in Satin or Gloss or for a piece that needs the toughest protection, Gator Hide.

Although I chose not to use the mirror that came with it, I hope y’all still enjoyed seeing what this dresser could become.

It was a fun one to bring to life!

Coastal Dresser

My friends have three more furniture flips for y’all today!

1. Salvaged Inspirations

2. Girl in the Garage

3. Petticoat JUNKtion

And that is another week coming to a close and one more project crossed off the list!

See what I’ve transformed so far at at the links below!

$5 Bulletin Board Makeover
$3 Thrift Store Basket and Lid Repurposed
Summer Basket Wreath from a $3 Thrift Store Find
$7 Thrift Store Mirror Makeover
Vintage Cane Club Chairs Updated
$6 Thrift Store Shelf Makeover with Transfer
Pub Table Makeover
Becky’s Secretary Desk Makeover
Update a Thrift Store Box with Fabric
$5 Buffet Lamps Updated with Decoupage Paper
Mirror Harp Repurposed

 

I’ve got a bunch of smalls in this haul, so I’ll be back on Tuesday with a round of smalls! They are always fun!

Update: See how these smalls look now HERE!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

XOXO,

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Comments

  1. Oh, I love that. Absolutely a beautiful little dresser for a baby’s room

  2. Oh man that turned out so beautiful! I love the colors and the transfer you did! WOWZA! I can’t wait to see what you do to that mirror! I am looking forward to seeing your smalls also, I LOVE the smalls! Great job with this transformation!

    • Thank you so much, Mary! This one was really fun to see come to life! And yes…I love the smalls too! Have a fantastic weekend! XOXO

  3. How pretty is this. The paint colors go so well with the transfer. Another job well done. Have a great week-end.

    • Thanks so much, Janice! I was so excited to see how well the colors went with this transfer. I hope you have a wonderful weekend too! XOXO

  4. Oh my gosh, it’s absolutely GORGEOUS!!!! I love it!! I wish I had a coastal home… I’d be there in a flash to bring it home!!! I think it’s one of my favorite pieces you’ve done (I think I’ve been I’ve been following you at least two years now). Looking forward to the mirror as I enjoy those as well… 😁.

  6. Wow!!! That came out amazing! I am always impressed with your work. You are inspiring and I bet that piece flies out of your shop. Love it!!!

  7. This is one of my top 3 favorite makeovers ever. Absolutely gorgeous- makes me want to buy a beach house just for this dresser.
    Great job!

  8. BOOM! My mind is blown! Amazing transformation Christy! Seriously! I love how you carried the transfer over the parts between the drawers. The paint colors are perfect. Way to go, this is gorgeous!!!

    • Aww thank you, Christina! I’m so glad you love this one! I really enjoyed bringing this dresser to life with the help of this gorgeous transfer! XOXO

  9. Very nice! Wondering if inside painting will cover up most musty smells or would the unseen parts still cause furniture to wreak of odor????

    • Thank you, Gail! If you have a piece with musty odors, you will need to apply one coat of clear BOSS to the unpainted parts, or yes, you will still smell the must. Or, you could paint the entire cavity of the piece, but BOSS is easier. Thankfully, this one did not have any musty odors! XOXO

  11. I think it is amazing that you applied the transfer perfectly so that it created a continuous scene across the front of the dresser. WOW! You’re a magician, Christy!

    • Aww thank you so much, Molly! Having a completely flat front made that part not too difficult of a task! XOXO

  12. I love it Christy. I love when a transfer fits perfectly. I used the american flag on a dresser once. It was my favorite

  13. I always enjoy your blog. You do good work. I have to change my email so I will resubscribe. Sherry

    • Thank you so much, Sherry! You should be able to update your email by clicking the link at the very bottom of the emails I send. 🙂 XOXO

  14. Wow! That’s just beautiful! Love the colors.
    I have a question; would White Lightening work for cleaning kitchen cabinets before painting?
    Thanks, Cecilia

  16. That’s amazing. That color is beautiful!! Keep going, you can refurnish my whole cabin at the lake. LOL

    • Thank you, Sharon! Ha ha… OK I’ll keep going! We’ll have it completely redone in no time! XOXO

  17. This is absolutely beautiful! You are a brave woman painting inside – and so close to your white sofa 🙂 I love all of your work, you make it look so easy (I know its not) but gosh I would love for you to just come to Texas and paint your way through my house! LOL

    • Aww thank you so much, Karen! I know…I rarely paint indoors. I actually even used drop cloths this time LOL! And how fun would it be to come stay and paint my way through your house?! XOXO

  18. I love, love this transformation. It so pretty..so if you can’t go to the beach..just look at the dresser and you are there. LoL!!! 💙

  19. What a transformation! I love the ocean transfer and the colors you used really updates the look! I am sure with all the problems with the chest, it took a great deal of effort. But your diligence really paid off. What a lovely piece now. I am sure it will be one of your best sellers. Have a restful, but fun weekend.

