ok a "real" before and after this time

This time I actually have a "real" before and after.  While the chalkboards were fun, this one was work.  I got this dresser donated to me by my awesome friend Amanda.  I shamelessly put out a facebook post asking if anyone had old furniture around their house they were looking to get rid of and it paid off.  Along with the dresser I got some other cool stuff that will be featured in before and afters at some point. 

Anyhow.  Amanda said this had been passed between her kids and was currently living in her garage and I was welcome to have it.  It wasn't in terrible shape, some scratches and a few dings.  I have a very limited knowledge of furniture styles and my best guess says this is probably a reproduction of a mid-century modern piece.  And of course I didn't think to take a good before picture until I'd already taken the hardware off.  Most of the furniture projects I've tackled have been for myself so deciding what colors and finishes to use were easy.  This one I knew had to go to the shop so for whatever reason I struggled with color choices, and even asked my facebook friends to weigh in :)  Then I spent several hours on Pinterest looking at what is popular right now and decided aqua/turquoise with my first attempt at an "antiqued" finish.  After sanding for what felt like days, but was really just alot of hours in the same day I finally bought my supplies.

Now I know most of my furniture painting friends have moved past spray paint. But it's what I know and it gives me instant gratification.  I promise that I am navigating away from it in smaller projects as I become more familiar with other paints.  But this big guy screamed for a color I knew I liked.  After 2 cans of Valspar Glass Exotic Sea in Gloss it had exactly the look I was going for.  Then I busted out the hand sander to give it some distressing, after all in my mind it was going to be antiqued like all those great pieces I'd seen on Pinterest.  Then I had a moment of panic.  Was I setting my sights too high, could I really pull it off and make it match what was in my head?  So I put the sander down and stepped away from it for a day.  When I went back into the "workshop"(my hoarded furniture section of the garage) I was surprised that I could look at it objectively and I LIKED it!  So I grabbed my Minwax Dark Mahogany Stain and started back in.

  But of course I started to doubt myself again.  My level of refinishing "expertise" starts and stops with the few things I've spray painted and clear coated for myself.  So not necessarily my best work.  The more I rubbed on the stain the more confident I became.  I kept thinking ok this isn't maybe my style, but objectively someone could really like this.  Then I was completely done staining, and that did take a day, the ONLY time my patience worked with me...I didn't want to mess up what I had come to appreciate but rubbing the wax on too soon.  Normally I can barely wait for the coats to dry before I start on the next part.  So I did use the paste wax and this is kind of new for me, but I've come to love it!  Gives my projects that smooth finished feeling yet doesn't change the finish of the paint.  So when all is said and done and I moved it inside to put the hardware back on, I now want to keep this piece.  It turned out even better than I thought it would!  I'm feeling pretty proud of myself, or I'm still high on paint fumes.  Either way I hope you all love it as much as I do and come check it out in the shop at our Grand Opening this Saturday the 12th.

See!  I did it!!  Just a great color wash effect with some staining and wax.  Put the original hardware back on, and it's off to the shop this weekend!  Persnickety's Awesomeness Emporium check it out!!

                                                 Thanks for stopping by!  I'd be happy to answer any questions you have, drop me a line!!

Enjoy,
Denniel