My husband has made this simple design for friends when needing homeschool or work from home desks. It's a super simple design - check out my other blog post about this design. 

This time we painted the legs using Dixie Belle's Dropcloth and then stained the top w General Finishes Espresso. So Pretty!

Cost for Materials: $25 
Sold on Marketplace $70 

This little girl was screaming for someone to love her! This real wood piece was a Marketplace steal for $20. 

I wish I could keep her but as my mother-in-law recently said "Celia, you have all windows and no walls in your house"! She couldn't be more right about that. 

Body: 

• I started with cleaning this piece with Dixie Belle's White Lightening which is a tsp based cleaner that is powerful enough to get rid of grime, years of oils, and general yuck. 
• I was worried about paint sticking to the pieces behind the "X's" so I applied an all over coat of Dixie Belle's Slick Stick. Slick Stick gives the paint something to stick to. I let the primer stick for a couple of hours to make sure she was dry. 
• I selected General Finishes Limestone which is described as a tan grey color. I used 2 solid coats and then a 3rd coat for touch ups. 
• When the paint was dry, I sealed the body with General Finishes Flat Top Coat. I like using Flat when wanting to add wax to help the details pop. The Top Coat isn't slippery enough that the wax would wipe right off. 
• I used Dixie Belle's Brown Wax to add some interest to the lines of the woodworking on the cabinet's body. I let dry for 1-2 days. 
• I then sealed with 2 coats General Finishes Semi-Gloss Top Coat. 

Inside: 

• Because the buffet is dark on the inside I was worried about items getting lost easily. So I decided to lay a lighter sticky back liner to the shelf. 
• And to add some fun for the near-Fall season, I added a teracotta paint color. 
• I finished with 2 coats of General Finishes Semi-Gloss. 

Hardware: 

• At first I sprayed w Rustoleum Rose Gold but it was too feminine for the piece. 
• I settled on Rustoleium's Satin Bronze and think it's perfect. 

Top: 

• The top wasn't in the best of shape to refinish and I didn't think it would give me the look I wanted. So, I also applied a coat of Dixie Belle's Slick Stick. 
• I then added 2 coats of Dixie Belle's Putty Chalk Paint. 
• I then used a chip brush and dipped it half way using Dixie Belle's Chocolate. I used a shop towel to wipe back a lot of the paint. I then dragged the brush across the complete top. Immediately I added some smudges and lines to replicate wood grain. 
• When dry, I added one coat of General Finishes Nutmeg which is oil based. I planned to add another coat but the dry time is 72 hours and while waiting, I really liked the 1 coat finish. 
• I sealed with 2 coats of General Finishes Semi-Gloss Top Coat. 

Sealer:

• The body: 1 coat of General Finishes Flat. Important to use a flat when following up w wax. The flat allows the wax to stick to it. 
• Body and top: 2 coats of General Finishes Semi-Gloss. 

Purchased: $65
Supplies: ~$65

Posted to Offerup, Next Door, and Facebook tonight. 

One look at the knob & feet and I knew I had to have her! $10 made her more than worth the price!

She's now one of my treasured pieces that I use as my nightstand. 
​ 

Purchased $10
Keeping her, but feel like I could sell her for $80

Luckily this piece has beautiful curves and is full of potential else this dresser top would have scared me away! Sharing how I tackle. 

If the surface is flat, then I sand. If the surface is curvy or not easy to sand, I use a stripper like Citri-Stripper. This decision is step one. 

1. After sanding or using a stripper, then I use mineral spirits on a clean rag to wipe away any left over chemicals. 
2. I think use fine steel wool to wipe away any extra stripper or left over debris. 
3. I then use a damp cheesecloth to remove any dust or particles left over. 
4. If I've used stripper, I will recheck to make sure that the surfaces are smooth and do not require a quick sanding with an orbital sander or hand sander. Repeat 1-3 steps again. This will make sure your surface is prime for moving forward to painting. 

Happy Preparing! 

This pair has had quite a life! We bought these along with the dresser in my Pretty in Pink Dresser blog back in the 90's. These were the first two pieces I ever painted. I winged it. I had no plans of what I would do with the pair except I knew I wanted a more masculine one and a more feminine one. I turned out with two separate pieces that did not compliment one another.

While I still love the look of these, they just wouldn't sell separately or together. So I had to repaint them to make them more marketable to my community. 

At the same time, I realized how popular Restoration Hardware furniture was becoming with a price tag of $300 each. I loved their refined yet beachy look. They were relaxed while being neutral. 

Body & Top: 

• I started with 2 coats of Slick Stick waiting 2 hours between coats. 
• I painted 2 coats of Dixie Belle Palmetto which is the prettiest green. 
• Then, I decided to switch out the knobs replacing w a pull {yikes!} so I had to seal up the holes and repaint the area. 
• Once perfect, I sealed with Dixie Belle Spray Wax. 
• Finally, I added long strokes of Dixie Belle White Wax making sure to keep the strokes LONG, rub the wax into the piece, and to buff 30 minutes after applying. 

Owned Nightstands $0
My previous pieces sold within hours of posting so I raised my prices. So far these have been up on Marketplace and Offer Up for 3 days at $220 with a few inquires but no serious offers. 

I've had this Basset dresser since in 1990-something. She was first used in our master bedroom and then my daughter loved her with mismatched glass knobs. She was a beautiful dark wood.

Fast forward to when I first started furniture painting and I knew I wanted to use color to bring her new life. I knew that her height would be a perfect canvas for some flowers and some blends of soft color. 

Previously Owned Dresser $0
Listed on Marketplace and Offer up for $200; Sold within 2 hours for $185

When the Stay at Home Order hit in response to COVID-19 pandemic, Ed wanted to find a cheap, cute desk for a couple of friends. He bought a couple of slabs of plywood and got to work! 

It's basically a box with two A frame legs and cost $20 to make! For durability we sealed with polyurethane. ​The one we had left over we sold for $40 to a woman that was going to need to work from home for the rest of the year. She LOVED it! 

He's making another version of one which I'll decorate w prima transfers. It'll be so cute!

About 6 months ago I picked this little girl up from our local Snowline Thrift Shop. She was sitting all alone just outside the doors. Instantly I loved her curves and because she was so sturdy. 

I was intimidated by her. I immediately thought to make her white and distressed. A quick paint job in white, seal, then distress with a sanding pad. That would do it, right? Nope. 

Don't get me wrong, she is so cute in white. Note & Reminder: take before pictures! Imagine her in dark oak. 

We sealed her in satin polyurethane & put her up on Marketplace. We had so many bites but nothing serious. I even dropped the price!

I put her in my shop and over a week I looked at her so many times. What did she need? I tried to sand some more. Sanding is necessary to break that polyurethane seal. I distressed her some more. Then added a blue color wash on top. Nope! 

1. Bought for $30. 
2. Distressed white: Placed on Marketplace for $60. 
3. Distressed white: In desperation, I offered to sell it for $50 to the last person to inquire on the piece. 
4. Repainted: Placed on Marketplace for $120. Sold in 2 hours.