Pale Gray & Copper Antique Dresser (& Contribultor Post)

I've had this old marble topped dresser forever. And before that my Mom had it. And, I've never updated, not even once. Which, as I'm sure you know, is completely unheard of.

 

 

 

The dresser has spent considerable time in our living and dining rooms and our office. But, as I was about to bring it upstairs to the master bedroom (my current decorating victim project) I knew it needed a refresh.


 

 

I just couldn't see this piece having a pristine finish. Instead, I wanted it to be worn and collected.


 

 

I started by painting the entire dresser in Benjamin Moore's Balboa Mist.  Once I was satisfied with coverage I painted the locks and decorative grooves with Liquid Leaf in copper. In hindsight, this project should have waited until warmer weather when I could have dragged it outside. The Liquid Leaf smells. Bad. Seriously, made me dizzy bad. It could also have been that I was holding my breath nearly the entire time I was using it. I don't ever want to use this inside my home again.

 

But...I do love, love, love the results.

 

After everything was dry and the stench started to dissipate I distressed the entire dresser, paying extra attention to the drawers and anything with the copper leaf.

 

My last step was to wax it and add in some hardware. Again, since I wanted a collected look I gathered some remnant antique glass knobs I had on hand. I love that they are unified my material, but are random in appearance.


 

 

So, the dresser is done and in my master bedroom and I'm still working a bit on styling and all that.  I'm not sure I'm loving the wall color, so that may change,  but I do love the direction thus far.




 

 

What do you all think? This dresser will be on the other side of the room from my Painted Mirror Hutch.  Next, I am going to work on adding in some more modern elements.
 

Oh, and that teensy bottle of copper leaf goes a long way. Check out my contributor post at Jennifer Rizzo to see how else I used it. 
 

 

 

Linking to...

DIY Showoff  Between Naps on the Porch  Mod Vintage Life  Cozy Little House  The Scoop  Elizabeth and Co.  Embracing Change  A Delightsome Life  French Country Cottage  Common Ground  Jennifer Rizzo  From My Front Porch To Yours  No Minimalist Here  Savvy Southern Style  Miss Mustard Seed  A Stroll Through Life  Frugal, Crafty Home  Redoux  The Winthrop Chronicles  Inspiration Exchange  The Inspiration Gallery Work it Wednesday