My New Buffet

This dresser is the first piece of furniture I ever painted.  This is where it all began....what changed my curiosity to obsession!

  This piece came from my husband.  To give you a little history, we have only been married for two years.  We both came from previous marriages that were difficult.  Well, this dresser was given to him when he got married the first time.  Of course they had very little, and so his dear aunt gave him her old, junky dresser.  

I don't have any before pictures (because I never thought I would start a blog at this point), but I will tell you, it was GROSS!  The top was covered in stains and water damage.  None of the drawers slid well.  The outside was sticky from spills that were never wiped up.  My first thought when I saw this was "lets get rid of it!"  But there was something about it that kept me from doing so.  It had good bones, and I thought I saw some potential.  

After many hours of research, and many more hours on my knees painting and sanding, this is how it turned out:  I thought it was beautiful.  Everyone that saw it commented on it.  

These pictures were taken after we moved into our current home.  After many more painting projects!  Although I loved it, I was always on the lookout for something to replace it, something more fitting, more my style.

So when I came across this beauty on Craigslist I couldn't resist!  She was only $60!  Her two front legs were broken off, but I didn't care.  She is about 50 years old, and has all the original hardware!

The first thing I did when I got her home was wipe her down with vinegar.  This is my #1 RULE when ever I get something off Craigslist!  It not only cleans it, but it removes any odor from the furniture, including smoke.  

After that I reattached the broken legs with wood glue.  And, of course, I was too excited to get painting that I once again didn't take a before pic!  Sorry...I'll work on that!

This is her after two coats of my homemade chalk paint:  (I used Valspar's Polar White)

 I applied one more coat of paint before I sanded her and reattached the hardware.

 

Here is a close-up:

 Isn't she BEAUTIFUL?!!!

Here's a Side-By-Side Before and After:

Not a HUGE difference, they are both great, but the new one makes a much bolder statement!

Party Links:
Savvy Southern Style: Wow us Wednesday
Domestically Speaking: Power of Paint Party
Miss Mustard Seed: Furniture Feature Friday
The Shabby Nest: Frugal Friday

Funky Junk Interiors: Party Junk
TaterTots&Jello: Weekend Wrap Up
DIY Showoff: That DIY Party
Mod Vintage Life: Mod Mix Monday