Greetings, my friends! In addition to being in the thick of getting my kids into their new summer routines, I’ve been busy working on a few furniture pieces while also completing a design plan for a client’s income property.  So much to do, but so much fun!  That being said, I didn’t want you to think I had forgotten about you so I thought I’d show you a custom dresser I painted for my client’s 6 year old daughter.

It’s hard to believe this cute little dresser started like this…

The dresser once belonged to the grandfather of my client’s husband.  I’d be lying if I said it didn’t need a lot of work, but I’m so glad my client saw the potential of this sentimental old piece.  Before painting I spent quite a bit of  time filling in nicks and scratches and reinforcing a few different sections.

Once I completed the first few steps of prep work I primed the dresser with Zinsser Spray Primer.

Since my client wanted a two-toned distressed look, I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  Normally, primer isn’t necessary when using Chalk Paint, but because I was using Pure White I wanted to make sure there wasn’t any bleed through.  After priming the dresser I lightly sanded it with a 220 grit sanding wedge and then painted the edges with a pretty shade of lavender called, Henrietta.

From there I painted the entire piece with about 3 coats of Pure White (lightly sanding between each coat).  After letting the final coat of paint dry, I lightly distressed the edges to let the Henrietta show through.  Once I was done I went over the entire dresser with three coats of clear wax.  The dresser was officially ready to shine after my client added some lavender butterfly knobs she found at Pottery Barn Kids.

And while we’re on the subject of sentimental pieces, I just love this lamp which belonged to my client’s grandmother.

I can’t help but think of how pleased the original owners would be to see their precious great-grandaughter enjoying their heirloom items.

They are the perfect touches for this darling room filled with imagination, creativity and fun.