We got a lovely chest dresser from Neil’s grandma. Lovely in size and utility, not so lovely in color and hardware. So we’re doing some staining today. This is the first time I’ve refinished furniture and if it goes well with this chest, (i.e. nobody dies, loses a limb or goes blind) then we’ll do the rest of the furniture we’ve been meaning to do.
The first dresser (the gift from Neil’s grandmother) will be black with silver hardware. It was built in the eighties and my hope is to calm the round features with a dark stain and some sanding. As it looks now (sorry no pic) it would look epic with an orange rust flower and wagon wheel couch of the same decade.
My other two dressers are antiques, with pronounced round shapes and very antique features. One will be distressed black and the other red. My thought is that they’ll make nursery furniture nicely when we decide to replace them for larger things for ourselves.
And yes I did say nursery…but not in secret announcement, just merely a “plan ahead” statement.
I like this! A lot! I have some furniture that I’d like to refurbish…staining or painting wise. If yours does indeed go well, as I assume it will, then I’ll have to ask you for some pointers.
There are so many projects I always scared myself out of. I thought they required superhuman skills or some career path that I hadn’t chosen and really it looks pretty easy. The difference in procedure looks to be dependent on the color your furniture currently is vs. the color you want to go. In this case its pretty easy because we’re going from a medium warm maple to a black. All it requires is a rough sand and a pre-conditioner and then stain. Next I’m tackling window treatments I think. I love winter because I get all these projects done in the absence of yard work and outdoor maintenance.
Currently our furniture motif is called “hodgepodge”…every piece is a different color and comes from a different era, lol. I don’t necessarily care if it all matches, as long as it all looks nice…which a few pieces don’t (scuffs, age, yellowish hue). I’ve stained pieces from scratch, but never have I stripped a piece and then stained…that’s the scary part to me! What kind of window treatments are you doing? I tried making my own curtains and my motto now is: “Buy them, no matter the cost!” I’m sure yours will turn out fabulously because…well everything you do, does! Can’t wait to see your finished product.
PS – What is yard work and outdoor maintenance? 😉
hey! where did you find that second black dresser! i’d love to know! it’s gorgeous! good luck with your project. i am finishing some furniture this weekend, too.
You know, it’s been so long that I can’t honestly remember. It was a google search for “black refinished dresser” or something of the like.