Hi Everyone! Life here has returned to normal since the return of my husband from his deployment. I almost forgot what it was like to have a second set of hands to help around the house, and with the stack of projects piling up in my garage. As busy as I have been the last few months, a lot of the projects that need more work than the standard sanding and minor repairs have sadly been shifted to my “honey-do’s” list.
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This little chest I got from another Facebook garage sale site was an easy project though. I bought it from a nice lady who moved here from Germany and said this chest had been in her family for 40 plus years.
The Prep
I didn’t have much to repair on this one. The bottom detail was previously veneer, but because there was chipping I just used a scraper and a hammer to get the remaining pieces off.
I always sand my pieces even if they are in perfect condition. Paint needs something to stick to, so it’s important to at least scuff the surface. I used 180 grit sandpaper and my orbital sander to take care of the minor scratches. Then I finished off with 220 grit to even out the surface.
For the top, I stripped the previous veneer using Citristrip. I wanted to go for a more natural look, so removing the stain was also important. Then I sanded with 220 grit to ensure any open grain or scratches were also removed.
The Finish
Personally, the French Provincial style of furniture isn’t quite my taste. That doesn’t mean I don’t like the dainty look, and the many possibilities it has, especially depending on the future owner. So I went with a classic look on this piece because I wanted it to suit many tastes and many styles by blending in and remaining neutral.
I chose General Finishes Milk Paint in “Linen” as the base color. Its a littler darker than the Antique White from the same line, but with a bit more of a cream base. It reminds me a lot of the color of a painter’s drop cloth.
After a very light distressing, I sealed it with three coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin.
The Natural Top
As I mentioned above, I wanted to keep the top a natural color. After stripping and sanding, the only thing left to do was clean any remaining residue from the stripper with Mineral Spirits. Aside from removing any residue, another great reason to clean your bare wood with mineral spirits is to see what the quality of the wood is when hydrated with stain or sealer. It gives you the opportunity to really see what your wood will look like, if you need to sand some more, or decide on stain.
I loved the natural tone of the wood so I decided to apply two coats of Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane in Satin. Oil Based poly is so much more durable once fully cured, and since I assumed the top would be getting some use, I wanted to make sure it was well protected.
The Hardware
Hardware is always one of my favorite things to customize on furniture. And it’s so interchangeable, you can swap out whenever you want something more rustic or industrial, or retro. Whatever your heart desires. But French Provincial hardware is specifically built for French Provincial furniture. It’s safe to say that this hardware wouldn’t fit any other piece, just because anyone with some furniture background would know these pulls are designed for one type of furniture.
The good thing about keeping original hardware on a pieces, is that it can be painted. The previous brass look of these pulls was way too dated. So I spray painted them with Rustoleum’s Universal Metallic Spray Paint in Oil Rubbed Bronze. It’s still a classic look with a bit of modern metallic twist.
Drawer Candy
Drawer liner is another fun way to customize a dresser. Depending on how it is attached, it can also be interchangeable. For this piece specifically, I used some leftover wall paper I picked up at a thrift store for 99 cents. I never skip over the paper goods section because even though this design might seem dated for a wall (its probably coming back into style for the shabby chic and french country lovers), it’s perfect for this piece to dress up it’s drawers. After all, style just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
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Beautiful work! Do you find that the Linen shade pulls yellow? I’m considering it for my nursery furniture but my accent color is yellow. I wouldn’t want it to clash too much!
Hi Erin! It’s definitely a creamy tan color and those tend to lean towards a warmer cast. I’d probably go with an antique white or bright white if you don’t want clashing.