Dresser Set Makeover with Kilz Chalk Paint

Yes this is a dresser set makeover. You only see this one pictured due to the size of the room I’m working in. This set includes this highboy, a women’s dresser which is low and long and includes a large mirror and a nightstand.  The set is in very good condition and has been used in our house for years. I decided to makeover our master bedroom and we  found our two dressers that we know have in our room on Facebook Marketplace. We both wanted bigger dressers so I took the opportunity to make this set over in hopes to sell it.

 

Thankfully no major cleaning was needed. I removed the hardware and took out the drawer liners. You would think this part would be easy.

I don’t remember where I purchased this contact paper but removing it was the most time consuming part of this makeover. After I thoroughly cleaned the rest of the dresser with a mixture of warm water, a drop of dish soap and some white vinegar, I came back to the contact paper. It was just STUCK! I ended up soaking it with a rag and the cleaning mixture until it loosened up enough to scrape off.  It worked but left some of the drawers a little rough on the bottom. I lightly sanded them to smooth them back down. When the painting is finished I will be relining the drawers with fabric.

For the few repairs needed before painting, I used Minwax Wood Filler and a small scraper. This filler dries very quickly. I sanded away any raised parts with 220 grit sandpaper and wiped the dresser down with a tack cloth before painting.

I had a lot of this Kilz Chalk Paint left from my husbands dresser makeover and decided to use it again on this set. The color is Platinum Ring. It’s a nice neutral color that will blend with any room color it may be placed in.  I also chose to use this chalk paint brush I found at the hardware store. It’s not a big name brand brush but I liked the application and it enabled me to apply the paint quickly.

This was how the surface looked after one coat. 

I ended up applying three coats of paint. I wanted the insurance of full coverage because of the reddish color on this piece needing to be covered.

The image above shows the very light distressing I did with a 220 grit sanding block. I then wiped all the dust off with a slightly damp cloth and then a final go over with a piece of tack cloth.

I used Behr Decorative Finish Wax in Clear as my topcoat.

To apply the wax into the details and into corners I used this project brush I purchased at the hardware store.

On the rest of the piece I rubbed the wax in with a lint free cloth and wiped the excess away with another cloth.  After 24 hours, the time recommended on the wax, I came back in with another clean cloth and buffed to a satin finish. 

I let the hardware soak in a mixture of white vinegar and water for a couple days to loosen the grime. Then I took a toothbrush and scrubbed and rinsed them off as much as I could with water.

I was thrilled to see the beautiful metal after a good second scrub with a scouring pad. Unfortunately those pieces on either end of the hardware are plastic and gross and looked terrible.

I opted to spray paint all the hardware a matte black. 

Here it is with the hardware reattached, simply staged and waiting for the rest of the set to be completed:)

Next up is the sister piece! I was so excited to be getting this project underway I forgot to take a picture before I had removed the hardware:)

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

♥ Roni