Thrift Store DIY

 While out and about on a lunch break one day I came across this amazing dresser for $125 at the local ReStore- I immediately knew it needed to be mine. I was in search of a new dresser and thought about just buying one new. But then, the idea of buying an old, solid wood dresser for probably less than one new, was much more appealing. I mean, look at those vintage pull handles!

I would be able to make it look exactly how I wanted!

I decided to keep all of the original hardware except the two knobs on the cupboards. So off I went to find new ones. I wanted to keep some of the vintage elements, but add a modern spin to it.

These were from Anthropologie. I already knew what colour I was going to paint the dresser, which made choosing the knobs much easier. The soft pink of the stone combined with the raw, natural wood was a no-brainer.

Without wasting any time, I just had to see how they looked!

The process of sanding the stain off was long and difficult, but completely worth it in the end. There was a thick coating on the top of the dresser that needed to be chemically removed, this one worked well! I also found using the chemical stripper on all the grooves and details in the drawers and cupboards was much easier than sanding.

Once all the stain was removed, I did a final sanding and complete wipe down with a damp cloth to remove any loose pieces. After that was dry, I primed with one coat and painted with two to three coats. Some areas covered better than others.

I let it sit for two days before moving it inside, then replaced all of the hardware.

Viola!

 Cost breakdown: dresser $125.00, sanding/stripping materials $25.00, paint/primer $50.00

Total cost for a totally custom, vintage dresser: $200.00

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