At the end of last summer, we came across and purchased this old and neglected dresser from a local farmyard sale for $5. We figured all it needed was a little upcycle lovin’ from us and it would be beautiful once more. This was the same sale that we found a beautiful old window frame which we cleaned up and shared in these previous posts: “A Rustic Repurposed Window Frame” and “New Use for a Treasured Yardsale Find“.
So when we heard about the opportunity to work with wood AND paints for March’s #12MonthsofDIY challenge, we knew exactly what we were going to do. For this creative challenge, each of 12 Canadian bloggers use the same material each month to create an inspiring DIY or craft project. In case you missed it, you can check out all of last month’s projects using fabric from OnlineFabricStore.net including our DIY Linen Napkins and Nautical Cable Napkin Rings.
We’re very excited to have Fusion Mineral Paints as the sponsor for this month’s challenge. Out of 24 gorgeous, rich colours we were able to select three (it was a hard choice!) and we picked these beachy, coastal-inspired ones: Cathedral Taupe, Champness and Bedford. Fusion mineral-based paints are a durable premixed paint line with a built-in primer perfect for any painting needs. The website was easy to use, fast and well organized and jam-packed full of great how-to tips and tutorials.
To recreate your own coastal-inspired dresser, you will need:
- An old dresser
- Fusion Mineral Paints – Cathedral Taupe, Champness, Bedford
- Small rollers (x3) and paint trays
- Alphabet paper stencils – 4” (such as Craft Smart brand from Michaels)
- Decorative drawer knobs like these sweet metal-clad iron bird drawer pulls
- Drill and appropriate sized drill bit
Our dresser needed a good cleaning before we could begin the transformation. With a warm damp cloth we removed all dirt and dust from the dresser. We removed the old and ugly drawer pulls and wood filled the holes. The dresser had a thick layer of paint on it that we sanded down as best we could to ensure the surface was smooth to paint on. Since we appreciate a good rustic piece, we embraced all the nicks that have accumulated over time on the dresser.
(You know how sometimes you have a vision for a project, but the outcome ends up quite different? Well, we had originally painted the dresser a moss green colour first and planned to sand the edges after a second coat of lighter (white/cream) was added, with the goal of the moss edges peeking through. But the coats of Fusion Mineral Pain looked so nice we decided to keep the sanding off to a minimum!)
Before we started painting with the Fusion Mineral Paints, we gave the containers a good shake to mix up the pigments that had settled to the bottom. We poured some into our paint tray starting with the cathedral taupe as the main dresser colour. With a small roller we applied a good amount of paint onto the surface with long thick strokes. Next, we painted the drawer fronts alternating with the Bedford and Champness colours. We found there to be fantastic coverage with the Fusion Mineral Paints even with all the nicks and dents in the dresser! Fusion Mineral Paints recommends 24 hours dry time in between coats of paint. Once dry, we sanded the edges of the dresser to bring back some of the rustic feel.
Since we planned to keep this dresser at our cottage, we stenciled the drawer fronts with “LAUGH”, RELAX”, “UNWIND”, and “ENJOY” to hopefully remind and inspire us to do just that. We used 4” paper stencils we bought from Michaels with a handy 50% off coupon and centered them onto the drawer fronts. Using a paintbrush and the Cathedral Taupe paint colour, we applied the wording onto the drawers using a thin coat and applying evenly. We made sure to remove the stencil before the paint completely dried to avoid peeling. For the drawers which were painted with the Bedford colour, we stenciled the letters on with Champness instead.
Lastly, we updated the dresser with these beautiful teal and gold accented ceramic drawer knobs we bought from the Hive, a local boutique in Bayfield specialized in vintage-inspired, Canadian-designed or made, upcycled or hand-crafted products. Now that’s our kind of store! Needless to say if you are ever in the area, you must check them out!
We marked the center of each drawer and using an appropriately sized drill bit, drilled a hole through the drawer front. Finally we added the lovely knobs!
We love how this upcycled farmhouse dresser turned out. You can check out all the amazing things our fellow #12MonthsofDIY co-hosts created with wood and Fusion Mineral Paints this months by clicking through the links below.
Now it’s time to see the rest of the DIY fabric project ideas from my Canadian blogging friends.
From the top left, they are:
Wood Slice Art from Vin’yet Etc.
Ikea Bedside Table Revamp from PMQ for Two
Painting Wood Furniture from Fresh Crush
Easy Wooden Table Makeover from Woman in Real Life
Wooden Rocking Horse Upcycle from Mommyzoid
Metallic Painted Nightstand from New House New Home
Industrial Side Table from Love Create Celebrate
Wood Coffee Table Tray Gets New Makeover from Time with Thea
Paint Dipped Frame from Brooklyn Berry Designs
Giant Reclaimed Wooden Clock from an Electrical Reel from The DIY Mommy
Beach Inspired Farmhouse Dresser Upcycle from Sustain My Craft Habit
Twig Houses from Life is a Party
How have you been inspired by a piece of furniture?
“Some of the materials used in this post were provided to us free of charge from Fusion Mineral Paints. All opinions expressed are our own: we wouldn’t be collaborating with this company if we didn’t feel that they provide value to our readers. Also, this post contains affiliate links which means if you buy any products through these links – at no additional cost to you – we make a small commission. ”