Are you like me? Do you have heart palpitations when you see this sign as you drive down the road?
I was alerted to a “free” dresser recently. It was the kind of free you would expect to see. MDF dresser, maybe a little wobbly. It wasn’t too pretty, but it wasn’t too ugly either. It just needed some Redoux love.
I removed the hardware, which was your standard ho-hum stuff. The dresser bottom had a contemporary line on the bottom piece and I wanted to completely change the look. I added a piece of thin Luon to cover it up for starters. I of course added a piece of MDF on the bottom and the casters I had from some other project. I like things to roll along…..
Here is the almost before, I got a little excited and just jumped in as usual…
I needed some detail to hide the Luon and pretty up the front. I added a piece of trim, cut down from a leftover “Free to Me” headboard. Some of it is on top of my bookshelf too. You can read about that HERE. 
I secured this with Gorilla Wood Glue and Wood Screws. This will add more stability to my rolling project as well.
I wasn’t fond of the original hardware, but I wanted to see how much of the piece could be revamped using dumpster dives and free to me’s. I found this hardware on these old cabinets (I found behind a discounted furniture store way back when)
The previous owner had painted the pulls in 1000 coats of Industrial Blue Paint, I soaked them overnight in a Crockpot of warm water. The latex paint peeled right off in the morning. This is the easiest method for removing paint from hardware and hinges.
I sprayed them out with Aluminum Spray paint, then used Modern Masters Tobacco Brown colorant to give them an aged feel. I order my Modern Masters products from Annette Shepard. You can contact Annette HERE through her website.
The holes were too far apart from the original holes. To fill old holes, use a piece of painters tape on the back, then fill the holes with wood filler or I just use Dry Dek spackling. To accurately drill new holes, rub the back of the hardware with chalk. Position the hardware on your drawer where the holes need to be drilled. The chalk marks the exact spot to drill. This is completely fool proof. Even for moi!
For the finish, I used CeCe Caldwell’s Vermont Slate on my first layer. Since this paint is super bonding to any surface, I didn’t have to do any sanding, priming, prep, just started painting. I put a layer of clear glaze on next. I wanted the paint to “resist” a bit, and the glaze did just the trick. For the 2nd color, I used thinned with water CeCe Seattle Mist. I went over these two colors with Martha Stewarts Gold Glaze. While the glaze was still wet, I spritzed the entire piece thoroughly with denatured alcohol. This produces this “mottled” effect. I wanted the piece to look genuinely old.
I sealed the entire piece with CeCe Caldwell’s 100% natural Clear Wax and buffed it until it was as soft as silk. I had planned to sell it at last weekend’s Paris Flea Market, but a friend came over before, and bought it on the spot!
Thanks for rolling along with my project today. Don’t pass up those “Freebies” just because you don’t like the lines on it. These pieces can be “SAVED”! Often with only a little effort and imagination.
Rolling my project over to these lovely parties:
Monday:
Wednesday:
 |
Love it! I belueve you could take just about any old thing and make it fabulous. I never tire reading of your “trashy” adventures! – Desiree
OMG, when WILL you stop impressing me? Never. When will I quit learning from you? Never. I aspire to be as creative as you are. I’ve tried a couple of curb side finds and I’m enjoying myself. Thank you for your step by step processes. I am finding my way, slowly to this upcycle way of life and now my sister is trying her hand at some of her own furniture. Personally, I like the challenge of Texas Trash, but new purchases of furniture are fun too.
Woman, you are an artist! Another one for my Painting Furniture file. Most of the posts are yours, of course! Almost everything that I know about “redouxing” is from you! Thanks so much!!
P.S. All that I scored today was another chair. But Thursday is usually my BIG day for junkin. Last week I had to unload the car after the first 10 minutes.
You’re the best in Revamping furniture. Wow, sometimes I can “see” it and go for it, but you “see” something in everything you find! Feels good to be creative, right?
Hard to believe that’s the same piece. Wheels are a must for me anymore, and I’ll be on the lookout at every garage sale when the season starts.
Bliss
Totally love the free stuff! I’ve picked up broken ugly cabinet doors just to pull the hardware off.
Free stuff can show up at any time, but twice a year in our town we have a city-wide clean up and the spring clean up is coming soon. You would swoon at some of the treasures! Besides that, we’re a college town, and those crazy college kids will move out and leave everything that won’t fit in the car on the curb when they leave town at the end of the semester.
I need to update the categories on my blog and will be adding a Free category of my own.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Jan
Love it, love it!
Great save.. free is always good and you
did a wonderful job on this piece!
Sandy
Yes! Yes! Love free and discombobulated and ripe with possibilities. Not surprised it sold instantly! — And now, A NOTE: A while back, I received the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. While I acknowledged the award, I failed to notify the bloggers I selected to be the next recipients. Please accept my apology and the overdue award. You can find acceptance rules (if you choose to participate) at the bottom of the February 16 special edition of my Weekend Highlights (at Granny’s Parlour), which will feature the 15 award recipients I have selected. Thank you for being part of this blogosphere!
What a great transformation. I agree….don’t give up on the ugly ducklings, there’s always hope:-) Thanks for sharing.
fun makeover! I love freebies!
really liking the color.
gail