• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
The Accent Piece

The Accent Piece

The Accent Piece is a blog about simplifying projects for the home like DIY furniture builds, painting projects, home decor, and tips on new home construction.

  • Home
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Project Gallery
    • DIY Home Projects
    • DIY Furniture
    • Building Basics
    • Painting Tips and Tricks
    • New Home Building and Construction
    • Web Stories
  • About
  • Contact
    • Send Suzie a Message
    • Brands & Collaborations
  • Subscribe

by Suzie August 25, 2012

Back in the swing of things: A furniture re-do

It’s been awhile since I have re-finished a piece of furniture and it feels oh so good to get back into it.  I got this piece a looong time ago.  And by long time ago I mean its-been-a-year-because-I-couldn’t-decide-what-to-do-with-it-and-its-been-staring-at-me-ever-since.  Consider ‘Project: Clean Out the Garage’ in full swing.

And It only took me a year to get to it! At this rate we should have a clean garage sometime before year 2792. Stay tuned!

-sigh-

This is the only before picture I could find.  The poor guy was an ugly green, had a warped top, peeling veneer, and was falling apart structurally.

I started trying to scrape off the existing veneer but eventually I decided that even if I could scrape it all off, it would still be warped and in pretty bad shape.  So I just decided to take the top off and make a new one.

I bought a couple 1×6 boards and cut them to size for the top.

I joined them with braces and wood glue.

Then we flipped the dresser over and attached the top from the inside of the dresser so we wouldn’t see the screws.

See that stripper in the window?

…wait, what?

No seriously. This sat like this for a couple months before Jon pointed out the humor in it.

The conversation went something like this:

me: “Can you hand me the stripper please?”
Jon: “Sure, where is it?”
me: “In the window.”
Jon: “Seriously? You’re joking right?”
me. “why would I joke about the stripper in the win….ooooohhhhhh”

I had big plans for this dresser.  I had envisioned stripping it down to the natural wood, re-staining it, and having a beautiful natural wood piece.

After stripping it 5 times, this was as nekked as it was gonna get.

I ended up painting it a color I had on hand.  It is a gray/blue mis-tint that I got from the Habitat for Humanity Re-store. After the first coat, I decided on a non-distressed, smooth finish. Then, I put the drawers in.  After one pull, it scratched the paint on the sides off.  Welp, guess I’m going with a distressed look.  Heeeeeere’s your sign.

I stained the top with a couple coats of English Chestnut (find it here) and sealed it with this poly in semi-gloss.

 

The hardware on the bottom two drawers is original with the piece.  I had to buy hardware for the top two drawers, so I bought some that I thought went with the original ones.

It still has the original wooden casters.  And I love love love them.  I’m gonna hug them and squeeze them and call them George. (name that movie)

I painted the key holes white to tie in the white hardware.

I think this piece would look super cute in a kid’s room. Since we don’t have kids yet, someone with kids should come get this.  Just sayin.

So this piece went from being stripped to the natural wood, which changed to a smooth painted finish, which changed to painted and distressed. Just gotta go with the flow sometimes I guess!

Category: DIY Home Projects, Painting & Finishing Tips

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

Want more ideas? Subscribe below to receive projects, free plans, and tutorials to your inbox!

Previous Post:How to Build a Raised Wooden Garden Planter Box with Legs
Next Post:Wisteria-Inspired Tufted Bench

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. cassie

    August 28, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    what a difference! the top is gorgeous! welcome back! 😉

  2. [email protected]

    August 28, 2012 at 3:39 pm

    The top of that dresser is absolutely gorgeous! You did a phenomenal job! 🙂

  3. Denise

    August 28, 2012 at 9:42 pm

    Love the dresser! Such pretty lines and the new top looks perfect!

    • The Accent Piece

      September 25, 2012 at 8:25 pm

      Thank you!

  4. Theresa McCabe

    August 29, 2012 at 10:32 am

    This is amazing! I love that you just made a new top for it, great idea and great work!

    • The Accent Piece

      September 25, 2012 at 8:25 pm

      Thanks Theresa!

  5. Tara

    August 30, 2012 at 10:19 pm

    It looks great distressed, definitely a good sign you received 😉

    • The Accent Piece

      September 25, 2012 at 8:25 pm

      Haha, yep didn’t leave me much of an option 🙂

  6. Christie

    September 2, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    So glad you found your mojo to finish this super cute dresser! Would love for you to share over at my linky party, My Monday Muse, tomorrow!
    Hope to see you there!
    Christie

  7. Forrest

    September 12, 2014 at 10:25 am

    Finally i quit my day job, now i earn a lot of money on-line you should try too, just
    search in google – slabs roulette system

Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Suzie! I’m a self-taught woodworker, DIY enthusiast, house-to-home transformer, endlessly curious maker, mom and wife. Building and making is my passion. Creating a home with my own two hands is my jam!
Read More

Subscribe to Follow Along

Looking for something?

DIY Upholstered Sitting Bench: Free Plans

finished square wood coffee table

4 Simple Steps to Building a Large Square Coffee Table

finished shoe storage bench

Plans for Mudroom Bench DIY: Shoe Storage Drawers

how to make Hall tree with bench and drawer finished

DIY Mudroom Bench with Upper Cabinet and Hooks: Free Plans

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Privacy Policy · Disclosure · Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2023 · The Accent Piece · All Rights Reserved