I’m so excited to share my vintage grey dresser makeover with you! But first, let me tell you a bit about my day.
It started with a heated discussion with the unnamed child. She wanted to wear a pair of shorts to school that she had worn last summer. The only problem was that she had grown, and the shorts had not. Yes, I did understand that they went perfectly with her shirt. But they were just a little too hoochy, and she just didn’t see that.
After 20 minutes of “discussing” she finally changed, and I got to hear lots of stomping around … and the car door happened to shut just a little too loudly when I dropped her off (probably just the wind).
We have had battles over her wardrobe since she was three years old. I remember her getting ready for kindergarten one day, and she had these wooden clogs that she was obsessed with. She had to wear them to school, and we fought and fought over them, and I kept telling her they weren’t appropriate for school. In the end, I had to go to work and she won out.
Right as we pulled up in front of the school, one of the boys in her class did also. Both of them got out of the car at the same time. They looked at each other and locked eyes, each with that glint of competitiveness.
Uh oh.
They started to race each other down the sidewalk to the building.
Nooooooooo!!! Don’t ruuuuuun in your woooooddeeeenn clooogggssss!!! I yelled.
But of course it was too late. Who would’ve thought that wooden clogs weren’t meant for sprints? Oh yeah … EVERY MOM!
So, she wiped out and ripped both of her knee caps off, and then laid there in front of the school bleeding. And crying.
I had to carry her bloodied body into the nurse’s station, where the principle, the nurse and several other teachers all gave me the look of what-mother-would-let-their-kindergartener-wear-clogs-to-school look.
If these people only knew that only an hour ago, she had also had on a formal dress with those clogs … At least I had won half the battle.
I didn’t think explaining that would help the situation though.
10 band aids later, and 20 minutes late to work, I felt like the world’s worst parent.
10 years later, I am now arguing over how low a shirt comes down or how high her shorts come up.
How things change. Sigh!
Speaking of how things change, this dresser changed in a good way! This piece belongs to my client, who I also did the chair, desk, and nightstand for.
It was pretty dated, and horrible looking, in the beginning. I painted it with many coats of grey chalkpaint. Getting into all the grooves took some serious time, and the only thing that took longer was distressing all of those grooves.
I painted the inside of the drawers yellow to add a little pop, repainted the hardware black, and gave it several coats of clear wax.
I love the way it turned out and hopefully my client will too!
Before:
After:
Vintage Grey Dresser
Sandra says
This piece is beautiful. Awesome job.
Lori @Vintage Charm Restored says
Oh how familiar this story sounds… Only my daughter wanted to wear hello kitty platforms to kinder way back when and now the shorts yes are oh too short because they are her favorite from 2 years ago and although she is sadly short, in her opinion, she has grown and no the shorts did not either. This was my day a couple of days ago…. Dresser is beautiful by the way!!
betsy@bebetsy.com says
Great story about your daughter…. these are the times that try our souls. Love what you did with the dresser. Really cool! Come share on our Brag About It link party. Open Tuesdays – Fridays
Thanks! Sharon and Denise
BeBetsy
Christy says
Oh my! I cant take my eyes off that dresser!!! That is absolutely gorgeous!! You did an amazing job.
Shanna says
Thank you so much Christy! I was really happy with the way it turned out!
Teresa Bishop says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the dresser!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 t
Shanna says
Oh Teresa I’m so glad!
Amy @ StowandTellU says
Children, what would we do without them? Having a son rather than a daughter I seem to have different types of challenges, but Oh, how I can relate! The dresser is just fabulous!! I love it! ~ Amy
Jenny says
Beautiful;) It looks fabulous!!
Holly says
Great story…and it looks great!
Shanna says
Thank you Holly!
Kristen says
That is amazing! It’s a completely different piece! Must have been a lot of work with all the distressing–what did you use for distressing on those small parts? Last time I did something with distressing I used nail files… but they get caked up with wax so quickly!
-Kristen | A Thrifter in Disguise
Shanna says
Thanks Kristen! I just tore off little pieces of sandpaper and did it that way. I totally sanded off all of the skin on my fingers and all of my finger nails off but oh well. I don’t ever wax until I am finished distressing. Have a great week!
