From Nay to Gray, Part I

"Yay or nay?" A question often asked of my husband in reference to anything and everything house related. A question usually followed by some form of a sideways-are-you-crazy stare or just an outright NAY. God love him. You can imagine how the last few months have gone as I've tried to find the perfect dresser in the perfect price range and at the perfect size. Most of the lovelies I found were definitely going into the Craigslist Ugly Vault, and I was desperate to save one of them. Join me this week as I show you how to take something from NAY to GRAY. 

On Saturday we went out to look at a dresser I thought could be a winner, pictures of it here. If you're wanting to redo furniture, I suggest looking at the overall shape of the furniture, and make sure to buy real wood. Both of which this dresser was. Still though, when we arrived husband was a little leery, but he says now that he trusted me to make it look better... ha.

So this was the scene this weekend, dresser drawers and hardware strung about the basement. I started by sanding with a 150 grit sandpaper. In any furniture rehab I've done over the years, I tend not to go crazy with the sanding because I like the weathered and beaten look. I'm not too concerned with paint coming off here and there, but I've never actually had chipping or peeling problems in the past. 

Sanding completed, I was ready to paint... but what color? I didn't have much left of my Sherwin Williams Functional Gray, but what I did have was a few gray paint samples from my find-the-perfect-gray quest a few months back. So, what's a girl to do? Mix them all together, of course. So, the official color of my dresser is something of a Chelsea Gray-Functional Gray-Fashion Gray-Classic Silver combo. Chelsea's Classic Gray Fashion I suppose.

When repainting furniture, I recommend using a foam roller for smooth surfaces. I used one that's meant for cabinets and doors because it allows for application of a thin and smooth paint coat.  Of course, my dresser has a lot of nooks and curves to tackle, so for those I used my handy shortcut brush. These things are magical. Get one.

Then it was watching paint dry. Really. Tip- my dad taught me how to save my rollers and brushes in between paint coats. Wrap them tightly in tin foil. This will keep them from drying out, and it will save you from having to reload a fresh roller or from cleaning out your brush each time. Not going to come back to your project for a few days? Wrap the roller in tin foil and place it in the freezer. When you are ready to get back to work, thaw it out and you are good to go! 

After a few coats of paint, I was ready for my favorite part- distressing. I love the look of weathered furniture. It feels like it has a story and a history. Plus, you get to err on the side of imperfect. Really, isn't life easier that way?

For the distressing I used a 100 grit paper to easily take it back down to the wood tones on edges and various parts of the piece.

Sanding a little off the top...

A little from the drawer corners...

And some from the bottom....

It's exciting to see a piece take on a new life! I can't wait to finish it, and hubby can't wait for me to get my project out of his man-cave basement. But I will say he's feeling more confident about my Craigslist choice now seeing it painted.

Tomorrow I'll share with you my top hardware choices and what I picked in the end.... until then, happy Monday!