The Tuxedo Dresser - A Black & White Makeover

I’m a little bit smitten with our latest dresser makeover – it’s classic yet a little funky, kind of black tie with a twist, which I totally love :)

We bought this dresser off Craigslist in the summer – I liked the shape and all the pretty little details in the woodwork, although the hubs thought the bottom looked like a giant mustache.

Despite seeing past the technicolour finish, it took me awhile to get started. The honey and I both wanted to use up some leftover paint from previous projects, but I kind of felt like doing something new. Frankly, the thought of using the same old paint left me feeling pretty uninspired...But I rolled with it...Eventually I settled on staining the top dark and painting the body white – I've been loving that country-esque look lately. But after a LOT of prep and several tries the stain just wouldn't take evenly.

So on to plan B, a different two-tone look that's a little less country, a little more chic.

I'm SO crazy about black and white - the colours are so classic but together they look so bold. 

Love how the new paint job highlights the details. Although in black it does look a little more mustachey..

The new knobs are my favourite part. I had bought the same ones with a white center last year on clearance at Homesense, and while working on this dresser I realized they'd be perfect, but I only had 3. I was disappointed I couldn't use them, but then totally lucked out finding these!

I was surprised at how much I ended up liking this piece - despite using the same old paint. All it needed was a little re-imagining.

In terms of the how-to, I prepped the piece by lightly sanding a few rough spots and gave the whole thing a thorough cleaning. I filled the holes from the old pulls with wood filler and sanded smooth. Then I taped off the sides of the drawers and got to work: 1 coat of Zinsser primer, 2-3 coats of paint, and 3 coats of satin Varathane sealer. 

I added a little paint conditioner to help with brush/roller marks, but I've learned it's really about your technique. Thin coats are better than thick, and the hardest part is trying not to work the paint too much by going over it a million times. Especially with the Varathane, use VERY thin coats and work quickly, or you’ll end up with tons of marks (the can says not to use a roller but I did so anyway), not to mention BUBBLES! I ended up adding a little conditioner to the Varathane too - probably not recommended but I found it helped. In the end I achieved an even surface that's also silky smooth to the touch :) Last but not least I measured out the placement for the knobs and drilled new holes. 

For now this pretty little tuxedo dresser is fancying up my dining room, waiting to get sold!

Sharing at Thrifty Decor Chick, Primitive & Proper,