Terri says
Wow! I am so impressed with your dresser. It is huge! And I know that you worked very hard to do those intricate doors! I can only image how much your arms ached when you were done. But it looks amazing! Really. You took it from awful to awesome!
Hugs,
Terri
Robin says
What a beautiful dresser. I would love to have something this big to store my clothes – Your daughter is a lucky girl. Thanks for coming by and partying with us. Have a funtastic week!
Robin
Fluster Buster
Rosey says
That would have intimidated me beyond belief. You did a marvelous job with it!
I’m visiting today from Thursday’s Favorite Things. 🙂
Shanna says
Thank you Rosey! I hope you come back again!
Sharon says
Wow, you really changed the look and feel of this piece of furniture. It looks so fresh and modern. It’s amazing what paint can do! And you’re so good at seeing furniture for it’s potential.
Shanna says
Awww, thank you Sharon! Thank you for all you do for us tribers! It is very much appreciated!
Recreateanddecorate says
omgoodness that totally changed the look. What an awesome piece of furniture!
Shanna says
Thank you so much!
Heather says
I love how bright it is! Makes it looks so much larger too. Great job! I’m visiting from the Designed Decor link up party. I’d love for you to add our Monday night link up to your list above! It’s called Moonlight & Mason Jars Monday and I co-host with 4 other bloggers. We’d love for you to share your projects with us every week. Have a great weekend!
Shanna says
Thanks Heather! I will definitely come and link up!
Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. says
You gave this piece a whole new life!
Shanna says
Thanks Sharon!
Suzie @ Dorothy Sue and Millie B's too says
Wow… this started out so ugly… and you created a BEAUTY!!! I love it… I especially love the black hardware…it really pops! Great job!
Stopping by today from Dorothy Sue and Millie B’s too…
Shanna says
Thanks Suzie! It was an ugly monster in the beginning!
Kathy says
I was just playing, ‘remember when…’ with my daughter today – amazing how these lessons happen to us and to our children – the struggles and much later on they appreciate your council. It will happen! Our Son told us,
‘now I know why you always said…’ It happens to us all. I love this transformation – don’t you just love what paint can do to a piece of furniture. I do appreciate you sharing with A Return to Loveliness,
Kathy
Shanna says
Thanks Kathy! I am counting down the days to the “Mom, I appreciate all you did for me” conversation. Right now I just get “stay out of my life!”
Stacey says
Very pretty. And I hear you on the clothing battles. Sounds like my Emma who is so strong-willed!
Stay strong Mom. They will thank us later :O)
And I remember those clogs!
Cool!
Thanks for sharing!
Stacey
Shanna says
Thanks Stacey! I am hoping they will thank us, but right now I would like an exact date of when that will be! Thanks for hosting!
Clydia @ THREE MANGO SEEDS says
Shanna — love the pop of yellow, so unexpected but gorgeous! Thanks for linking up! Shared via G+. xoxo
Shanna says
Thanks Clydia! And that is why I love you!
Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above says
Thanks so much for sharing with Adorned From Above’s Blog Hop 55. We can’t wait to see what you have for us this week. This weeks party is live.
Have a great week.
Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above
http://www.adornedfromabove.com
Carrie @ My Favorite Finds says
I love the dresser! The color combination is fab! Thanks for sharing at Pinworthy Projects.
Shanna says
Thanks so much Carrie!Thanks for hosting!
Kerryanne @ Shabby Art Boutique says
What an amazing transformation! Thank you for sharing this at Shabbilicious Friday.
DeDe@DesignedDecor says
Shanna, I wanted to let you know I am featuring this from my month end link party! I love the yellow from the inside of the drawers!
Lindsey@BetterAfter says
Seriously beautiful! I can’t imagine the time it took to paint and distress that thing, wow! I feel you on the story, my daughter once wore her Little Mermaid swimsuit for what felt like an entire year.
Shanna says
Thanks so much Lindsey!
Karen says
This piece is so beautiful! You mentioned it was smelly, how did you get the smell out??? I have a piece I’m waiting to do once I recover from surgery and it has a terrible perfume smell in all the drawers!!! How can I get rid if it??? thanks
Shanna says
Thanks Karen! I try different things. Sometimes I wipe the inside of the piece down with a vinegar water mixture, sometimes I put dryer sheets inside and one time I just put the little Scentsy beads inside and let it sit for a couple of days.