Making an Old Dresser Look . . . Older

When Reed was born, my brother bought a dresser for me to use as a changing table/baby clothes storage. I gave it a fresh coat of white paint, swapped out the wooden knobs for porcelain ones, folded a blanket on the top for a changing pad, and changed the heck out of some diapers on it for about seven years. 

When Max was potty trained, I did a happy dance and replaced the changing pad with some books. Soon, the dresser was swapped with a couple of small ones from Reed and Calvin's room and ended up shoved in their closet and topped with dart guns, books, and miscellaneous treasures. Over Christmas break this year, I installed shelves in both of the boys' room closets and they no longer needed dressers. Once again, the old faithful dresser was moved -- this time to the kitchen as a buffet of sorts. Well, a buffet that holds board games and craft supplies, but still. The dresser has lived its many lives well, but it was time for a makeover.

The before:

The inspiration:

Pinned from an etsy listing by The Lacy Peacock 

The process:

- distress edges with a power sander

- spray original wooden knobs (that I saved from the first time I replaced them) with oil-rubbed bronze spray paint

- paint top black

- smear wood stain over sanded spots

- try to wipe stain off; realize it just smears all over the white paint; decide to go for it

- smear stain all over, then decide it just looked dirty and try to wipe off with a wet rag; fail

- scrub and scrub until the dresser is a decent brown (see bottom drawer in picture below)

- accidentally discover that a dry rag rubs off what vigorous elbow grease with a wet rag would not; remove much of the brown (see top drawer in picture below)

The after:

When I showed it to Reed (I can count on a better reaction from him than anyone else in my house), his eyes were drawn above the dresser, to the garland I just made out of "Ninja stars." That's right. Coolest craftin' mom ever!