Let's rewind two years back to our family packing up everything we owned in a whirlwind cross country move from New Mexico to Ohio. When you have three kids under 6, you tend to acquire a lot of kid stuff....and we had to decide what to do with all the baby/toddler gear we had accumulated over the past few years. Pack it or chuck it? Jack was 3 years old at the time and not knowing if our family would grow again, we decided to give it away to friends currently living in babydom instead of moving it all "just in case".
We. ditched. it. all.
Fast forward to us all settled in the new place and two little lines popping up on the preggo stick. It's a good thing baby/maternity stuff has a way of making it back around (don't be afraid to give it away!). I gave my entire maternity wardrobe to an expecting friend before we left Albuquerque, but a newly postpartum friend offered hers to me. Her babe was also outgrowing his baby stuff, like his swing and carseat. Between all those amazing hand-me-downs and the sweet gifts that arrived upon sharing our news, the only things we really needed were a few key pieces of furniture.
Since this was bambino #4 for us, we knew we wouldn't need all the things that came with the excitement of planning for our first (wipes warmer anyone?). We landed on three key items we wanted for the nursery: crib (for sleep), dresser (for storage), and chair (for feeding and snuggles). We used some gift cards towards the crib/mattress, which left us with two big items.
Upon hearing our baby news, a friend in the neighborhood said she had a tall changing table/dresser that she had planned to donate and offered it to us free for the taking......uh yes, please and thank you!! When things come free you really don't worry too much about aesthetics. She said it was a solid piece and in good condition. That worked for me.
When she brought it by I could hardly contain myself. Seriously, God's provision is so good. Look at this beauty!
She had her share of scuffs and some sticky residue from a sticker collection, but this gal was solid wood with great details that would only shine with a fresh coat of paint. The height was also a gift. James is tall at 6'4" and the height of the dresser is perfect, saving us both a lot of back pain from bending low for diaper changes.
Before I even had a design plan for Livy's nursery, I knew this dresser was going mint. I held off on paint for awhile, but once we brought in that bold pink rug with mint details, I went for it! I followed the same tried and true steps I've used for painting wood pieces in the past.
I started by removing all the hardware and giving the dresser a good cleaning. Then came a thorough sanding with a medium grit paper to give the paint a nice surface to grab onto.
After cleaning the dust from sanding, I dove in with paint. I used Valspar's hydrochroma Signature line of paint/primer in one (Mint Whisper in semi-gloss). The coverage was fantastic. I did three very thin coats - because I was lazy and didn't want to sand in between. The key to a super smooth finish is thin coats and lightly sanding with a fine grit paper in between coats. But this paint leveled out really well with no visible brush strokes, so I pushed on in my slothness without sanding in between. I only bought one quart of paint and still had some left over after the project.
I used my favorite Wooster brush to get in the grooves and a small foam roller designed for doors and cabinets for the flat surfaces.
Once the paint was dry/cured (a few days), it was time to reassemble and fill her up! I was really excited about this handy feature of the dresser...until we actually tried it.
The top folds down and creates a long surface. You can turn the changing pad so the baby is facing you instead of sideways. Much easier for diaper changes and all your stuff sets right next to it.
Except for one problem...
....you can't access the top drawer of the dresser when the tabletop is down. Super inconvenient when fumbling around for clothes or supplies. You would also have to move the changing supplies in order to rotate the pad every time you wanted to put the table up to access that drawer. #annoying. So, we took it off, patched the holes and called it good.
Next is where I almost cried. When I removed the hardware I put it all in a ziplock bag so I wouldn't lose any pieces. Then, I lost it. After a good amount of frantic pile rummaging and dramatic pouting, I finally gave up. My mom was visiting and found these knobs at Home Depot that sparked a new direction. I loved the bit of sparkle and glam it brought to the piece, and started thinking about a new pull to compliment the look.
I just couldn't land on a metallic finish/style combo that I liked. Picky, picky. In the end, I decided to go with a cup pull in a style that played off the scrolling details on the top drawer. This pull came in a variety of great finishes, but I painted it the same color as the dresser so it wouldn't be too busy. I love the result!
The inside of the drawers were in good condition, but I did line them with some fun wrapping paper. I'll show you how we organized those bad boys next week.
We also love these changing pads by Munchkin. They are washable and perfect for those early blow-out days or great to pop in a carseat or stroller for an added layer of protection. And they have a sweet little black and white detail, so, you know....#resistanceisfutile
So for just a little paint, bit of elbow grease, and some new bling, we got an ultra feminine dresser fit for a sweet little miss. I love the subtle color it adds to the room without stealing any thunder from that gorgeous rug.
How bout a side-by-side?
The bean approves.
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Thanks so much for reading! We would love to hang out!