Two weeks before Christmas, if you remember, I finally found a few options to use to repurpose a dresser into an entertainment center in our living room. Once I narrowed down which piece would work best in the space I was determined to finish the makeover before our Christmas Eve party. I did it! A few days ahead of schedule too!
Don’t you love how it turned out?
First, let me share why I needed to replace our existing entertainment center.
Our sweet, little bulldog Stella decided that our entertainment center needed a little distressing. The entire base looked like this. Thank goodness her puppy chewing phase is over. {Knock on wood.}
Since I have a couple furniture painting projects under my belt, with the teal dresser and dining table and chairs, this one went pretty smoothly. Here’s how I did it.
When I saw this dresser at the thrift store, I loved the curved lines, the detail and how solid the piece was. Removing the top left and right drawers would make the perfect space for the cable box and the Hubs’ game systems.
The hardware, I didn’t love so much. I knew that would be an easy fix with a trip to Home Depot. This was the perfect fit for our repurposed entertainment center.
I removed the drawers and hardware and wiped the entire piece down. Cleaning before sanding might sound a little ridiculous, but you don’t know where the piece has been! Using my Dad’s palm sander {I really need to get one of my own.} I gave everything a light sanding using 120 grit sand paper. It is possible to sand by hand, but the palm sander really speeds up the process. Since I knew I wouldn’t be needing the top left and right drawers I set them aside. Once everything is sanded, give everything another good wipe down with a damp towel and tack cloth. This will remove all the sanding dust and give you a clean painting surface.
Once your surface is clean it is time to prime. I used Zinsser Cover Stain Primer. The primer is awesome and goes on smoothly, covers any color imperfections and a quart was more than enough. I rolled one coat of primer on using a small foam roller and a foam brush for the edges and details.
I allowed the primer to dry for almost 24 hours before painting. I decided on black since it not only coordinated with the rest of the decor in the room, but also was a classic color that would last for years to come. I used Behr Premium Plus Self Priming Interior paint, semi gloss in Black Suede. I purchased a quart of the paint and it was just enough. I rolled the black paint on using a high quality roller and brush for the details. I have found that using a high quality, short nap, roller for the color gives you the best results in the end.
{Cute Puppy Break}
I do all my refurbishing projects in the basement. Stella is always baffled where I go and what I do down there. She doesn’t dare make the trek down those stairs.
I let the first coat dry for three hours then applied a second coat. In between coats, you may need to lightly sand any drips or imperfections in the paint. Depending on your piece and how well everything was covered, two coats will probably be all you need.
For some reason, I do not have photos of the next step. Just imagine with me….
Once the entire dresser was painted, the original plan was to have my Dad measure and cut a piece of wood to slide in the spaces where the top left and right drawers had been to create a shelf. When my dad came to measure, he had a better idea. One that included a crow bar and hammer. I was freaking! Instead of cutting a shelf, he was able to pry up the center wood piece that the drawers tracked on. A little wood filler and some sanding later and I was able to paint the inside of the drawers. So much easier than cutting a shelf! He’s a handyman genius!
Now that everything was painted, it was time to find some new hardware. I searched Home Depot and Lowe’s and neither had anything that would fit in the existing drill holes. I was so frustrated since I really didn’t like the original hardware. I was getting closer and closer to my Christmas Eve deadline so I decided to just spray paint the hardware. I used Rust-Oleum Nickel spray paint. Two coats later and I actually was liking the hardware. It is amazing what some spray paint can do.
I love how the piece looks in the room. It is amazing how paint can transform an old piece, give it character and repurpose it into something new!
{Linking Up: Not Just a Housewife, Fancy Little Things, Tatertots & Jello, I Heart Nap Time, Tip Me Tuesday}
