Dresser reveal!!...by Juli

So for many many months I have been dying to get new non-ikea dressers. I wanted something vintage retro with a modern twist. I have already told you about my sob story of the dresser I lost (see here), can we just not talk about it? So for months and months I have been searching on craigslist and at the local thrift stores for the perfect dressers. Low and behold a pair of dressers popped up on craigslist within my price range and located in my city (that is muy importante). So I pounced on it like Lola (the bulldog) on Rowan (neighbor girl who often has food in her hands) and got me some dressers.

Here's the before:

We like to call it 1980's french provential

The hubster liked the original paint job, while it kind of made me gag. I went in knowing they would be a refinishing project. The amazing part was that these dressers were in excellent condition, barely used!

So after sanding and sanding and more sanding (with my new toy!) I had to buckle down and choose a color. I really wanted to go turquoise or bright green, but I feared that it would grow old and it would hinder my decorating. So I  went with Ace brand light gray and ivory. Nothing fancy! (oh and you absolutely have to buy the spray can attachment, so awesome)

Here's the after: 

 Do you love it?!?!

I drooled at how cute the hubster was when he helped me multiple times pull the dressers out into the yard, and then back under the porch multiple times {wind, heat and rain through June made this a loooong process}. And could he get any cuter marking out the chevron pattern to the T? Such a babe.

 Although a tad time consuming the chevron design was tooootallly worth it!

Here's a sneak peak into my spray paint station, a big concrete something that I found in my yard. At least it's good for one thing!

Now comes the literal blood sweat and tears tips:

• Don't move giant heavy furniture in flip flops, goodbye little piggy that went home toe nail. {yes, i literally did the rhyme to see which one it was}
• When you take the drawers out mark where they go back {Its like playing musical drawers around here}
• To eliminate going to the hardware store over and over and over again, buy A LOT of the color you are using, and try not to get high on the fumes. Zonk.
• When you buy the finishing glaze be sure you buy all the same kind {not 2 matte and 2 gloss} {and yes the wrong one was used, matte, only to find out after it started to dry funny, grrrr}
• Don't spray gloss clear finish on gloss spray paint, it cracks the paint and ruins it. {grrrrr, drawer #2 ruined} This was found out as I sweatily ran the the hardware store, again in a panic. Thanks helper guy, too kind.
• When you mess up on drawer #3 wait until the paint completely dries before you sand to ensure you don't have a goopy globby mess that requires more sanding and a few tears. {Jess that's when I had to take a break and eat something, I was loosing it baaaad}
• Note to self there are two different sizes of pulls which include 2 different sizes of screws. Be sure where they go before screwing them all on the wrong drawers

All in all, this was a GREAT project that I love and I am so anxious to start the next one! The hubster got so into it that he suggested we pickup free furniture on craigslist , refinish them, and make a profit. We'll see. I think I would need a big workshop....hint hint....anyone?!?