Paint-Dipped Furniture.

I'm sure my last post left you guys wanting a whole lot more.  I shared half of my furniture makeover for our new-to-us nightstands, and then stopped right before I got to the good part.  My sincere apologies!  I'm here to make up for it by revealing it all! ;)

After I chopped all the legs down, I started taping off different proportions on the bottom of the desk and dresser to lay out the "paint-dipped" sections of the pieces.  Once I found the look I liked, I continued taping and covering the furniture so that anything I didn't want paint on was covered.  I also made sure the "dipping" would be even on both the desk and dresser.

Then the pieces were taken to my spray paint workshop {aka - the garage}, where I covered the exposed areas in a few light coats of gold spray paint.

I removed the tape carefully while the paint was still wet because I didn't want to risk peeling any paint off.

Then I stood back and melted into a puddle on the floor because I loved the pieces so darn much.

After they dried for about 24 hours, I brought them inside and poly'ed the tops {since they'll get the most wear and tear} with Polycrylic and a quality brush.  For anyone poly'ing over white paint...use polycrylic since it will not yellow your paint over time!!!

Once my first coat of poly was dry {about 2 hours}, I sanded the tops lightly with fine sandpaper, wiped away the dust and applied another coat.  {Do not sand your final coat of poly. :) }

While all these steps were happening, I was on the hunt for hardware that would finish the piece perfectly.  I needed to find hardware that fit the original holes {since I didn't feel like filling and drilling new ones}...so 6" centers it was!  I had a rough time in the beginning...I just couldn't find anything that really spoke to me.  But finally, I laid eyes on this collection...the Lewis Dolin Hardware Inc. Barrel Collection.  The pieces in the brushed brass...oh. my. goodness.  They were EXACTLY what I wanted for my mid-century lined pieces!! I chose the knob for the top drawers and the 10.5" long pulls for all the other drawers.

When they arrived in the mail I was giddy.  The weight of the hardware is fantastic, and I loved them even more in person.  It was like they were made for my project! :)

Are you guys as in love as I am?!?!  Probably not, but that's okay. ;)

And yes, you may have noticed a dark charcoal gray wall making an appearance in one of the last photos.  I may have repainted our master bedroom, again.  We have gone over to the dark side!!!!

Don't Be Scared of a Little Laminate...

Thanks to Craig and his list, hubby and I got some new "nightstands" for our master bedroom.  I showed you guys the desk and dresser we are using in my last post.

Clearly, these guys had seen better days...but I knew a little elbow grease and paint could have them looking shiny and new again.

Now, I'm definitely no stranger to a furniture makeover {here are some of my past projects}, but this one intimidated me a little bit.  The top of both pieces was a very slick, glossy laminate.  I wasn't sure how the tops would take paint, but after a little research, I bit the bullet and dove into the makeover, head first.

I started by cleaning the pieces with a wet rag.  They. Were. Gross.

Then I used a liquid deglosser all over and removed the old hardware.

After that, I used an electric sander and roughed up the flat surfaces (focusing on the super slick tops) as best as I could.

Following the sanding, I wiped everything down with a lint-free cloth.

Then I pulled out my secret weapon...Zinsser's B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer.  I specifically chose this primer because of it's supposed ability to stick to glossy surfaces.  I am happy to report, it didn't disappoint {thus far}.

I sprayed two light coats of primer onto my pieces, sanding lightly in between.  {Make sure you wipe off the sanding dust in between applications.}

FYI - To get the lovely odor out of furniture that often accompanies anything purchased on Craigslist, try to spray the pieces with vinegar and wipe down...allowing to dry out in the sun.  The longer you can leave in the sun, the better. Nature can work miracles!

On to the painting....{which I did not take pictures of because, well, I was busy painting and forgot...bad blogger!!}...

I used a combination of a low-nap roller, made for specifically for smooth surfaces, and a quality brush to paint the pieces.  I didn't purchase new paint for this project.  I just went into the basement and grabbed my go to white furniture paint...Behr's paint and primer in one, in off-the-shelf, Ultra Pure White, semi-gloss. {This is what we have on all the trim and kitchen cabinets in our home.}

I applied two coats of paint, letting it dry overnight in between coats.