    • Thank you, Sue! This one was a bit of work, but also really fun to bring to life! I hope you have a wonderful weekend too! XOXO

  20. I had a little chuckle at the before pic in the thrift store. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve nabbed that ticket up before inspecting and then gave myself some extra work! 🤣 You did this dresser proud my friend. Absolutely gorgeous beachy makeover!!! XOXOX

    • Thank you so much, my beautiful friend! Yes, girl! I am a bit more careful these days, but the selection has been so slim lately that I didn’t think twice about grabbing this one up quick LOL! Oh well… I’m glad it worked out! XOXO

  21. This is absolutely beautiful! I can’t imagine it was easy to apply a transfer that large. Do you have a video of you doing one that large?
    I would love to do one but am very hesitant 😬

    • Thank you, Susan! I don’t have a video, but this was not that hard at all. It comes in three pieces and the surfaces I was applying it to were completely flat which made it much easier also. You could totally do this! XOXO

  22. Love this! Very nice job! I’m curious though…how did you fix the bottom of the legs? I’ve shied away from projects like this because of the water damage (like yours). Thanks. Love your projects – always learn something new.

    • Thank you so much, Amy! I did not fix the legs, although you could make a form with scrap wood and fill the leg with Bondo to make them perfect again. I chose instead to use a darker color which totally camouflaged the damage. XOXO

  23. I was at my vendor space last week and a customer bought this transfer from the DB vendor. We oohed and ahhed over the transfer, and I wondered how it would turn out. You answered! I love it so much. Amazing choice of color and transformation of this little dresser. Great job!

    • Oh perfect timing! I was excited to see how it would turn out too! Thank you so much, Carol! XOXO

  24. This one is phenomenal Christy! My son likes it so much he wants me to do his dresser like this. I’ve been trying to weed out all the blue we have in our house and now, I have a feeling I will be adding more.

  26. Wow! This is beautiful! I’ve been looking for ideas to redo one of my guest bedrooms. This would be perfect to do on one of my dressers. Beautiful colors.

  28. Looks Amazing Christy! You always do such a fabulous job! Question… Did you lie the transfer over the drawer and the middle slats and then use an exacto knife to separate or did you cut separate pieces? Again Beautiful job!

    • Thank you, Heather! Great question! I have done it both ways. For this dresser, I did cut the pieces first because I wanted to slightly wrapped the transfer around the edges of the drawers, and I couldn’t have done that if I had applied it the other way. XOXO

  29. Amazing dresser project!! You do a spiffy job…. Curious about key hole and how you go around it so perfectly…. Ur the best💕

    • Thanks so much, Emma! I used an X-Acto knife to trim around the keyholes. I didn’t cut two of them perfectly, but I was able to patch in tiny pieces of transfer to fix it! XOXO

  31. Hi Christy, I see that you use White Lightening a lot. My wood kitchen chairs have a buildup of grime where everyone’s hand grab the back and pull them away from the table. Can I use White Lightening to clean it off or will it also take off the finish and stain? I have been following you for a few years and just love all your makeovers.

    • Thank you so much, Barbara! White lightning is a deglosser as well as a degreaser, so it is more for paint prep, but have you tried a Mr. clean sponge on your chairs? They work amazingly well at cleaning that build up! XOXO

  32. Beautiful!!! You made great choices with the colors.
    I paint in my craft room or kitchen. I have no patience for humidity in this area. Although we have been lucky this week!

    • Thanks so much, Margie! I can usually make it in the garage, but the sky was about to drop so the humidity was so heavy in the air! I’m back working out there this week in this lovely weather! XOXO

  33. Just wow! I have a great old piece of craftsman oak that I bought at the Rose Bowl swap meet many many moons (70’s) ago. I have never refinished it but this has me thinking about doing something similar. You are just the best!!!

  35. Hi Christy,
    Another beautiful piece of art masquerading as furniture!
    I cannot believe that you painted inside, around your gorgeous furniture and that beautiful rug! if I did that, there would be paint from here to Christmas. LOL

    • Aww thank you, Heather! Ha ha! I never paint inside, but I really needed the paint to dry thoroughly so I could apply the transfer. I’m back in the garage this week lol! XOXO

  36. I am always so impressed with your talent for finding just the right design for your pieces! Super cute dresser!

  37. What a difference, Christy! That was a lot of work, for sure, and it looks fabulous now. The mirror is lovely, but you’re right about the size – looks like it belongs on a wider piece. And I have no doubt you’ll do something brilliant with it 😊

    • Thank you, Marcie! It was definitely worth the work! And yep, I’ll eventually find a use for that pretty mirror! XOXO

  39. Those blues! I so love the colors and the transfer too. This makeover was a bunch of extra work in repair though, huh? But a beautiful piece in the end!

  41. Lovely 🙂 and I like how you incorporated 3 colours into the design that compliment the art transfer 😀 Have a great weekend xo

  44. WOW!!!!!!! That is an extraordinary change – cannot even believe it to be the same piece it is so different. Christy, you are so danged clever!

    • I’m so glad you like this one, Michele! Thank you!! I really enjoyed seeing this one come to life! XOXO

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