Let me preface this painted furniture project by saying, this is my favorite piece ever! You GUYS! Don’t you love it?
I did not know when I picked up this triple dresser manufactured by Dixie at a local Goodwill store for $20 what it would become. I didn’t have the vision. But man am I glad I took a chance!
Prepping for Paint
The construction on it was top-notch, and the fluting and raised panels made it perfect for adding the shading technique I’ll share later. Also, that hardware! It was not only beautiful, but it was all there which is rare. The dresser appeared to be in great condition, with functioning drawers, but it had some strange gravelly substance stuck to the top.
We use an orange-scented soap to get grease and sap off our hands, so I guess because I knew it removes super sticky stuff, I decided to pump some of that on it and let it sit. I came back about 10 minutes later and scraped it with a paint scraper. It came right off! It also took some of the finish, which was fine since I was going to paint it, but not recommended if you want your finish intact. For the few scratches and gouges, I filled them with Bondo, and sanded them smooth.
Paint Color Choice
I thought it would be fun to let someone else choose the color, so I posted the dresser to my Facebook page, and asked people to vote based on the Dixie Belle color chart. The votes were all over the map, so I put them in a basket, and drew one out.
Dixie Belle Blue! Now I had a Dixie manufactured dresser being painted in Dixie Belle brand paint, in a color called Dixie Blue. All the Dixies!
Painted Furniture How To
First, I painted everything in one coat of paint, including the interior drawers. Then I wanted to create a more artistic finish, something you can’t find in a furniture store. Because, after all, that is the value of a hand painted piece. Using brown wax, I filled in the recessed areas to create more depth. You can see those shadowed areas around each drawer, in the door panels, and inside the fluting.
I used a small artist’s brush to get into those areas, and then rubbed it off and blurred it out with a microfiber cloth. To highlight the raised areas, I used Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax! in white. I used a microfiber cloth to both apply it and rub it off.
It was not a very nice weather day when my husband and I hefted this piece out to our driveway to stage and photograph it, but we managed to find enough daylight to show off the brilliant blue color.
Before & After Dresser
Here’s another look at this transformation. This piece could be used as a buffet, a changing table, an entry table or a dresser. I wish I had a place for it myself! But since I didn’t, I sold it to a wonderful lady who has become a favorite repeat client.
If you love this dresser, check out these other dresser projects too!
Resource List:
(These are affiliate links for which I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)
- Dresser (thrifted)
- Dixie Belle blue
- Synthetic brush (large round)
- Brown wax
- White wax
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