The next step I took is TOTALLY unnecessary, unless the height of your pieces is a touch too high for your liking. ;)  I borrowed my neighbor's jigsaw and chopped a couple inches off the bottom of each leg on the furniture pieces.  I tried to measure as best I could to ensure I was removing the same amount of leg, but not all the legs touched the floor to begin with, so I kind of winged this part.

Thankfully, I did NOT ruin the pieces at this point {phew!!!}, and I only had to go back and touch up two or three legs with the jigsaw.  To smooth the cuts out, I busted out my electric sander and finished things off. Plus, I put little felt pads on the bottom of all my furniture, so that helps to even things out that may be off a tad bit.

After all of those steps, it was time for the most exciting part of the project for me...giving it a paint-dipped treatment!  I've fallen in love with this look and couldn't wait to apply it to something in my home.  I know some of you got a preview of the makeover on Instagram {retroranchreno}, but come back soon for the full view of the treatment and the FAB hardware I found!!

Gearing Up.

Oh heyyyy!!  Remember me???  No?  I figured you might have forgot who I am since I have been non-existent in blogger land for most of the summer.  I wish I had some super cool story to explain my absence...like I was jet-setting around the world and just didn't have time or WiFi to blog, but in reality, I just needed some downtime.  And since I couldn't take a break from my busier-than-ever "9-5", I needed to take a break from all things blogging.

Don't let my lack of posting fool you, I was still brainstorming home ideas, and even setting some plans into motion.  If you follow me on Instagram {retroranchreno}, you know the wheels have been turning lately.

For example, you guys know I loooove me some Craigslist finds.  Heck, more than half of the furniture in our house was probably someone else's at some point in time.  This summer I came across two listings I could not pass up on.

The first was a long dresser (and matching nightstand that is still in our basement because I have no spot for it yet)...

This pretty thing now lives here...

And the former-dresser-turned-console I made over has found a new home...

Nope, not in our hallway, but in our master bedroom.

The armoire I made over that used to be in our bedroom is now in the basement.  Any locals looking for one?!

The second listing I jumped on was a white mid-century bedroom set.  It included a desk, two matching dressers and a nightstand.  You only see the desk and one dresser below, because that is all I'm using for now.

I know most of you are wondering where the heck these will go...welp, meet our new "nightstands" for the master...

We like the larger pieces to balance out our large king-size bed...but holy moly, did they need a makeover.  From far away, they looked great.  Up close was a whole different story....yikes!!

I can't wait to share the transformation of this furniture with you guys!!  I had to deal with some new situations I never faced before.  The white pieces had a super slick, glossy laminate top on them, and the long dresser had plastic trim on the drawers.  I used a new primer and some homemade chalk paint to tackle these issues.  Plus, I have some fancy-shmancy hardware to show off that really makes these pieces complete.

Woohoo for being back in the blogging game!  Boy, did I miss you guys! :)

House Snooping.

Anyone else love to snoop around and take a peak into other's homes?!?  Come on, you know you do! ;) And if that's the case, head on over to Worthing Court to see an updated tour of our home! :)

Thanks so much for having me, Suzy!!  Happy Friday everyone!

Striped Table Makeover.

If you've been around my blog for a while, you probably know that I loooove a good furniture makeover.  Even some of my co-workers have learned this about me...and when I was approached by Modern Masters to try out some of their awesome metallic paints, one of my co-workers took total advantage.  She mentioned she had a small black side table that was in need of some "pizazz", so I had her bring it in.  I couldn't wait to get to work!

Although once I saw the table, I realized the "pizazz" step would have to wait.  I needed to give the table some serious TLC to get a proper black base.  First things first...the table needed major sanding.  The clear coat originally put on the table was peeling up like dried scotch tape.  Not cute.

After sanding, it was clear the table used to be a yellow-ish color before it went black.

I made sure to wipe things down so no dust or dirt was left on the table.

And then I went to town with a can of spray paint and primer-in-one.  MUCH better.

Then it was time to add a little something-something.  I busted out my painters tape, my Modern Masters metallic paint {in Blackened Bronze}, and a foam roller.  And before you ask...no, I didn't measure things.  I just taped the lines off using a piece of painters tape as a spacer as I went along to keep things even.

Then I painted a few coats of Blackened Bronze onto the table...

...and peeled the tape off while the paint was still wet.  Once it was dry, I applied two layers of a clear coat and let things dry for 24 hours.  Boom...co-worker's table makeover = complete!