Dressing Table Makeover

Things are starting to get back to normal around here.  After a long bout with vertigo, followed by a virus, this gal is ready to get back to her projects.  I'm waaay behind, but I've been meaning to share this project for a while, so grab your favorite beverage and settle-in for this makeover.
Last August my husband asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday.  My answer?  Go to the ReStore!  We weren't in the door for 2 minutes when I spotted this dressing table - something I've always wanted!  
Happy Birthday to Me.....everything was there:  the wheels, hardware, the mirror, and it wasn't in bad shape at all.  It came home with me and the makeover began. 
The mirror didn't need any work at all, even the silver was good.  
A bit of cleaning with Murphy's Oil Soap and it was done.
I fell in love with the details:

The mirror took about 15 minutes to be done, so I set it aside and got to work on the rest.  
The top had some damage:
In addition to scratches, there were marks from bottles and/or glasses sitting on it.  I used Citristrip to strip off the finish and then some fine sandpaper.  All of the damage came off and I finished it with several coats of tung oil.
The drawers were another story.  The pulls had come loose and were spinning around, carving themselves into the wood.
The outer edges were in good shape, so I taped them off and gave the centers a sanding.
The marks were not going away, so it was time  for Plan B.  I decoupaged napkins on them and touched-up the black paint in the carved edge.
For a tutorial on how I decoupage furniture, click HERE.  
With the mirror, top, and drawers all done, it was time to look at the body of the dressing table.  The front and sides were in pretty good shape, so I gave them a good cleaning and some tung oil. The grooves that were cut into the front were painted black to match the drawers.
The legs were another story.  They were chipped, scratched and a funny gold/orange color.  I knew I couldn't live with that.


My first plan was to strip them, thinking they'd turn out like the top did.  No such luck.  I was looking at poplar.  Poplar is an inexpensive hardwood that is notorious for being 'blotchy' when stained.  I knew they wouldn't look anything like the top, so, once again, Plan B.  I decided to paint them black (chalk paint) to match the grooves on the upper legs and drawers.  I added some gold paint to match the 'gold' drawer pulls and sealed them with polycrylic.
All of the hardware was polished with metal polish and reattached to the drawers.
My antique dressing table was done and just in time.  The nights were getting cooler and I was getting tired of bringing it from the back porch into the kitchen each night!
I saved as much of the wood as possible, while making it into a piece that blended in with the other bedroom furniture I've made over. The only thing that was missing, was a chair or bench.  Have no fear....I found one that fits perfectly!  I'm waiting for the weather to warm up so I can strip the old paint off of it.  Rest assured, that will be a future post.  
To see the new bench, click HERE.
I'm so glad you stopped by and if you'd like to see the other pieces of furniture I have in the bedroom, here are the links:

Comments

  1. WOWZA!!! This piece came out looking fantastic!!! I love how it came out!! Amazing!!
    Great job!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  2. beautiful! those sleek black legs are a fancy touch!

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    1. Thank you, Audra. I'm so glad you like the legs...it took me a while to figure them out! Thank you for stopping by...

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  3. What an outstanding piece! I love what you did to it.

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    1. Thank you, Kim. I've been looking for one for a long time!

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  4. That turned out beautiful. Great job!!!

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    1. Thank you, Beverly. So glad you stopped by!

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  5. Beautiful makeover! Vintage, but with a new life!
    Happy spring,
    Kippi #kippiathome

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    1. Thank you, Kippi. I love your description!

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  6. Beautiful! You've given me some ideas for a makeover for my similar vanity.

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    1. I'm so happy that I've inspired you, Pinky. I hope you'll share your vanity when it's done!

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  7. Beautiful job! I love the possibilities in our local ReStore!

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    1. Thank you, Kathy. The Restore certainly is a great place to shop!

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  8. Such a great makeover! I am a sucker for wooden casters on anything - great find! The decoupage was a great way to mask the marks on the drawers! So smart!!

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    1. Thank you, Cindy. I love wooden casters too! So glad you stopped by....

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  9. That’s gorgeous. I also love how you put a picture of yourself in there, and the way you tell a story! The black legs and gold trim look great! Dropping in from Funtastic Friday.

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    1. Thank you, Kristie. I'm so glad you liked the story and the legs. They were a challenge!

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  10. It turned out beautifully. I think the top of the table and the legs are just stunning. Thanks for sharing on Sunday's Best.

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    1. Thank you, Rhonda. I appreciate your sweet thoughts!

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  11. Ann, you did a LOVELY job, and love your "Plan Bs"... they all worked out great! Thanks for sharing at Homestyle Gathering!

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    1. Thank you, Julie. So glad you like my 'plans', since things never seem to work out quite as planned when it comes to diy!

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  12. What a lovely piece you ended up with! I love it!

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    1. I love it too! Thank you for stopping by...

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  13. Congrats, Ann-- I've chosen your project to be featured at tomorrow morning's Vintage Charm Party. Drop by and check it out. Congrats again! xo Kathleen

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    1. Thank you so much, Kathleen. I'm honored!

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  14. What a fabulous makeover! I love it! We have a Restore just down the road from us, and I love going in to see what they have on any given day. Your piece turned out gorgeous, even though you had to use Plan B a couple of times. Thanks so much for sharing at Sweet Inspiration!

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    1. The ReStore is a great place for bargains. I wish I had one closer, like you, Amy. "Plan B's" seem to be by norm, mostly because you never can tell what old furniture has in store for you. Thank you so much for stopping by!

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  15. It looks really pretty. I was wondering whether larger pulls would have covered the turn marks.

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    1. They may have, Dorothy, but I wanted to keep the original hardware.

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  16. OOOOOOHHHHHH, Absolutely beautiful. I am so glad you kept the original hardware.

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    1. Thank you, Carol. I always try to use the hardware that came with the piece.

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  17. It is beautiful. you did a wonderful job.

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  18. I'm curious as to what you cleaned the hardware with. I tend to run across a lot of jewelry issues and am always looking for the best "fix." Right now, it is a combination of cleaners and polishers.

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    1. I used metal polish made by Weiman. It's for all types of metal and we've had it forever. I also use it to polish silver.
      Thanks for asking!

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